Bullying in schools and what to do about it: Revised and updated

Bullying is now widely recognised as a serious problem that affects many children in schools. It can take many forms, including direct verbal and physical harassment and indirect forms such as deliberate exclusion and the targeting of individuals using cyber technology.

Continual and severe bullying can cause both short term and long term damage, making it difficult for victims to form intimate relationships with others and for habitual bullies to avoid following a delinquent lifestyle and becoming perpetrators of domestic violence.

Even though this type of abuse affects many of our school children, Ken Rigby believes there are grounds for optimism. This passionate and motivating book shows that there are ways of reducing the likelihood of bullying occurring in a school and effective ways of tackling cases when they do occur.

Drawing on research evidence, Bullying in schools and what to do about it helps us to understand the nature of bullying and why it so often takes place in schools. Importantly, it examines and evaluates what schools can do to promote more positive peer relationships within the school community and take effective and sustainable action to deal with problems that may arise. This edition includes a new preface from the author reflecting on developments in the field.

Teachers, parents, school leaders, policy makers and health professionals will find it invaluable and empowering.

Professor Ken Rigby, PhD, is a leading international expert in the field of bullying. He is a psychologist and a qualified teacher and guidance officer, and an Adjunct Research Professor in the School of Education and the Hawke Research Institute at the University of South Australia. He has published widely, presented papers nationally and internationally and undertaken numerous consultancies for state and national governments on school bullying.