General aggressive behaviour and bullying are not the same thing. There is a vast difference between the two and spotting this is necessary for developing right interventions, researchers say.
The findings showed that aggressive behaviour is meant to hurt or harm.
Conversely, bullying is a repetitive behaviour further characterised by a power imbalance between two parties, such as one child against a group or a bigger child against a smaller child, said Jamie Ostrov, lead author and professor psychologist at the University at Buffalo.
"It's important for us to realise this distinction, in part because every aggressive behaviour we see is not bullying.
Bullying can be physical, involving hitting, kicking, pinching or taking things away from someone. There is also relational bullying or social exclusion, where children might say, "You can't be my friend anymore" or "You can't come to my birthday party".
"Victimisation is receiving; aggression is displaying; bullying adds the power imbalance and repetition," Ostrov explained. IANS
The results suggest that relational aggression, not relational bullying, was associated with victimisation. IANS
COMMents
SHARE