"It Is Called Bullying Also": Exploring Adolescents' Talk About Bullying on an Online Message Board

• In Event: Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: New Research in Conflict Resolution

Abstract

Current definitions of bullying, as proposed by policy makers and researchers, raise questions about the ways in which adult constructions of bullying reflect, or fail to reflect, the lived reality of adolescents. This study investigated adolescents’ talk about bullying in an effort to better understand whether young peoples’ constructions of this phenomenon were aligned with those of researchers and policymakers. Conducting a content analysis of data from an online, teen message board, we found that participants frequently used the term bullying to describe adult or familial aggression, and often described bullying behaviors in ways that reflected elements of discrimination and harassment. This study raises questions about how to best bridge gaps between research and practice.

Authors

• Gretchen A. Brion-Meisels, Harvard University

• Bernice Raveche Garnett, University of Vermont