IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING BULLYING

Course overview

BULLYING IS A SERIOUS AND WIDESPREAD GLOBAL PROBLEM WITH DETRIMENTAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN. IT IS A REPEATED AND DELIBERATE PATTERN OF AGGRESSIVE OR HURTFUL BEHAVIOR TARGETING INDIVIDUALS PERCEIVED AS LESS POWERFUL. BULLYING MANIFESTS IN VARIOUS FORMS, SUCH AS PHYSICAL, VERBAL, SOCIAL/RELATIONAL, AND CYBERBULLYING, EACH WITH UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS. VULNERABLE YOUTH AT GREATER RISK OF BEING BULLIED ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PERCEIVED AS "DIFFERENT,"  INCLUDING THOSE BELONGING TO RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES, IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES, INDIVIDUALS WITH NOTABLE PHYSICAL FEATURES OR DISABILITIES, AND YOUNGER AND DEFENSELESS CHILDREN.HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO IDENTIFY AND PREVENT BULLYING AND INTERVENE TO MITIGATE ITS MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CONSEQUENCES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS ISSUES OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO CLINICIANS. IT GIVES THEM PRACTICAL TIPS TO INCREASE THEIR AWARENESS OF BULLYING, ENABLING EARLY RECOGNITION AND EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THIS COMPLEX ISSUE. BULLYING IS A PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS BOTH THE VICTIMS AND THE PERPETRATORS, AND THIS COURSE EQUIPS LEARNERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE LIVES OF THE YOUTH IT AFFECTS.