Problem-Focused Coping Factors

Coping

Protective Factors

Age, gender, and problem-focused coping

While discovering the risk factors for bullying in school, coping strategies were also identified in studies. The study by (Khamis 2015, p.137) not only mentions the risk factors, but also some coping factors such as age, gender, and problem-focused coping, which involves problem-solving, seeking social support, and confronting others (p.140). In addition to the results mentioned above in the stress section of this study, bullying and victimization were more prevalent among boys who used emotion-focused coping in comparison to children who used problem-focused coping methods. Furthermore, as children get older and use more problem-focused coping, bullying behaviours are seen

The aims of this study were to examine the coping strategies used by students who reported different types of victimization and to examine the impact of those different ways of being bullied by their peers. The participants consisted of 452 students from two schools in South Australian metropolitan high schools age ranging 12 to 14 years of old. In addition, male participants comprised of 52.9% of the sample and they completed a survey, where they reported the types of ways they were bullied and the types of strategies that they used to cope with bullying by their peers (p.293). The results point out that females were more likely to use a variety of coping strategies than males. In particular, girls are more likely to use approach coping such as seeking adult support, while this strategy may not be the normative behaviour for males and those students who were bullied in different ways are less likely to use problem-focused approach and seek help. Furthermore, those students who were bullied in multiple ways are less likely to use ‘approach’ strategies. This study shows that the impact of how many times a student gets bullied influences the effect of coping.

One of the main risk factors include gender and emotional coping, which was reported in a study by (Khamis, 2015) that highlights that bullying was more prevalent among boys than girls, and the bully and the victim are reported to be at risk for long-term and short-term emotional disorders and coping such as hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, and peer problems. A correlation between victimization, stress, and coping was identified. Furthermore, the experience as a victim of bullying is linked with increased stress and high use of avoidant coping (Newman et al., 2011). According to the study by Konishi & Hymel (2009) high stress was associated with self-reported bullying and under high stress from major life events, and girls who use distraction coping were more likely to bully. Lastly, acculturative stress and low family cohesion increase the risk of peer victimization, which can increase depression and substance use such as smoking (Forster et al.,