Bullying in Physical Education: Awareness of Physical Education Teachers

Abstract

This study investigates how physical education (PE) teachers make sense of peer bullying, which types of behaviors they associate with peer bullying, their opinions about these behaviors, and methods for preventing bullying. The study group consisted of 18 PE teachers. The interview technique was used as a qualitative research method in the study. The data obtained after one-on-one interviews were analyzed through content analysis. According to the data obtained, PE teachers are the most important variable in the decrease or increase of peer bullying in classes. However, PE classes provide a suitable environment for the emergence of peer bullying. Additionally, bullying caused by the individual characteristics of students and environmental reasons can increase in schools, and there are generally no collective intervention programs within schools to prevent it. According to the teachers’ opinions, some of the important results are that students who are exposed to bullying experience the same fear every week in PE lessons, and although it is known that the majority of them do not want to participate in the activity in order to avoid being bullied, no solution can be found.

Correlates of Bullying Behavior Among Children and Adolescents in Physical Education: A Systematic Review

“…Five studies provided compelling evidence of the significant correlation between physical appearance and bullying within the context of PE classes. 9 , 19 , 22 , 27 , 29 Jachyra 27 found that individuals who frequently faced regular bullying primarily due to their physical appearance. Shehu 22 reached a similar conclusion, highlighting the importance of body shape in explaining both peer aggression and victimization in the context of PE.…”

“…Shehu 22 reached a similar conclusion, highlighting the importance of body shape in explaining both peer aggression and victimization in the context of PE. Sağin 9 further highlighted that students who deviate from the perceived norm of physique, including being overweight, too thin, too tall, or too short, were often targeted for bullying in PE classes. Borowiec et al 19 support the above findings by noting that students who are overweight or obese are more likely to be verbally victimized or socially excluded.…”

“…The interaction between teachers and students, how PE teachers speak to students during sessions, their constancy and determination, the behavior they model for students, and activity selections could be determinants of bullying. 9 Given teachers` response to bullying, PE teachers intervened more for overweight girls than average-weight females. However, this was not the case with male targets.…”

“… 6 The engagement in competitive play and physical contact during PE, such as dodgeball, 7 is more likely to elicit aggressive behaviors, making vulnerable students susceptible targets for bullying. 8 , 9 According to recent data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey, the proportion of bullying victimization in PE contexts varies between 35.54% and 45.21%. 10 Another empirical evidence indicates that approximately 28% of students have reported being bullied in PE settings.…”

Teachers’ Perceptions and Position Regarding the Problem of Bullying and Its Socio-Educational Prevention

“…Bullying is a social concern of great public health relevance because of the social and developmental impact on those involved [ 36 , 37 , 38 ]. It is undeniable that bullying can have negative or even harmful consequences for both victims and aggressors.…”