Resiliency in Bullying Phenomenon at Primary School
(2015) BAPS 2015 Annual Meeting — Location: Bruxelles, Belgique (28.May.2015)
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- Abstract
- Introduction: According to the definition given by Ionescu in 2011, resiliency (a) characterizes someone having lived or living a traumatic event or chronicle adversity, who shows a good adaptation (which has different meanings depending on the age and the sociocultural context) and (b) resiliency is the result of an interactive process between the person, his family and his environment. In this study, we tried to answer the following research question: What are the resources employed in the resiliency process developed by the school bullying victims? Indeed, empirical evidence in the literature highlights the very damageable short- and long-term consequences of bullying, in terms of physical, mental health and well-being for all the actors involved: the victim, the bystanders, but also the bully. Method: We explored the experience and development of seven young adults (between 18 and 25 years old) who have been victims of bullying, in a systemic and developmental perspective. The first aim of the research is to assess the resiliency process developed (or not) by these young people. For this assessment, we focused on the quality of the current social and emotional life, the ability to elaborate affects and mental representations in a consistent and shareable way, and the faculty to experience a subjective feeling of well-being despite the past adversities. The second aim is to explore three specific means in this process, set forth in the literature: the mentalization skills, the defense mechanisms, and the "resiliency mentors" (tuteurs de résilience). We used several systemic tools: the “relatiogram” (relatiogramme) and “belongingram” (appartenançogramme) developed by Neuburger (2003) as well as the imaginary genogram elaborated by Ollié-Dresssayre and Mérigot (2001). The first part of the semi-structured questionnaire we used examines the time he or she was bullied during childhood. The second part of the questionnaire investigates the potential resiliency process, as well as the resources employed by the subject. We finished with a metaphor task inspired by the way Labaki (2012) uses it (asking the subject to draw a metaphoric representation of his bullying experience, then explore it). Results: We can classify our subjects in three groups: “resilient" subjects (n1 = 3/7), "pseudo-resilient" subjects (n2 = 3/7) and "non-resilient" subjects (n3 = 1/7). Results point out the key role of the ability to create extra-familial affiliation bonds, allowing us to distinguish resiliency from "pseudo-resiliency". Moreover, only the combined use of the three investigated resources seems to enable a global resiliency process. Several other observations are discussed in the study. Logically, if we want to promote the resiliency mechanism, it’s very appropriate to support the subject in his extra-familial affiliation process. However, this is impossible to do without the whole familial system, because of the natural filiation loyalties. It seems thus very important to systematically involve the family in the tackling of the bullying situation.
- Affiliations
U.L.B. Unité de Psychologie du Développement et de la Famille
Citations
Tolmatcheff, C. (2015). Resiliency in Bullying Phenomenon at Primary School. BAPS 2015 Annual Meeting, Bruxelles, Belgique. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/221558