Introduction
Bullying has increased in modern society, especially among high school students. Most high school students are in their teens; thus, they are more exposed to the vices happening in society and are more vulnerable to the various forms of bullying. High school bullying happens in different forms, depending on the students’ environment, socioeconomic status, physical well-being, and psychological ability to cope with bullying. Despite the bullying student might be exposed to, it is adversely affecting high school students. Bullying affects the students’ physical well-being, psychological well-being, and social well-being. Students who have been exposed to any form of bullying perform dismally compared to students who have not been exposed to any form of it. This paper explores the techniques of finding sources that contain information about high school bullying and the challenges encountered while searching for the sources. The paper also explores the reasons that lead to high school students becoming bullied. Lastly, the paper explores and discusses the adverse effects of bullying on high school students.
Process of Finding and Selecting Sources
Finding and selecting reliable sources for a research paper has always been challenging, especially for first-time researchers. However, understanding the challenges encountered during finding and selecting sources is the first step towards overcoming the challenges. During the process of finding and selecting sources for my research paper, I encountered the challenge of uncertainty about where to look for the information I required. I discovered that numerous databases and websites contained articles with information about bullying. However, I had to be specific about what I looked for in my topic. I had to specify my search and indicate that I required articles and sources with information about high school bullying and not just any form of bullying. With the definite specification, I was sure I would locate several sources with relevant information that would be reliable for my research paper.
The other challenge prevalent during the process of finding and selecting sources is identifying the databases to search for the sources intended to be used in the research activity. I realized that the research topic guides the research in identifying the databases used. Therefore, my research topic was very useful in identifying the databases and websites that would help to find reliable sources for my research activity. The databases that contained reliable sources for my research paper included EBSCO Host, Springer, and Science Direct. These databases can easily be accessed through Google Scholar and the college library. Various websites also contained reliable information about high school bullying in the United States. For instance, the New York Times website, the BBC website, and the CNN websites contain reliable sources with information about the prevalence of high school bullying in the United States.
Findings
The main reason most high-school students become bullies is the influence of cyberbullying (Armitage 2). Cyberbullying has become prevalent in modern society due to technological advancement. Besides, cyberbullying is easily accessible due to extensive media coverage and the ease of accessing it through the internet. When high school students access cyberbullying through the internet or other media forms, they become acquainted with the various techniques used to execute the various forms of bullying. Thus, they intend to practice those techniques on their fellow students, negatively impacting their well-being. For instance, high school shootings have increased due to the violent movies that high school students watch on the internet and other media. The article by Armitage identifies that the movie industry is largely blamed for the increased cases of bullying among high school students. The movie industry has heavily prioritized violence and the use of firearms in almost all movies. As teenagers watch those violent movies, the temptation to exercise violence watched increases.
High school bullying negatively affects students’ physical well-being (deLara 2382). Physical bullying causes injuries to the victims and might lead to death in adversity. Physical bullying is executed in varied ways that might range from beatings to torture and are mostly done by students who have been exposed to violent scenes and cyberbullying for a long time (deLara 2384). Cyberbullying can also be in the form of sexual harassment, especially among girls with physical disabilities. Regardless of the form of physical bullying, the victims develop fear and physical injuries that might affect their social well-being and ease of interacting with other students. The performance of the students affected by cyberbullying also declines because of the fear and low esteem developed when the students are exposed to cyberbullying. There have been several cases where victims of cyberbullying have developed permanent injuries and scars due to physical bullying (deLara 2385-2386). Physical bullying is a vice and should be shunned to enhance the protection of all students.
Various factors and situations increase the vulnerability of bullying among high school students. For instance, disability and poverty make high school students more vulnerable to falling victim to bullying than students from wealthy families and without any form of disability (Malecki et al. 117-119). Students with disability become vulnerable to physical bullying and sexual harassment from students without disabilities. For instance, girls from low-income families with disabilities fall victim to sexual harassment in most cases because they cannot defend themselves and lack support from the immediate communities; depending on the adversity of the type of bullying that a student experiences, there might be long-term or short-term effects and consequences on the victims (Schoeler et al. 1230). Both long-term and short-term consequences of bullying deter high school students from achieving their academic goals and targets. The consequences of high school bullying also deter the victims from interacting effectively with their fellow students and the community at large.
Although the sources explored discussed the causes and consequences of high school bullying effectively, they contained minimal information about the ways of ending high school bullying. The sources ought to have provided conclusive information about how high school bullying should be approached to address it and safeguard the well-being of all students affected. However, I have gained conclusive information and knowledge about why cases of high school bullying have been on the rise and the reasons why some high school students decide to bully others.
Conclusion
Bullying cases among high school students have been on the rise in modern society. High school bullying is mainly caused by media exposure and cyberbullying. Students who can easily access the internet watch more violent movies and scenes, thus becoming more vulnerable to violence towards other students. High school bullying is prevalent among students from families with low income and students with various forms of disabilities. Although the article’s accesses have not conclusively addressed the aspect of dealing with high school bullying, there is a need to implement reliable measures to combat high school bullying in the United States. The issue of high school bullying ought to be conclusively addressed because it affects the students’ physical, social, and psychological well-being.
Works Cited
Armitage, Richard. “Bullying in Children: Impact on Child Health.” BMJ Pediatrics Open, 2021.
deLara, Ellen W. “Consequences of Childhood Bullying on Mental Health and Relationships for Young Adults.” Journal of Child and Family Studies, 2019.
Malecki, Christine K. et al. “Disability, Poverty, and Other Risk Factors Associated with Involvement in Bullying Behaviors.” Journal of School Psychology, 2020.
Schoeler, Tabea et al. “Quasi-Experimental Evidence on Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Bullying Victimization: A Meta-Analysis.” Psychological Bulletin, 2018.