Bullying in Dublin Schools

Abstract

In a study to discover the nature and incidence of bullying in Dublin primary schools 783 children (285 boys and 498 girls) between 7 and 13 years of age in four National Schools in Dublin were questioned about their experiences of being bullied and bullying others. The most common types of bullying reported were: teasing, being hit and kicked, being ‘picked on’ and rejection. Overall, 10.5% of the children reported they were involved in serious bullying, either as the bully or the victim. These figures indicate an incidence that is twice as high as in some North European countries, such as Norway, where a 5% incidence inspired their Department of Education to launch a national campaign to combat bullying in schools.