The Phenomenon of Bullying: Causes and Solutions in Schools and Social Media

Bullying is no longer just a passing word in educational or media discussions. Today, this phenomenon has transformed into an educational and psychological crisis threatening the learning environment, children's safety, and their self-confidence. It has expanded from schoolyards to open online spaces without real deterrents or oversight.

The Concept and Types of Bullying

Dr. Hessa Al-Abdullah, Professor of Educational Psychology at Kuwait University, explained, "Bullying is a repeated aggressive behavior intended to harm and humiliate, practiced by an individual or a group against someone physically or socially weaker than them. It ranges from simple sarcasm to belittling, exclusion, and physical or psychological violence."

She added, "Its danger lies in being silent behavior; many victims don't tell anyone out of fear or shame, while deep pain grows within them, which may later turn into isolation, depression, or even aggressive, vengeful behavior."

Causes of Bullying Prevalence

Weak Family Upbringing and Oversight

Dr. Hessa Al-Abdullah emphasized that the absence of warm family dialogues pushes children to seek power by weakening others. She explained, "When a child doesn't hear kind words or appreciation at home, they seek attention through fear, not love. Upbringing with dialogue and containment creates a confident person, while upbringing with neglect, violence, or excessive pampering creates a disturbed child who finds bullying a way to feel valuable, according to Al-Qabas."

Violent Role Models in Home and Society

Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Azmi, a social specialist at the Ministry of Education, said, "A bullying child is a product of their family and societal environment. When studying the psychological state of many of our students who engaged in bullying, we discovered they were exposed to verbal or physical violence at home, or they saw their parents mocking others in front of them."

He added, "There is another reason: imitating social media celebrities who promote sarcasm and mockery of others as a form of humor. Children don't differentiate between teasing and psychological harm, so they imitate them to feel distinguished, according to Afaq Al-Jame'iah magazine."

Lack of Educational Deterrence

According to a March 2025 study by the Gulf Educational Studies Center, which included 37 public and private schools in Kuwait, it was observed that 68% of school bullying cases did not receive a real educational or administrative deterrent. Instead, administrations only issued verbal warnings without actual accountability, which encouraged bullies to repeat their actions and created an unsafe school environment.

The report noted that "most bullying victims lose trust in the school administration if they don't find a quick response, resorting to silence and isolation instead of complaining."

The Impact of Bullying on Students and Society

Psychological and Emotional Impact

Dr. Amani Al-Mutairi, a child and adolescent psychiatry consultant, stated, "Students exposed to bullying exhibit clear psychological symptoms: declining academic achievement, loss of appetite, insomnia, sometimes bedwetting, and constant anxiety."

She added, "Some cases reach the point of self-harm or suicidal thoughts, especially with cyberbullying, which follows the student even into their private room. This highlights the importance of early psychological intervention before the condition worsens, according to Al-Rai."

Social and Behavioral Impact

Dr. Amani warned that some children later turn into revengeful bullies if they don't find a solution or psychological support, perpetuating the cycle of violence. This creates a generation that considers cruelty strength and kindness weakness.

(Schools Without Bullying) Campaign

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Education launched the "Schools Without Bullying" campaign in cooperation with educational and psychological specialists. It included:

• Weekly lectures in all schools, presented by psychological counselors and social specialists, to educate students about forms of bullying and ways to confront it.
• Training workshops for teachers on how to detect signs of bullying and deal with them immediately to protect victims and deter bullies.
• Awareness posters in hallways and classrooms with slogans like "A kind word is life" and "Stand against bullying... Be human."
• Special educational classes for elementary school titled "My Different Friend" to instill the value of respecting others and accepting physical, linguistic, and social diversity.
• A hotline for receiving bullying complaints in complete secrecy and addressing them immediately in coordination with parents.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Public Education said in a press statement at the launch of the campaign: "Our goal is a safe school environment free from violence and bullying, because students cannot learn in a place where they feel afraid."

Educational and Societal Treatment

• In Schools: Intensify the role of social and psychological counselors, and convert life skills classes into core subjects that enhance emotional intelligence.
• In Families: Instill self-confidence from a young age, teach children to defend themselves without harming others, monitor their online behavior, and teach them values of respect and kindness.
• In Society and Media: Enact deterrent legislation against cyberbullying, along with national awareness campaigns involving influential figures and opinion leaders. Produce programs and series that address the issue of bullying with its psychological and social dimensions without downplaying or exaggerating it.

Bullying is a psychological and behavioral crime before it is a school or online phenomenon. A harsh word can break a heart, and a look of contempt can shatter a dream.

Let's make our homes, schools, and online spaces safe environments, because upbringing with mercy and love creates well-adjusted and strong generations, while upbringing with humiliation and mockery only produces more violence and pain.