Introduction

Salma Gómez¹ Mario Pimentel²

Student of Psychological Sciences and Techniques: University of Milan - Bicocca¹

Educational Neuropsychologist: Mario Pimentel²

The Innocence in Childhood

⚡️ When you are a child, you tend to think about things like watching your favorite show when you get home from school, how good it feels to play with clay, the sweet taste of the cake your mom gave you, or when the next time will be that you can see the rain. The above is part of the innocence that is reborn during the early stages of childhood, and is part of the repertoire of socio-affective and emotional skills that people gradually mature into adulthood.

The Impact of Bullying

🧐 However, in situations of bullying, where vulnerability begins to surface, it can be the start of thoughts and cognitive distortions, such as thinking:

  • “No one wants me at school”
  • “Why is my hair like this?”
  • “I’m afraid to go out and play and get hit”
  • “I feel sad about what others might think of me”

Without realizing it, bullying pushes towards a loss of innocence, and a worry that can persist and mark the person in later stages of development.

Common Responses to Bullying

🔎 Normally, when a child faces bullying, the response they receive when they dare to talk about it at home is “ignore those comments” or “if they hit you, hit back.” In these phrases lies the norm that shapes the confrontation to any situation of violence in Panama: ignore, or respond with even more violence. Likewise, by invalidating the child’s emotions, it can trigger feelings of guilt, shame, and difficulty in expressing emotions towards others.

The Importance of Communication

🙏 The power to change these customs lies within us, and in how we choose to communicate with children and young people. In dialogue lies, perhaps, one of the most wonderful gifts granted to humanity. But, how will communication help us reduce bullying? According to the Action Protocol for Bullying Situations, developed by the Ministry of Education of Panama (MEDUCA) and the Organization of Ibero-American States, there are seven simple steps to end Bullying, summarized as:

  • Identify the case
  • Document it
  • Intervene with the students
  • Communicate it to their families
  • Talk with their guardians
  • Follow up
  • Close the case

Listening with Empathy

⭐️ The reality is that, as the word suggests, this protocol must be executed in every bullying situation, no matter how small, but there is an important meaning in listening with attention and empathy. Listening carefully to a young person or child allows us to uncover the situation, obtain valuable information about the background, and above all, it gives the child, whether the victim or the perpetrator, a sense of worth and esteem.

Toolbox for Preventing Bullying

Next, we will provide a toolbox 🧰 that can offer steps and recommendations to prevent and take action to minimize risks related to bullying:

  • ✅ Parental communication is essential. Replacing violence with phrases like “I’m here for you,” “I’m listening,” and “I can help you” makes a significant advance in addressing any case of Bullying. Through this response, we carry out emotional validation, which is nothing more than the process of recognizing, accepting, and understanding emotions without judging or minimizing them.
  • ✅ Many times in the intervention with those involved, the student who bullies is reprimanded, without receiving listening and respect. Instead, understanding the background of their behavior and finding solutions where they feel involved is important.
  • ✅ Intervention with parents is also key to preventing and correcting behaviors. Guiding victims in resilience and aggressors in empathy transforms conflict into learning. Open communication and collaboration with the school create an environment where respect and safety can flourish.

Psychological Assessments

💡 There are psychological assessments that would help identify the presence or absence of bullying, the type of bullying, and possible psychological manifestations. Some assessments to include within an Identification Protocol would be:

  • ✴️ AVE (Bullying and School Violence): a psychological test that offers the measurement of scales associated with bullying. It identifies the presence of harassment, intimidation, social exclusion, social manipulation, and the presence of psychological symptoms.
  • ✴️ CECAD (Educational-Clinical Questionnaire: Anxiety and Depression): a test that measures symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, psychophysiological symptoms, helplessness, irritability, and thought problems.

🧠 Additionally, it may be useful to conduct interviews with various informants, such as family members, school staff, and people who can provide information about behavioral and emotional changes in the child.

Conclusion

✨ Addressing bullying is opening doors to a world where emotions can be lived freely, growth occurs in peace, and human potential unfolds without barriers. It is giving every child the space to be, feel, and learn in the light of a safe environment, where consultants and families can obtain mental health tools that allow them to reach their maximum potential for optimal human well-being.

👉🏼 For mental health inquiries, feel free to write or call us at +507 6535 6362 and we will be happy to meet your needs.