Prior to completing this discussion, please read Section 15.5 in your textbook and the Parental Characteristics Associated with Bullying Perpetration in US Children Aged 10 to 17 Years (Links to an external site.) article, and watch the Bullying exerts psychiatric effects into adulthood (Links to an external site.) Also, review the information from Chapter 1 about Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory and the Understanding Bullying (Links to an external site.) fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site. At least two of these sources should be cited in your original post.
Utilize Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory to address the topic of motivations for and influences on bullying. In your initial post of a minimum of 350 words, complete the following:
- Using each of the five systems in Bronfenbrenner’s theory, describe how a child’s environment (including family, school, and community) might predispose the child to bullying.
- For example, within a person’s microsystem are the parents. How might parents be an influencing factor on whether or not a child is prone to bullying?
- Find and report (with proper citation) one current statistic on the factors influencing school bullying behaviors. Does this statistic seem to follow the same trend supported by Bronfenbrenner’s theory? If not, explain how it challenges the theory.
- Finally, provide one unique solution to reduce or completely end bullying.
Requirements: 300 words
Answer preview
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory has five systems explaining a child development. The first system is the microsystem, which entails the system that directly impacts the child and the immediate contacts in the child’s life. This includes the parents, neighbors, the child’s playgroup, and school. Parents can become the key to why their child is bullied, as they impact the child’s beliefs and behaviors. For instance, the parent’s occupation may lead the child to be bullied (Guy-Evans, 2020). The Mesosystem entails the connection and interaction of a child with his parents, school, and peers. A child can hence be prone to bullying if they have a strained relationship with their parents, making them withdraw from people. If the parents are violent, the child may also mimic the damaging behaviors and, in turn, become the bully.
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