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BullyingandGiftedLearners
Guilbault,K.
GiftedEducationCommunicator
CaliforniaAssociationfortheGifted
Vol.39,No.2
Summer2008
Thisarticledescribestheuniquechallengesgiftedstudentsfacerelatedtobullying.
Oneboywascallingmenamesatrecess,andthenmyfriendsstarteddoingittoo.Theymadeacirclearound
mesoIcouldntgetout.IwantedtocrybutIdidnt.TheysaidIwassmallandthatIwasntreallysmart.My
teacherdidnthelpme.Shethoughtwewerejustplaying.Imnotthekindofkidwhotellsonothers.Iwishthat
IcouldinventaninvisibilitysuitsothatIcouldplaybymyself,andtheydleavemealone!
Jason,giftedstudent,age6
Thisstoryisjustoneofdozensthatgiftedstudentsandtheirparentshavereportedtomeovertheyears.In
thissituation,Jasondescribesaschoolenvironmentwhereadultsdonotintervene,perhapsduetoaprevailing
myththatboyswillbeboys.Buthowisanadulttoknowthedifferencebetweenplayingandbullying?Lets
considerthevictims(ortargets)perceptionofthesituation.Jasonfeltintimidated,fearful,andthreatened.He
wasunabletoescapethecirclethatthechildrenhadformedaroundhim.Hewasunabletogethelpfroman
adult.Whiletheotherchildrenmighthaveappearedtobehavingfun,probablysmilingandlaughing,Jasons
expressionwasoneoffearanddesolation.ForJason,thisbriefplaygroundexperiencewasfrighteningand
stressfulenoughtocausestomachachesforseveralweeksaftertheeventtookplace,accordingtohis
parents.Jasonattemptedtomakesenseofhisclassmatesactions,especiallythebehaviorofthechildrenhe
hadpreviouslyconsideredhisfriends.Jasonwasnotsurewhyhewaschosenasthetargetoftheirbullying.
Giftedchildrenwhoaretargetsofbullyingcommonlyreporttryingtomakesenseofthesituation,analyzing
whattheydidwrongandhowtoavoidsimilarsituationsinthefuture.FromthenumberofreportsIvereceived
fromparentsofgiftedlearners,itwouldseemthatgiftedstudentsaremorepronetobeingtargetsofbullying
behavior,butthisisnotsupportedbyresearch.Infact,giftedchildren,justliketheirnongiftedpeers,canalso
bebullies,butthemajorityofchildrenplaytheroleofbystander.Thereare,however,certaincharacteristics
thatgiftedlearners,bulliesandtargetsofbullyinghaveincommon.Thesecharacteristics,orwarningsigns,will
bediscussedinthisarticleaswellastipsforparentsandteachers.
BACKGROUND
Almostallchildrenexperiencesomeformofbullyingduringtheirschoolyears.Thisdoesnotmeanthat
bullyingisariteofpassage,however.Bullyingisadangerousformofpeerabusethathassevere
consequencesforeveryoneinvolved.Schoolsarebeginningtoacknowledgetheseriousnatureofbullyingand
takingactionagainstit.Asaresultofschoolshootingsonhighschoolanduniversitycampusesacrossthe
nation,somestateshaveevenenactedlegislationtoaddressbullyinginschools.AreportbytheUnitedStates
SecretServiceandtheUnitedStatesDepartmentofEducation(2002)statedthataboutthreequartersofall
schoolshootingswererelatedtobullying.Schoolshootersreportedthattheyweretormented,sufferedfrom
longtermpeerabuse,andwereinjuredbyclassmatespriortotheirretaliation.Approximately41%ofschool
attackerswerebrightstudentswhoweredoingwellinschool,earningAandBgrades,andsomewereeven
takingAPcourses.Thefollowingaresomestartlingstatisticsrelatedtobullyinginschools.
Between15%to20%ofAmericanstudentsingradesK12reportbeingbulliedatleastonceperweekat
school.(Nanseletal,2001)
Byadolescence,nearly75%ofstudentsreportthattheyhavebeenavictimofbullyingsometimeduring
theirschoolcareer.
Bulliedchildrenaremorelikelythannonbulliedpeerstoexperiencedepression,isolation,anxiety,low
selfesteem,psychosomaticsymptoms,andcontemplatesuicide(Fekkes,Pijpers,VerlooveVanhorick,
2004Olweus,Limber,&Mihalic,1999).
Victimsofbullyingarefivetimesmorelikelytosufferfromdepressionthannonbulliedclassmatesand
thisdepressioncanlastthroughadulthood.
Bulliedboysarefourtimesmorelikelytobesuicidal.
Bulliedgirlsareeighttimesmorelikelytobesuicidal(Hawker&Boulton,2000).
Despitethestatistics,bullyingoftengoesundetectedinschoolsandisrarelytakenseriouslybyadults.
WHATISBULLYING?
AccordingtoNorwegianresearcherDanOlweus,astudentisbeingbulliedwhenheorsheisexposed,
repeatedlyandovertime,tointentionalactsofphysical,emotional,orverbalabuse.Bullyingalsoimpliesan
imbalanceofpowerbetweenthevictimandthebully.Animbalanceofpowercanbeaphysicaldifferencesuch
asasizeorstrength,orapsychologicaldifferencesuchasonessocialstatusoncampus.Itisimportantto
notethatastudentwhoisbeingbulliedhasdifficultydefendinghimself.
Bullyingcanbedirectorindirect.Directbullyingmayincludehitting,pushing,fighting,teasing,namecalling,
obscenegestures,andverbalthreats.Directbullyingtendstoincreaseduringtheelementaryschoolyears,
peakduringmiddleschool,anddeclineduringthehighschoolyears.Indirectbullyingmayincludesocial
exclusion,spreadingrumors,gossip,andmanipulatingrelationshipsinordertoisolateanotherstudent.
Bullyingoftenhappensundertheradar,awayfromadultsupervision,especiallyamongfemalestudents.
Althoughbothmalesandfemalesbullyothers,malebullyingtendstobedirectwhilefemalebullyingisoften
indirect.Femalestudentstendtobullybycausingemotionalabuseontheirtargetsthroughintentional
manipulationofsocialrelationships,usingexclusionorspreadingrumors.
Cyberbullyingisanonlineformofbullyinginwhichbulliesmaycreatewebsitesthatcontainrumorsorhurtful
informationabouttheirtargets,similartotheslambooksofyearspast.Theymayspreadfalserumors
anonymouslythroughemaildistributionlists,textmessages,orinstantmessages.Cameraphoneswithtext
messagingandInternetcapabilitiesarealsoprovidingamethodforbulliestoinstantlyviolateclassmates.The
effectsofcyberbullyingcanbejustaspainfulasphysicalactsofpeerabuse.Infact,researchbyWillard
(2006)suggeststhatcyberbullyingcanimpactavictimsselfesteem,increaseanxiety,anger,depression,
schoolabsenteeism,grades,andthoughtsofsuicide.
Cyberbullyingisdifferentfromotherformsofbullyinginthatitusuallyoccursoutsideofschool,ishiddenfrom
adultsupervision,andthebullymaynotbeknowntothevictim.Cyberbullyingcanoccurveryquicklyanditis
sometimesdifficulttodeterminewhotheculpritis.Italsochangesthebalanceofpowerbecauseanyonecan
becomeabullyonline.Victimsofcyberbullyingareafraidofbeingdisconnectedbytheirparentsandmay
thereforenotreportthisformofpeerabuse.

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HOWTOTELLTHEDIFFERENCEBETWEENROUGHPLAY,FIGHTING,ANDBULLYING
Itissometimesdifficultforadultstotellthedifferencebretweenroughplay,fighting,andbullying.Fightingis
usuallyaonetimeoccurrencethatisntrepeatedandthepowerbetweenstudentsisrelativelyequal.Bullying
impliesanimbalanceofpowerandnegativeactionsthatarerepeatedovertime.Hereareafewmorethingsto
considerwhendeterminingthedifferencebetweenplay,fightingandbullying:
Lookattherelationshipbetweenthestudentsinvolved.Aretheytypicallyfriends?Aretheyfromdifferent
socialoracademicgroups?
Payattentiontothefacialexpressionsandgeneralatmosphere.Isonestudentsmiling,laughing,and
enjoyingthebullying?Doesonestudentappearfrightenedordistressed?Isthereagroupofbystanders
nearbywatchingandcheeringorencouragingthebehavior?
Determineifthereisanimbalanceofpower.Isonestudentlarger,stronger,ormorepopularthanthe
other?
Askyourselfwhattheintentis.Doesonestudentwanttohurttheother?
GIFTEDLEARNERSANDBULLYING
Aregiftedlearnersatrisk?Schoolsthatdonotvalueintellectualdiversitymakeitdifficultforthegiftedlearner
tofitin.Hollingworth(1926)claimedthatthesociallyoptimalintelligencerangewasbetweenanIQof125
155andthatexceptionallytoprofoundlygiftedlearnerswithanIQabove160mayexperiencesocialisolation.
Thereasonforthisisolationisnotbecauseofanyinherentemotionaldisturbance,butfromtheabsenceofa
suitablepeergroupwithwhomtorelate(Gross,1994).Inschoolswherethegiftedchildisheterogeneously
groupedbyage,itcanbeachallengeforthosewithextremeintelligencetofindsoulmates.Furthermore,
socialisolationcanplaceastudentatgreaterriskforbecomingavictimofbullying.Studentswithbullying
behaviortendtoseekoutotherswhoareeasytargets,suchasintrovertedstudentswhositaloneatrecessor
lunch,orstudentswhoarehighlysensitiveandwillbeeasilyprovoked.Schoolculturesthatdonotvalue
diversity,academicgiftedness,orcreativitycanbecomeunsafeplacesforstudentswhomarchtothebeatofa
differentdrummer.
Beingatargetofbullyingorwitnessingbullyingbehaviormayincreaseanxietyanddepressioninthehighly
sensitivegiftedchild.Additionally,anactiveandvividimaginationcanintensifyfears.Advancedcognitive
abilitycombinedwithaverageortypicalphysicalandemotionaldevelopmentcanresultinthegiftedstudent
reactingtobullyingsituationsinwaysthatprovokemorebullying.Forexample,averballygiftedstudentmay
relyonasenseofhumororsarcasmtodefendhimorherselfwhichmightbeinterpretedasaggressionbythe
bully(FrazierKoontz,M.,Swearer,S.M.,&Miller,C.K.,2004).
Perfectionisttendenciescanalsomakeitdifficultforthegiftedstudenttoreportvictimization.Giftedstudents
withperfectionisttraitsmayfeelasthoughtheyhavetodealwiththeseproblemsontheirownandmay
thereforenotconfideinparentsoradults.Throughtheobservationofpeerandadultresponsestobullying,
theyhaveprobablycometobelievethatbullyingisapartofgrowingup.Itiscrucialforthegiftedchildto
knowthatitisperfectlyacceptabletoturntoadultsforassistanceinhandlingcertainbullyingsituationsand
adultsmustbereadytolistenandsupportthestudent.
Giftedlearnerscanbebothvictimsandbullies.Aretrospectivenationalsurveyofgifted8thgradersfound
resultssimilartootherstudiesofbullyingamongthegeneralpopulation.Inthisstudy,67%ofgiftedlearners
surveyedreportedthattheyhadexperiencedbullyingatsomepointduringgradesK8withbullyingpeakingin
grade6(Peterson&Ray,2006).Manyoftheparticipantsalsoreportedthattheydidnottellanyoneaboutthe
bullying.Bygradeeight,29%ofgiftedtargetshadviolentthoughtsandoneinfivegiftedmaleswasidentified
ashavingbullyingbehavior.
CHARACTERISTICSOFBULLIES
Contrarytopopularbelief,bulliestendtohaveaveragetohighselfesteem.Imaginethepopularhighschool
athletewhohazesandintimidatesothers.Doeshehavelowselfesteem,ordoesheenjoyhavingthispower
overclassmates?Despitemyths,bulliesareoftenpopular,atleastintheearlygrades,andthenthispopularity
decreasesastheyage(Nansel,etal,2001Olweus,1993).Ofcourse,notallphysicallystrongmalestudents
orpopularstudentsarebullies,butthereisevidenceintheliteraturethatbulliesarethosestudentswhohave
thecombinationofanaggressivereactionpatternandphysicalstrength.InhisbookBullyingatSchool(1993),
Olweuslistscharacteristicsofbulliesasshownbelow.
Bulliesarestudentswho:
liketodominateothersinanegativeway
havearelativelypositiveviewofthemselves
gainsatisfactionfrominflictinginjuryandsuffering
receiverewardsbybullyingothers(prestige,possessions)
feelentitledtobully
appeartough,showlittlecompassionforvictims
tendtobeaggressivetowardadults
aregoodattalkingthemselvesoutofsituations
havemorepositiveattitudestowardviolencethantheirpeers
havequicktempersandareeasilyfrustrated
showimpulsivityandlittleempathyfortheirvictims
havedifficultyconformingtorules
areoftenphysicallystrongerthanpeers(males)
Studentswhobullyothersaremorelikelytogrowintoviolentadults.Thosewhowereidentifiedasbulliesat
age8weresixtimesmorelikelytobeconvictedofacrimebyage24andfivetimesmorelikelythannon
bulliestohaveaseriouscriminalrecordbyage30.Inaddition,approximately60%ofstudentswhowere
identifiedasbulliesingrades69hadatleastoneconvictionbytheageof24(Olweus,1993).Asmuchas35
40%ofstudentswhohadbeenidentifiedasbullieshadthreeormoreconvictionsbyage24.
VICTIMSOFBULLYING
Anothermythisthatbulliespickonchildrenwholookdifferent,whoareoverweight,wearglasses,have
accents,orstandoutinsomeway.Whattheliteraturetellsusisthatbulliesdonotchoosetheirvictimbecause
ofanyoutwardphysicalappearance,butbecausethevictimisaneasytarget.Bullieslookforsomeonewho
willnotfightback,whowillnotdefendhimself,andwhowillgivethemthereactiontheyareseeking,suchas
cryingorgivinguppossessions.Keepinginmindsomeofthespecificcharacteristicsofgiftedintroverts,
exceptionallygiftedlearnersandtwiceexceptionalchildren,youmightseesomeoverlappingriskfactors
amongthoseshownbelow.
Passivevictimstendto:
bequiet,cautious,andsensitivebeinsecure,lackconfidence
beafraidofgettinghurtorhurtingthemselves
displayheightenedemotionalsensitivity
prefertoassociatewitholderchildrenandadultsthanchronologicalagepeers
reportthattheyhavefewornofriends
beexcludedfromsocialactivitiesandplay

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Provocativevictimstendto:
behyperactive,restless,havedifficultyconcentrating
behottempered,attempttofightoranswerbackwhentheyfeelinsulted
beclumsyorimmature
havedifficultyreadingsocialsignals
beactivelydislikedbyadultsincludingtheirteachers
mayhaveacademicproblems
bullyweakerstudents
havelowselfesteem
bephysicallyweakerthanpeers
oftenhavedifficultieswithwritingorreading
BYSTANDERS
Themajorityofstudents(between60%and75%)areneithervictimsnorbullies,butarewitnessestobullying
behaviorinschools.Thisgroupofstudentsisoftenawareofbullyingandmayholdimportantinformationthat
canbeusedbyadultstopreventorstopbullyingbehavior.Schoolscanfocusonthismajoritypopulationby
teachingthemsafewaystointerveneorencouragingthemtoanonymouslyreportbullyingthroughhotlinesor
othercommunicationtools.
Evenbystandersstandtosufferfromwitnessingbullyingintheirschools.Studentswhoregularlywitness
bullyingcandevelopindifferentattitudesanddecreasedempathy(Olweus,Limber,&Mihalic,1999).Theyalso
mayfeelafraid,powerless,andguiltyfornotintervening.Aheightenedsenseofmoralethicsandjusticecan
beusedtoempowergiftedbystanderstosupporttargetsofbullying.Parentsandteacherscanencourage
giftedstudentstoincludeotherswhoareleftout,tospeaktoanadultatschoolandathome,toreportactsof
bullying,andtosupporttargets.Abullyneedsanaudiencetoreceivetherewardsheorsheseeks.If
bystanderstakeanactiveroleinbullyingsituationsbynotcheeringonthebullyandbyhelpingthetargetfind
asafeexit,theycanchangetheschoolclimate.Adultsneedtoteachthesebystandershowandwhentotake
action.
WHATCANADULTSDOTOHELP?
Firstofall,adultsneedtolearnhowtorecognizebullyingandcallitwhatitis.Bullyingispeerabuse.Parents
andteachersshouldexaminemythsaboutbullying.Bullyingisnolongerariteofpassage.Thesamebehaviors
thatoccurinbullyingsituations,suchasextortion,sexualharassment,assault,andtheftareconsidered
criminaloffenseswhentheyarecarriedoutbyadultsorbyyoungadultsoutsidetheschoolwalls.
Studentsneedadultstointerveneinbullyingsituations,andtheyneedtofeelempoweredtospeakoutagainst
bullying.Peermediationandconflictresolutioninterventionsarenotacceptableresponsestobullying
situations.Bullyingimpliesanimbalanceofpowerthereforeanyforcedapologiesornocontactcontractswill
onlyservetorevictimizethetarget.Usingpeermediationinabullyingsituationislikeaskingabatteredwife
tositdownandworkitoutwithherhusband.Wemustbecarefulnottoplaceblameonthevictimofbullying.
Accordingtounpublishedsurveyresultsfromover12,000sixththrougheighthgradestudentsinalarge
southeasternpublicschooldistrict,studentsoftendonotreportbullyingbecauseofacodeofsilenceamong
peersbecausetheadultsjustmakethingsworse,orbecausetheadultsdontdoanythingaboutittohelp.
Fromthetimeourchildrenenterkindergarten,theyaretoldrepeatedlytostoptattling.Studentsneedtobe
taughtthedifferencebetweentattlingandtelling,orreporting.Parentsandteachersshouldexplainthattattling
isdonetogetsomeoneintroubleandtellingisdonetogetsomeoneoutoftrouble.Parentsandotheradults
shouldtakeallreportsofbullyingseriouslyandfollowupwithstudentstoletthemknowthatthebehaviorhas
beenaddressedandtherewillbeconsequences.
Exitstrategiescanbediscussedandpracticedthroughroleplayorcreativewriting.Bibliotherapy,journaling,
artisticexpression,andclassorfamilymeetingscanalsobeeffectivetoolstohelpgiftedstudentsdealwith
bullyingandtorecognizetheirownbullyingbehaviors.Schoolguidancecounselorscanprovideindividual
counselingasneeded.Schoolcounselorsorgiftedspecialistscanalsoleaddiscussionorsupportgroupsina
homogenoussetting.Somepossiblediscussiongrouptopicsincludefriendshipbuildingskills,socialskills,
assertivenesstraining,angermanagement,andstressreduction.
TIPSFORPARENTSWHOTHINKTHEIRCHILDMAYBEAVICTIMOFBULLYING
1. Askyourchilddirectlyifheorshehasbeenbullied.
2. Encourageyourchildrentomakecontactwithfriendlystudentsintheirclasses.
3. Teachyourchildhowtosafelyseekhelpfromatrustworthyadultatschool(e.g..,teacher,counselor,art
teacher,ormediaspecialist).
4. Practiceassertivenesswithyourchild.Havehimorherstandwitharmsatsides(notcrossed),lookatthe
bullywithbodyturnedslightlyatanangleandsayinacalm,butassertivetone,Stopit!Leaveme
alone.
5. Discussthedifferencebetweentattlingandtelling.
6. Teachyourchildnevertowalkaloneinareaswherebullyingoccurs.
7. Talkwithyourchildaboutsafeplacestogotoforhelp(e.g.,mediacenter,teachersclassroom,orareas
whereadministratorsarenearbyandinview).
8. Listentoyourchildsconcernsandvalidatethem.
9. Empoweryourchildtocomeupwithpossiblesolutionsandaskhowyoucanhelporsupporthimorher.
10. Dontpromisetokeepitasecret.
11. Helpyourchildexpressangerandfrustrationinsafeways.
12. Developyourchildstalentsandattributestoimproveselfesteemandconfidence.
13. Knowyourchildsfriendsandstopteasingandbullyingbehavioratplayinyourhome.
14. Modelappropriateconflictresolutionathomewithyourspouseandchildren.
15. Teachyourchildnottohitorfightback.
16. Usenonphysicaldisciplineathometocorrectinappropriatebehavior.
17. Teachyourchildnottocheeronorquietlywatchbullying(collude).
18. Teachyourchildtosupportotherswhoareleftoutorhurt(includeothers).
19. Keepgoodrecordsofbullyingincidences,schoolaction(orinaction),schoolcommunicationandresults.
20. Workwiththeschoolbyfirstinformingyourchildsteacher,thenthecounselororadministrator.
RECOMMENDEDRESOURCES
Websites:
U.S.D.O.E.andU.S.Dept.ofHealthandHumanServices
Activitiesforkids,handoutsandresourcesforadults.
stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov
U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices
NationalMentalHealthInformationCenter.
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/
Researchbasedstrategiestoreducebullyinginschools.
http://stopbullyingnow.com/
SeearticlesbyTracyCrossandJeanPetersononbullying.

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SENGWebsite:sengifted.org
Books:
Beane,A.L.(2005).Thebullyfreeclassroom:Over100tipsandstrategiesforteachersK8.Minneapolis,MN:
FreeSpiritPublishing.(CDROMfeatures34reproducibleformsfromthebook.)
Olweus,D.(1993).Bullyingatschool:Whatweknowandwhatwecando.NY:Blackwell.
Kerr,B.A.,&Cohn,S.J.(2001)Smartboys:Talent,manhood,&thesearchformeaning.AZ:GreatPotential
Press.
Romain,T.(1997).Bulliesareapaininthebrain.Minneapolis,MN:FreeSpiritPublishing.(DVDreleasedate:
2005,Studio:TheComicalSenseCompany)
Simmons,R.(2002).Oddgirlout:Thehiddencultureofaggressioningirls.NY:Harcourt,Inc.
Freedman,J.S.(2002).Easingtheteasing:Helpingyourchildcopewithnamecalling,ridicule,andverbal
bullying.NY:ContemporaryBooks.
KERIM.GUILBAULT,Ed.S.,isadoctoralstudentintheEducationalLeadershipprogramattheUniversityof
CentralFlorida.Guilbaulthastaughtelementarygiftedlearners,FrenchK8,artK6andhasworkedasa
bullyingpreventionspecialistforalargeschooldistrictinFlorida.Ms.Guilbaultservesontheboardofthe
FloridaAssociationfortheGifted,hasacceptedappointmentasthenationalGiftedChildrensProgramChairof
AmericanMensabeginninginJuly2008,andhasreceivedthe2005NAGCnondoctoralstudentaward.

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