28 questions about bullying to detect violence in class

Bullying is a phenomenon that, although it has probably existed since ancient times, has not received much media attention until relatively recently. We are facing an act of abuse and continued harassment over time that can have devastating effects on those who suffer from it, both physically and psychologically.

Often the suffering of children and young people who suffer from bullying remains hidden, either due to fear or shame on their part, due to the law of silence that is usually frequent in classrooms regarding the subject or even the lack of capacity, tools or knowledge on the part of responsible adults to catch or deal with acts of aggression (unfortunately, on some occasions without even being ignored and undervalued). In this article, a series of possible questions about bullying that could help to detect the existence of cases in the school environment.

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Bullying: the basic concept

We understand by bullying or school bullying to all that type of relationship between peers in which a relationship of inequality is established in which in the one or several subjects commit any type of voluntary act that intends to harm, vex or harm in any way another or others individuals.

The victim(s) is subjugated in some way by the aggressors, which act persistently over time. These abusive relationships occur either within the school context or between subjects related by their coexistence in an educational institution.

The abusive acts that are carried out can be of a very diverse nature and be carried out both directly (attacking the attacked subject in an obvious way) and indirectly (promoting that he is excluded, discrediting him or harassing him through the networks). Bullying can include physical aggression, insults or humiliation, robbery, active marginalization of minors, publication and sending of materials in the networks in which they are criticized or directly attacked (including videos), coercion, identity theft or even induction to suicide.

In this regard, it is important to note that there are not only the victim and the aggressor, but there are also witnesses of acts that may promote or prevent bullying or that they simply do not get involved. Teachers and the educational institution, as well as families, also have an important role. It is possible to work from very different perspectives (prevention and treatment of already existing cases being a priority) and with the different agents involved.

But in order to work with bullying situations and stop them, it is first necessary to be able to detect the existence of cases. Multiple organizations use for this different tests and questions that can be used to achieve this detection.

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Questions about bullying

Below are a series of questions about bullying which can be used to identify cases of abuse at school, prevent them or get informed. regarding attitudes and beliefs regarding bullying (some of which have been extracted from tests proposed by organizations such as the Ministry of Education).

These questions can be made to the class group as a whole, to individual students (whether witnesses, assaulted or aggressors) or even teachers and family members. They can be done through a questionnaire (if possible anonymous) or through an individual interview.

1. Could you tell me what it's like to be in your class?

This question can be used to visualize the general climate in the class and if the minor in question feels comfortable in it or not.

2. How do you feel in relation to your classmates?

Although similar to the previous one, this time the Emphasis on the student's relationship with the rest of the classmates. Depending on the answer, you can deduce whether or not there are specific problems in this regard.

3. Have you noticed any conflict between some students in your class?

Although it may be normal for there to be small conflicts between classmates, this question allows the subject to evaluate if they are frequent or if they have frequent protagonists.

4. Do you know of someone who has ever been attacked or insulted by a classmate or student?

This question allows the subject to indicate if she has ever visualized a case or if she has currently been able to witness it.

5. Do you know what bullying is? Could you explain to me what it is or give me an example?

Knowing what bullying is is essential to know how to detect a case, with which the knowledge of the concept is very important. Both in students and teachers.

6. What types of bullying do you know and what do you think of them?

Although today bullying is a topic that is often talked about, in many cases not everything is known that implies or is not considered aggression an act that actually is. it is (for example, promoting the marginalization of a specific person or creating a WhatsApp group to make fun of a person), considering as such only physical harassment.

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7. Do you think that new technologies and social networks are frequently used to harm other people?

Nowadays, children and young people tend to be connected to the networks more and more in advance, and can report the existence of cases of harassment derived from their use.

8. Do you know of any case in which a student has been or is frequently assaulted or insulted, or attacked through the networks?

Going into the matter, the subject who is questioned can answer and indicate the knowledge or ignorance of it with respect to current or past cases.

9. Do you think that aggressions between students are a problem in this school?

Students are the ones who see and experience these situations first hand, so that they can easily indicate if any type of harassment is taking place. This question can also be asked of teachers or family members.

10. Has it ever happened to you?

A direct question, but one that will allow the child to express if she has had a similar experience or if she is currently living it.

11. Have you ever felt bullied in class or been threatened?

Intimidation is very common in cases of bullying. It also allows to detect the presence of dominance attitudes in some students.

12. Have you ever had your things stolen or hidden? Do you know someone that this has happened to?

What may seem like a game to some students may hide the intention of harassing or generating deep suffering for a specific person. In the case of theft, in addition, goods or properties are stolen and sometimes with violence.

13. Does anyone in the class have a nickname?

Degrading nicknames are one of the most common and frequent types of harassment.

14. Could you tell me what happened/happened?

Assuming that the answer to any of the above is positive, it is important to know what happened.

15. Is it something that continues over time?

It is necessary to identify if the problem or aggression occurred at a specific time or is something frequent, or if it is still in force.

16. Could you tell me when and where the problem started?

Assuming that the answer to any of the above is positive, contextualizing the situation can help to work and understand how established the problem is or the type of harassment suffered.

17. How do you think someone in that situation would feel?

This question seeks for the person being asked to try to put themselves in the place of someone who is being harassed. It can be preventive by making people reflect on the situation of those who have been attacked.

18. What consequences do you think bullying can have for those who suffer it?

In this case, the knowledge of the consequences of bullying for the principal affected is evaluated, which are often only partially known or ignored.

19. Have you ever seen someone record or take photos of another without her permission? What do you think about it?

This question allows obtaining information regarding the use of audiovisual material against the will of the recorded or photographed subject.

20. Have you ever seen a post or group on the Internet where a colleague is laughed at?

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that is increasingly prevalent today, and questions like this can help detect cases.

• Related article: "Cyberbullying: analyzing the characteristics of virtual bullying"

21. How do you/would you feel when/if this happened to you? What if you saw how it happens to another person?

The expression of emotions and thoughts about it makes it possible to report the possible experience of bullying or to empathize with those who suffer it. In addition to the fact that it can be encouraged to relate their own or visualized experiences and detect cases, it can serve as a preventive measure.

22. What do you think someone who harasses others thinks?

Putting yourself in the shoes of both the harassed and the harasser can allow better detection of phenomena and situations linked to bullying. Likewise, knowing the bully's motives can help stop bullying by the classmates themselves.

23. What do you/would you do when/if this happens?

Whether the individual has suffered or seen another suffer bullying, answering this question allows for a debate on ways to act in such a situation. In addition, in the event that we are dealing with a confirmed case allows us to see what the minor has tried to do and if it has caused any effect or not.

24. What do you think would need to happen for the problem to be fixed?

This question can allow the individual being asked to indicate possible ways to solve it and to put themselves in other people's shoes.

25. Why do you think some students mistreat others? / Why do you think it happened?

This question can make you reflect on the aspects that cause the abuse, which can be useful in order to prevent a case or that an assaulted or aggressor express what they consider to be the reason for the bullying

26. In order to solve this type of case, it is important to ask for help. Have you told/would you tell someone? What if it was anonymous?

It is important to make them understand the importance of acts of harassment being denounced or informed about them in order to be able to act. Likewise, in some cases it is not done for fear of reprisals, for which it could be useful to establish some kind of anonymous reporting mechanism.

27. Would you be willing to do something to help the person who is being bullied?

This question makes it possible to reveal whether the subject being asked has done or would do something to prevent allow a situation of harassment or would report if witnessing such an act characteristics.

28. Do you have any questions regarding what we have worked on or is there anything you want to add?

Even if it is not initially answered at the time the initial question is asked, it is possible that before At the end of the conversation, a witness or a subject who suffers harassment decides to tell what he has seen or experienced, with which that create a space for you to express yourself can be of great help.

Bibliographic references:

• Castillero, O. (2017). Cyberbullying: Harassment in the network. Analysis and intervention proposal. University of Barcelona.

• Salmivalli, C., Kaukiainen, A. & Lagerspetz, K. (2000). Aggression and sociometric status among peers: Do gender and type of aggression matter. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. 41, 17-24.

• Ombudsman the Defender of Persons. (2006). Coexistence and conflicts at the Educational Centers. Extraordinary report. Barcelona: Ombudsman of Catalonia.