Timea SzaboBullying and its possible effects on children in today's society Bullying is a growing concern in a society where status and the exercise of power over another human being are always most important in the development of their social circles. Dan Olweus (Norwegian researcher and founder of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program) defines it as “aggressive behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power. Very often, it repeats itself over time” (Violencepreventionworks.org). School victimization is a particularly sensitive issue that has only been in the public eye for the past half century, as more and more researchers and psychologists have highlighted its short- and long-term negative effects on targeted individuals. It has since been extensively studied and numerous programs have been developed in an effort to address and prevent the many forms of bullying that exist today. The negative effects of such abusive behavior are varied and can differ greatly between individuals. However, there are three main consequences that can be associated with school bullying, namely: school avoidance, depression/anxiety and even suicide attempts. According to Jaana Juvonen "we cannot address the problem of poor school results by ignoring bullying, because the two are often linked". His study examines the academic performance of 2,300 middle school students and finds direct correlations between low achievement and high levels of bullying. It is easy to understand how, for a child of that age, marginalization and abuse (be it verbal, physical or emotional) can lead to lower academic achievement and low self-esteem. If the negative behavior persists, the targeted individual may also develop anti-bullying norms that should be implemented not only at the individual level, but at the classroom and school level. -level as well. “The school,” says Dan Olweus, “has a responsibility to stop bullying and create a safe learning environment for all students.” It suggests a curriculum that consistently monitors abusive behavior, promotes kindness, acceptance of differences, and educates teachers, school staff, parents and children about bullying and response strategies. Source 1: Juvonen, Jaana. Bullying experiences and impaired academic performance in middle schools. The diary of early adolescence. February 2011: 152-173Source 2: Hinduja, S.& Patchin, JW Bullying, cyberbullying and suicide. Suicide Research Archives (14), 2010:206-221. Source 3: Olweus, Dan. What we know and what we can do. Cambridge MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1993.