IMPACT OF POSITIVE DISCIPLINE TO THE BULLYING CASE OF SELECTED

GRADE 7 STUDENTS OF LOPEZ NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL USING

VALUES INTEGRATION PROGRAM IN TEACHING

AN Action Proposal
Presented

Sharon A. Villaverde
Researcher

March, 2019
 Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Bullying means unwanted aggressive behavior; observed or perceived power

imbalance; and repetition of behaviors or high likelihood of repetition. There are many
different modes and types of bullying.
Bullying can also mean the creation of a hostile school environment, infringement of
student rights, and "material and substantial" disruption of the school's education
process.

The current definition acknowledges two modes and four types by which youth can be
bullied or can bully others. The two modes of bullying include direct (e.g., bullying that
occurs in the presence of a targeted youth) and indirect (e.g., bullying not directly
communicated to a targeted youth such as spreading rumors). In addition to these two
modes, the four types of bullying include broad categories of physical, verbal, relational
(e.g., efforts to harm the reputation or relationships of the targeted youth), and damage
to property.

Bullying can happen in any number of places, contexts, or locations. Sometimes that
place is online or through a cellphone. Bullying that occurs using technology (including
but not limited to phones, email, chat rooms, instant messaging, and online posts) is
considered electronic bullying and is viewed as a context or location.

Electronic bullying or cyberbullying involves primarily verbal aggression (e.g.,

threatening or harassing electronic communications) and relational aggression (e.g.,
spreading rumors electronically). Electronic bullying or cyberbullying can also involve
property damage resulting from electronic attacks that lead to the modification,
dissemination, damage, or destruction of a youth’s privately stored electronic information.

DepEd Child Protection Policy (DepEd Order No 40, series 2012) orders the creation
of Child Protection Committees in all public and private schools.

Republic Act 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, which requires all elementary
and secondary schools to adopt policies that will prevent and address bullying in the
classroom. The Act was signed last September 12. It defined bullying as a the use of
written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture to cause physical or
emotional harm by one student to another student.

The law prohibits bullying or any severe or repeated act which has any of the following
effects: Causing physical or emotional harm; Creating a hostile environment at school;
Infringing on another’s rights; and Substantially disrupting the orderly operation of a
school. Bullying under the law takes place only among elementary or high school
students, whether or not of the same school, whether or not within school premises, and
whether or not at a school-sanctioned event. Hence, bullying involving a college student,
or one committed by or against a teacher, is not covered. Department of Education
(DepEd) Order No. 40, or the Department of Education Child Protection Policy addresses
the latter.

The law now mandates schools not only to adopt policies addressing the existence of
bullying inside the campus, but also to conduct a rehabilitation program for victims of
bullying.

Given the dangers, the fight against bullying has always had legal underpinnings. The
Constitution provides that the State has a duty to defend children from all forms of “abuse,
cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development,” [Article XV,
Sec. 3(2)], and to assure them of “quality education at all levels.” (Article XIV, Sec. 1)
Certainly, education, much less quality education, is a myth when bullying thrives and
makes the atmosphere hardly conducive to learning.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the Philippines became a
signatory in 1990, states that the “best interests of children” must be the primary concern
of all governments when making decisions affecting them. It is in the best interests of
children to be “protected from being hurt and being mistreated, physically or mentally.”
(Art. 19)

In line with the Constitution and our international commitment towards children
welfare, we have enacted domestic legislation. Presidential Decree No. 603, or the Child
and Youth Welfare Code states that “[e]very child has the right to a well-rounded
development of his personality to the end that he may become a happy, useful and active
member of society.” To attain this, every child should be protected against “conditions or
circumstances prejudicial to his physical, mental, emotional, social and moral
development.”

The Family Code, on the other hand, imposes on the parents and those exercising
substitute parental authority the duty to “enhance, protect, preserve and maintain (the
child’s) physical and mental health at all times.”

Given that bullies are often a reflection of the precept and example set by their parents,
parents have a duty to “prevent (children) from acquiring habits detrimental to their health,
studies and morals.”

Historically, bullying had not been seen as a problem that needed too much attention,
but rather accepted as a fundamental and normal part of childhood (Limber & Small,
2003). In the last two decades, however, this view has changed and bullying in schools
is seen as a serious problem that warrants attention (McCarthy, Rylance, Bennett &
Zimmermann, 2001). Smith (2004) suggests the systematic examination of the nature
and prevalence of school bullying only began with the work of Olweus in the 1970’s in
Scandinavia (Rigby, 2010). The volume of research since then has clarified much about
the nature of bullying and the suffering it can cause. Schools are currently struggling with
the increasing incidence of bullying and its vast and debilitating ramifications for victims
and bullies. In acknowledging the immense amount of research that has already been
carried out on bullying, it is worth noting, that regardless of this, bullying is on the increase.
As the following reviewed literature reveals, further research and action is needed, given
the negative implications and consequences for the victims and perpetrators.

The results of a recent survey of 21,000 school children show bullying to be the
number one social concern for Australian school children (Australian Bureau of Statistics,
2012). The issue has grown in the last four years to such an extent that one in five children
are experiencing bullying (Kids Help Line, 2011). Over half, about 56 percent, of all
students have witnessed a bullying incident at school and about 71 percent of students
report bullying as an on-going problem. A reported 15 percent of all students who do not
show up for school report it to being out of fear of being bullied while at school. According
to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2012), suicide, as a result of bullying, continues to
be one of the leading causes of death among children under the age of 14 and the
incidence is so high that bullycide is a term now used to describe suicide as the result of
bullying.

With advances in technology, communication engines such as email, texting, chat

rooms, mobile phones, mobile phone cameras and websites can and are being used by
young people to bully peers. As a result of this, cyber bullying is now a global problem
with many incidents reported in the United States, Canada, Japan, Scandinavia,
Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Statistics and definitions on cyber
bullying, are specifically included, as this form constitutes the increase in the incidence of
bullying. It provides the opportunity for perpetrators to hide behind their technology and
continue bullying behaviors towards other school peers long after the bell has rung
(Campbell, 2005). For example forty three percent of teens aged 13 - 17 report that they
have experienced some sort of cyber bullying in the past year and one million children
were harassed, threatened or subjected to other forms of cyber bullying on Face Book
during the past year (Enough is Enough, Consumer Reports, 2011). According to
Campbell (2005), this growing problem has not as yet received the attention it deserves
and remains virtually absent from the research literature.

Following is a review of research of literature on bullying issues and interventions and

the potential role of values education in assisting with positive behavior changes in
bullying situations. The initial part of the review aims to identify the growing incidence of
bullying, highlighting current interventions that have shown some success. The final part
of the review explores the values education component as a possible strategy to explicitly
embed in conflict interventions and mediations, to achieve positive behavior towards
others.

As a result of the qualitative research, it was established that an intervention must be

a collaborative effort of principals, teachers and parents, to be effective. The evidence of
the need for this approach, mentioned throughout the reviewed literature, formed the
basis for the participants chosen for interviews and focus groups, to provide the data on
strategies for the implementation of values, in bullying mediations and interventions. As
a number of past studies on beliefs of educators have utilized interviews, this study
employed this method of data collection. This qualitative study explored the meaning of
the data collected from the individuals and groups and was analyzed deductively to
establish themes. The final report provided, the voices of the participants, description and
interpretation of the problem, added to the literature and called for action (Creswell, 2013).

The same rules order the implementation of “comprehensive, multifaceted” bullying

prevention programs in schools, said DepEd. These should include “counseling, life skills
training, education and other activities that will enhance the psychological, emotional, and
psycho social well-being" of victims, bullies, and other affected parties. The DepEd also
encouraged students to report bullying to their parents, teachers, and other appropriate
authorities. It gave assurances that the identity and personal circumstances of everyone
involved – victims, bullies, witnesses – would be treated with confidentiality.

In an attempt to find a solution to this growing problem, a values based strategy

entitled KAGANDAHANG ASAL PROGRAM (KAP) is considered as a possible approach
to achieving positive behavior changes in these conflict situations in the selected grade 7
students of Calauag National High Schooll, school year 2018-2019.

Problem Statement
This research seeks to answer the following research questions;
1. What are the experiences of the selected grade 7 students students in terms of
bullying?
2. How did the selected grade 7 students deal and cope with the challenges on
bullying?
3.What are the impact of the magandang asal program to the bullying case in
selected grade 7 students of Calauag NHS?
4. What program can be given to lessen the incidence of bullying in the school?

Purpose of the Study

This study aims to determine impact of Kagandahang asal program to the bullying
case of selected grade 7 students of Lopez National Comp. High School. As one of a
large schools division, in Lopez may utilize the key findings in the implementation of its
findings regarding values integration to lessen the bullying case in the classroom. From
it, a proposed Kagandahang Asal Program may be properly crafted for the welfare and
benefits of the students as a motivation to the selected grade 4 students to lessen the
incidence of bullying.

Assumption
 1. That the Implementation of magandang asal program to the bullying case of
selected grade 7 students of Lopez National Comp. High School have an impact unto the
lives of students.

2. That the Implementation Of magandang asal program to the bullying case of

selected grade grade 7 students of Lopez National Comp. High School will have some
Challenges And Opportunities on the different respondents.

Scope and Delimitation

This study will be limited to the selected grade grade 7 students of Lopez National
Comp. High School. Since it will implore a purposive sampling and focus group discussion
with 20 respondents for the survey questionnaire, to identify the impact of Kagandahang
asal program to the bullying case of selected grade grade 7 students of Lopez National
Comp. High School.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Impact Of Positive Psychological

Rational Decision Discipline To The Exchange Theory ni
Making Theory ni Bullying Case Of George Homans
Neil Smelser Selected Grade 7
Students Of Lopez
National Comp. High
School. Using
Kagandahang Asal
Program Positive Discipline
Labeling Theory ni Theory
Howard Becker

FIGURE I
Theoretical Framework
Conceptual Framework

The input-process-output model shows that Improvement in Academic

Performance through the use og Kagandahang Asal program on the Bullying case of

Selected Grade 7 students of Lopez National Comp. High School.

Impact Of Positive Discipline To The Bullying Case Of Selected Grade 7 Students Of

Lopez National Comp. High School Using
Kagandahang Asal Program

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

• Informed consent
• Focus Group Interview Improvement in the
• Conduct of survey attendance and
Assessment and lessen the Bullying
questionnaires
observation of case through the
• face-to-face instruction
Bullying case in the use of
• Online instruction
classroom KAGANDAHANG
• Analysis of anecdotal
record ASAL PROGRAM
• Integration of
Implementation of
kagandahang asal
program

FEEDBACKS

Figure 2

Conceptual Framework
 An analysis of the anecdotal record will be done at the end of the second quarter

of the current school year 2019-2020 respectively. The anecdotal report and home

visitation will served as the primary data which will be collected, processed, treated and

analyzed. It’s aimed at providing evidence that Kagandahang Program is an effective

strategy and it improves attendance and lessen the bullying case in the school.

The output will be Improvement in the attendance, behavior and lessen the

Bullying case through the use of KAGANDAHANG ASAL PROGRAM.

II. Related Literature and Related Studies

The term "bullying" once referred only to physical actions such as hitting, kicking and
punching. Not surprisingly, the definition of bullying has evolved over time as research
has revealed that other types of non-physical behavior can have similar impacts on the
victim. The damaging effects of psychological and verbal bullying as well as social
exclusion are now also being recognized, although not everyone incorporates these
behaviors into their definition or their action plans.

Campbell (2005) defines bullying as the abusive treatment of a person by means of

force and coercion. Ma, Stewin and Mah (2001) see bullying as a subset of aggression.
DiGuilio (2001) agrees with Ma, Stewin and Mah (2001) in describing it as aggressive
behaviour and he adds that it is repeated over time, is intentionally harmful and occurs
without provocation. Bullying may be physical, including behaviours such as hitting,
punching and spitting, or it may involve language that is browbeating using verbal assault,
teasing, ridicule, sarcasm and scapegoating (DiGuilio, 2001). It involves a minimum of
two people, one the perpetrator and the other victim, however, a large number of people
may be involved in an indirect manner as an audience. These bystanders may be other
students who witness the bullying event but remain uninvolved. They are frequently afraid
of becoming the next victim if they interfere. Bystanders often feel powerless and
experience a loss of self-respect and self- confidence (Harris & Petrie, 2002).

The definition of bullying used in this report is broad based but relevant to the school
setting. It includes actions within a relationship between a dominant and a less dominant
person or group where an imbalance of power (real or perceived) is manifest through
aggressive actions, physical or psychological (including verbal or social). Negative
interactions occur that are direct (face-to-face) or indirect (gossip, exclusion) and negative
actions are taken with an intention to harm. As DiGuilio (2001) noted above, these can
include some or all of the following, such as, physical actions (punching, kicking, biting),
verbal actions (threats, name calling, insults, ethno culturally-based or sexual comments),
and social exclusion (spreading rumours, ignoring, gossiping, excluding). These negative
actions are repeated towards the victim over a period of time (Ma, Stewin & Mah, 2001).
DiGuilio (2001) also noted the harmful intent repeated over time without provocation. In
this research, bullying is examined in the context of student-to-student relationships rather
than student-to-teacher contexts.

Cyber bullying is defined as a form of bullying that involves the use of information and
communication technologies such as e-mail, cell phone and pager text messages, instant
messaging (IM), defamatory personal websites, and defamatory online personal polling
web sites, to support deliberate, repeated and hostile behaviour by an individual or group,
that is intended to harm others (Belsey, 2004). Cyber bullying is different from face-to-
face bullying in a number of ways. While face-to-face bullying is something that is often
under the radar screen of adults, cyber bullying is even more so. It allows the opportunity
for communicating in ways that are often unknown by adults and away from their
supervision (Belsey, 2004).

Cyber bullying is also different in that it is a particularly cowardly form of bullying as

cyberbullies can more easily hide behind the anonymity that the internet can provide.
They can also communicate their hurtful messages to a very wide audience with
remarkable speed. Cyber bullies often do not have to own their actions, as it is usually
very difficult to identify cyber bullies, so they do not fear being punished for their actions.
Cyber bullying is often outside the legal reach of schools and school boards as this
behavior often happens outside of school on home computers or via mobile phones.

Values are defined as ideals and customs of a society toward which people of the
group have an effective regard. They are often non-denominational and are valid across
all cultures. Alomari, Jerban and Awamleh (2011) define values as the basic element that
all generations should learn and apply as the core of how we should treat individuals.
Values are also defined as principles and standards that guide behaviour (Hill, 2006). Hill
(2006) and Halstead and Taylor (1996) both refer to the term values as principles and
Halstead & Taylor (1996) refer to them as fundamental convictions, ideals, standards or
life stances which act as a general guide to behaviour. Values play a leading role in nearly
every explanatory behavioural theory. They are considered to be basic determinants of
social action (Hechter, Nadel & Michod, 1993).

Values Education consists of a set of content and instructional strategies aiming at

achieving positive behaviours within yourself and towards others. These positive
behaviours are represented in the form of values. Values include the core moral and
social principles that all generations should learn and apply as the basis of how we should
treat one another in daily life (Alomari, Jerban & Awamleh, 2011) and values education
is an integral part of teaching in all schools (National Framework for Values Education in
Australian Schools, 2005). Explicit teaching and reinforcement of core values in bullying
interventions is central to the study. Moral Education involves the moral commitment of
actioning these values (Halstead & Pike, 2006). An operational definition of values is
discussed in the next section.

According to the National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children, 3 out of 5

Filipino children have experienced peer violence in the form of bullying. It is a serious
matter that should be addressed not just by schools, but also by families and
communities.

According to The Australian Bullying Bureau of Statistics (2012) the incidence of

bullying is on the increase. A review of published research on bullying indicates this
behaviour is an extensive ongoing issue in primary schools and has become the number
one social concern for Australian school children in the past four years. One in five
children will experience some form of bullying in school which tends to peak just as
students are leaving primary school. Some other alarming facts supporting the enormity
of this issue are that over half (about 56 %) of all students in Australian schools, have
witnessed a bullying occurrence at school. There are about 71 % of students that report
bullying as an on-going problem and a reported 15 % of all students who do not show up
for school attribute it to fear of being bullied (The Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012).
Research shows 50% of United States children and 10% of Australian children report they
have been cyber bullied and that is tracking up two to three per cent every year (Cross,
2009).

Cyber bullying, or the use of technology, is a phenomenon that children and

adolescents seem to be increasingly using to harm others (Campbell, 2005). According
to Alomari, Jerban and Awamleh (2011) interacting with each other in a morally
permissible way in social media situations is a challenge.

The National Children’s Home (2002) study in Britain found that one in four children
reported being bullied by mobile phone or the internet, while in an Australian study of 120
students in Year 8, over a quarter said they knew someone who had been bullied using
technology (Campbell, 2005). Australian principals have also indicated that this is
an increasing problem in schools (Beckerman & Nocero, 2003).
 It would seem that the consequences of victims of cyber bullying could be even more
severe than those of face-to face bullying (Campbell, 2005). Although bullying by physical
violence is a threatening form of bullying, the following research shows that verbal and
psychological bullying that can be conducted by technology, may have more negative
long term effects. In addition cyber bullying can be more widespread as it has the potential
to reach a much wider audience than an incident in schoolyard bullying (Reid, Monsen &
Rivers, 2004).

Brown (2014), in her research entitled, “The role of values education in primary school
bullying prevention and mediation “, The data revealed that most participants approved
of mediation between bully and victim, merged with the positive aspects of restorative
approach, with accountability and imposition of consequences, as the preferred
intervention. An explicit core values teaching approach to assist the bully to achieve
positive behavior changes towards others was a commonality in all data collected.
Specific teacher training in dealing with bullying conflicts, to achieve consistency of
practice, was a strong recommendation of the study. Further research to determine the
views of public and independent schools and the experiences and opinions of children
directly involved in bullying conflict situations, would be beneficial for future studies, to
gain a broader perspective on the preferred approach to dealing with bullying.

Brown (2014), cited that in Research indicates that students who are bullied are more
likely than students who are not bullied to experience impaired social and emotional
adjustment, poor academic achievement, anxiety, higher absenteeism, increased
loneliness and low self-esteem (Cross, 2009). Research also shows that students
repeatedly bullying others were likely to have the same symptoms as the students
experiencing the abuse. The students bullying were just as likely to have elevated levels
of anxiety, to be disconnected from school and to have higher levels of depression as the
students who were bullied (Cross, 2009).

According to no bullying.com (2014), students who are bullied are three times more
likely to show depressive symptoms, nine times more likely to have suicidal thoughts and
are more likely to develop psychotic symptoms in their early adolescence. Young people
who bully have a one in four chance of having a criminal record by the age of 30. Bullying
is the fourth most common reason young people seek help from children's help services
(The Bullying Bureau of Statistics Australia, 2010). There is also considerable
evidence to suggest that the experience of being a victim of bullying leads to school
refusal and can exacerbate and create mental health issues such as low self-esteem,
anxiety, depression, mistrust of others and psychosomatic symptoms. In addition, when
a person displays bullying behaviors in school it predicts increased risks of violence and
abuse in later life for the perpetrator (Hawker & Boulton, 2000). Those who bully are
also more likely to drop out of school, use drugs and alcohol, as well as engage in
subsequent, delinquent and criminal behavior (Farrington, 2009). The section below
studies the implications and consequences of bullying for both the victim and the
perpetrator and the suggestion that bullying has widespread, long term negative
ramifications for the well - being of both the victims and bullies.

Based from the findings of Cuneo (2013), The most tragic outcome of bullying
victimization is suicide. It was the suicides within a short interval, of three boys in Norway
in1983, that led to the first major anti bullying intervention by schools at a national level
(Smith, 2004). In early 2013 a thirteen year old teenage girl thought to be the youngest in
NSW to take her own life became a tragic statistic of bullying.
According to Bullying Bureau of Statistics, (2010), A strong connection between
bullying and suicide was evident in a recent study from the Yale School of Medicine (2012)
stating that suicide continues to be one of the leading causes of death among children
under the age of 14. According to this study the incidence is so high that bullycide is now
a recognized term used to describe suicide as the result of bullying. Suicide rates are
continuing to grow among adolescents and have grown by more than 50 percent in the
past 30 years.

According to Hinduja & Patchin, (2010), Empirical studies and some high-profile
anecdotal cases have demonstrated a link between suicide and experiences with bullying
victimization or offending. A 2007 survey completed by a random sample of 1,963 middle-
schoolers from one of the largest school districts in the United States concluded that youth
who experienced traditional bullying or cyber bullying, as either an offender or a victim,
had more suicidal thoughts and were more likely to attempt suicide, than those who had
not experienced such forms of peer aggression.

Coie, Underwood & Lochman, (1991), A pertinent insight gained when looking into
bullying in schools and the future implications for bullies if their behaviours continue was
the fact that a high percentage of bullies are likely to follow a life of crime if their behaviour
continues.

Fox, Elliot, Kerlikowske, Newman & Christeson, (2003), Preventing children from
becoming bullies and intervening to get bullies back on track can not only protect others
from the pain that bullying inflicts immediately, but can protect all from a crime later on.
In their study the authors found that nearly 60 % of boys, who researchers classified as
bullies in grades six to nine, were convicted of at least one crime by the age of 24. Even
more dramatic, was that 40 percent of them had three or more convictions by age 24. A
recent study of school shootings in America found that almost three quarters of the
attackers felt persecuted, bullied, threatened, attacked or injured by others prior to the
incident (Fox, Elliot, Kerlikowske, Newman & Christerson, 2003). Bullying is an early
warning that bullies may be headed toward more serious anti social behavior, but victims
of repeated bullying can also explode in ways that threaten not just bullies but many
others as well.

In general, bullying is a component of an antisocial, rule-breaking pattern of behavior.

Boys who frequently bully are at risk of later criminality when this condition is
accompanied by a high level of psychiatric symptoms. Childhood bullying does predict
criminal offending in late adolescence (Sourander, et al. 2007). In this prospective study
by Sourander (2007) information about bullying was collected from parents, teachers and
eight year old children. Information about various forms of crime was later collected from
the Finnish National Police Register when the subjects were aged 16 to 20 years. It was
hypothesized that childhood bullying would predict criminal offending in late adolescence.
Because bullying is behaviour that victimizes other people, it is more likely to be linked to
violent rather than nonviolent crime. As a result of the research linking bullying behaviours
to a life of crime, it was hypothesized that child bullies with psychiatric symptoms are the
ones for whom early crime prevention efforts should be targeted.

Reijntjes, Kamphuis, Prinzie and Telch (2010), Emotional and Psychological

Problems Related to Bullying suggest victims of bullying are at an increased risk of
adverse outcomes in childhood, including physical health problems and emotional and
psychological problems. A study of 2,680 primary school students over 2 years, in 12
districts in Melbourne, was carried out in government, independent and Catholic schools.
It reported on the occurrence of being teased, having rumours spread about them, being
deliberately excluded and the experiencing of physical threats or violence. The
participants that were victims of these recurrent bullying behaviors, self-reported
symptoms of anxiety that were significantly associated with this peer victimization (Bond,
et al, 2001). Similarly, in a study of eighteen elementary schools in the Netherlands, 1118
children aged 9-11 years participated in a self-administered questionnaire to measure
victimization from bullies and a variety of related possible psychological symptoms. The
results showed that victims had a significantly higher chance of developing problems such
as depression, anxiety, bed wetting, sleeping problems and feelings of tension, than
children who were not bullied (Fekkes, et al, 2006).

To examine adjustment problems in young children, a nationally represented

environmental risk study on a 1994-1995 cohort of 2,232 American children was carried
out. Children who experienced bullying between the ages of 5 and 7 years, either purely
as victims or as bully/victims (victims who go on to bully others), were identified. Reports
were collected from mothers and teachers about children’s behaviour problems and
school adjustment when they were 5 and again when they were 7. Results showed that
pure victims and bully/victims were less happy at school, showed more behaviour and
school adjustment problems and exhibited less pro-social behaviour. A bully/victim is an
individual who is both a perpetrator and a bullying victim. It was concluded that being the
victim of a bully during the first years of schooling contributed to maladjustment in young
children. Prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing mental health problems
during childhood should target bullying as an important risk factor (Arseneault, et al 2006).

The extent to which bullying victimization in school is a factor in depression later in life
was investigated in a study by Ttofi and Farrington (2009). It was established that the
probability of being depressed up to 36 years later was much higher for children who were
bullied. Children's psychological problems (Goodman, Joyce & Smith, 2011) or exposure
to abuse (Currie & Spatz Widom, 2010) impact on functioning, decades later in adulthood.

Furthermore, Wolke, Copeland, Angold and Costello (2013), concluded that victims
of childhood bullying, including those who bullied others (bully-victims), were at increased
risk of poor health, wealth, and social-relationship outcomes in adulthood.

On the otherhand, Reid, Monsen and Rivers (2004) also discuss the consequences
of bullying as being linked to increased levels of depression, anxiety and psychosomatic
symptoms in victims and suggested that even though the effect of cyber bullying on
victims has not yet been fully researched and realized, it would seem that the
consequences could be even more severe than those of face-to face bullying.

The growing incidence and long term negative consequences associated with
bullying, revealed in the literature, provide justification for the need for further research to
find a solution to these conflicts. The studies in the reviewed literature also suggested
that interventions in childhood are likely to reduce long-term health and social costs.

Moreover, Smith, Ananiadou and Cowie (2003) endorsed the need for schools to
continue to pursue bullying interventions to find a solution to this form of conflict as the
cost of continued victimization is considerable and it is morally imperative for schools to
do what they can to prevent this. These researchers also reinforced the need for further
evaluation and research on bullying approaches to maximize effectiveness as the
processes and outcomes have only been sporadically assessed.

Samantha Landy (2013), reported in The Telegraph, on a former Supreme Court

judge, who described bullying as being akin to sexual abuse in terms of the psychological
damage it can cause young people. She revealed a suggestion by former family court
Chief Justice Alastair Nicholson, stating "making bullying an offence would help young
people to understand the gravity of abusing their peers online and in the school yard." Mr
Nicholson, who is also chair of the National Centre against Bullying, said existing laws
differed between states, providing little guidance about how bullying should be handled.
The Daily Telegraph Education writer Katherine Danks (2013), recently reported that
children as young as 10 years old could face criminal charges amid a push to make
Australia the first country in the world to have unified laws on bullying, including cyber
bullying. The inconsistency of practice from state to state was also evident in the data
collected from the teacher participants for this study and is worth considering as
contributing factor in the inability to stem these negative behaviors.

Brown (2014), cited that The traditional way of dealing with school bullying, as with
many kinds of anti-social behaviour, has been to discipline the offenders. This approach
requires sanctions and it is estimated 75% of teachers in Australia believe that cases of
bullying should be dealt with by punishing the perpetrator (Rigby, 2012). This approach
is seen to send a clear message that bullying would not be tolerated and will be
disciplined. The aim of this method is concerned with dealing justly with the offenders,
getting children to behave in a disciplined manner and to deterring others from bullying
by making them aware of consequences. These methods are typically punitive and
popular in most schools as they are seen as straight forward and involving the
administration of justice.

Moreover, A large scale survey conducted online in the United States of America
revealed that over 70% of teachers and counsellors opt to apply punishment in cases in
which children perpetrate even mild forms of bullying behaviour (Bauman, 2008). Similar
findings employing the same research instrument were found in Australia (Rigby, 2012)
and in Finland (Sairanen & Pfeffer, 2011) which given the high incidence of bullying
reveals the inadequacy of this approach. This also was noted in an examination by The
American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force (2008). In a recent
survey in the USA conducted with school psychologists, 96.7% of them reported that their
school cases of bullying were dealt with disciplinary consequences, even though just over
half (57%) believed that the zero tolerance punitive approach was ineffective. This
suggests educators use this approach as they are unsure of how else to deal with these
conflicts.

In general, efforts to reduce bullying in schools, have involved two complementary

approaches. One is to improve the attitudes and inter personal behaviour of all children
in a school. This aims to prevent bullying from ever occurring. The second approach is to
focus predominantly on the students who have become involved in bully/victim problems
at school. The aim here is to stop the bullying from continuing and to assist people who
bully or are being victimized to lead more constructive or less troubled lives. The whole
school approach aims to prevent bullying starting as opposed to the second approach
that only addresses the problem of bullying once it is apparent and targets the parties
involved. Rigby (2010) presented an interesting perspective of there being two clearly
different defined approaches to bullying, once these conflicts are evident in the schools.
One program emphasized a traditional punitive approach with the enforcement of rules
and sanctions to bullies, whereas the others emphasized the so called problem-solving
approaches with mediation, shared concern, restorative justice and no blame approach.
Descriptions and viewpoints on the nature and effectiveness of these interventions are
explored in this section to gain an insight into the phenomenon of bullying through the
data collected for this study.

It can be concluded from the literature reviewed by Rigby (2007) and Sairanen and
Pfeffer, (2011), on the traditional approach to bullying that employing this intervention
has shown little success with regard to achieving a positive outcome in bullying conflicts.
In fact this punitive approach can sometimes have more damaging effects. Regardless of
the opinions of educators and the negative statistics of its success, the rules-and-
sanctions traditional approach is still the most widely used approach to deal with bullying
conflict resolution.

From the literature reviewed on current bullying interventions, it can be concluded that
the zero-tolerance punitive approach is the most widely used intervention despite proving
the least effective and the least preferred approach by educators and administrators. The
non- punitive approaches reviewed show some positive results when dealing with bullying
conflicts and further evaluation of elements of each show that their possible link to a
values based approach is worth pursuing. For example Espelage and Sweaner (2005)
identified the use of a variety of intervention approaches that have been designed and
implemented throughout America. One approach discussed involved character education
as the foundation for curriculum development with focus on ethics, attitudes and
behaviors. It emphasized the promotion of understanding, accepting, appreciating and
respecting others with the goal being to enhance students’ moral development and lesson
peer victimization.

Relevant training in the process of bullying interventions is limited and a sound

knowledge of all approaches is required to achieve any conflict resolution success. Rigby
(2010) notes the difficulty also in determining which of the six interventions is the best
approach and considers the possibility of mixing methods. When discussing the possible
interventions to use it is worth noting that no method of addressing bullying has been
reported as completely effective (Rigby, 2010).
 In attempting to achieve positive behavior changes in bullying situations there are two
factors worth considering. Firstly the following literature revealed the potential influence
teachers have on their students. Secondly the literature also contained relevant statistics
regarding the higher the chances of teachers achieving these behaviour changes in the
school setting when the children are younger (Olweus, 1997).

There has been greater success with behaviour modification in elementary aged
students, supporting the claim that the younger the age of intervention, the greater the
chance of success (Crone, Hawken & Horner, 2003). Interventions and explicit teaching
of acceptable behaviours by teachers at a primary school age are therefore likely to be a
factor in achieving positive results in conflict situations. Interventions in childhood are
likely to reduce long- term health and social costs (Wolke, Copeland, Angold & Costello,
2013). Similarly, educators play a strong role in the control of behaviours in the school
environment and have the power to influence, teach and nurture pro-social behaviours
(Colvin, Tobin, Beard, Hagan, & Sprague,1998). This body of research suggests the
potential of the educator to interrupt the cycle of negative behavior, so children are less
likely to carry these behaviors over into high school and have them escalate into violent
behaviors in adulthood. Schroeder (1999) agrees that children have indicated they want
their teachers to get involved and believe if they do not act in these conflicts, the bullying
will not stop.

Halstead & Taylor (1996) cite the major influence of schools and teachers alongside
the family and the peer group when teaching fundamental values. Irvine (1997) reinforces
Halstead and Taylor (1996) as he emphasizes the significant link between teachers
making a difference in student's lives and the social structure of schools. The teachers'
role is to hedge against social conflicts that arise between peers. Halstead (1996) also
acknowledges the teaching of values as central to both the theory of education and the
practical activities of schools. Some programs place major emphasis upon developing a
positive classroom climate on the assumption that if classrooms are characterized by
positive relations between teacher and students, children will not be inclined to engage in
bullying (Rowland and Galloway, 2002). This again reinforces the importance of the
positive role the teacher can play in these conflicts.

Hattie (2003) reported on an extensive study undertaken in the classroom of

America’s very best teachers. He used quantitative methods to explore the influence of
five variances of student behaviur (home/socio-economic background, attitudes of
principals, peers and teachers and attitudes within schools). The quantitative method
used in the study, presented statistics in graph forms, showing the ratio of percentages
of the variances that influence students' behavior. Teachers influence on students was
shown to account for 30%, second only to the major influence of parents (a 50%
influence). This statistic identifies the potential power teachers have in influencing their
students. This is a promising statistic in terms of the likelihood of the teachers being a
factor in achieving positive results in behavior changes in bullying situations (Hattie,
2003).

Peplar, Craig, Ziegler and Charach (1993) discussed a preliminary evaluation of a

school based anti- bullying intervention, carried out in Canada by the Toronto Board of
Education. This study worked on both a qualitative (interview) and quantitative (survey)
approach. One interesting result of the quantitative study of the children in the elementary
school was that 71% of the students surveyed, believed that teachers should intervene in
bullying situations in schools. As a result of the qualitative research, it was established
that an intervention must be a collaborative effort of teachers and parents in order to be
effective (Pepler, Craig, Ziegler & Charach, 1993).

Rigby (2010) states that most methods of intervention rely on teacher training and
knowledge to be successful yet suggest teachers typically are uncertain about how they
can best deal with cases of bullying. He concludes that there is general lack of technical
knowledge of methods of intervention and often therefore teachers are unaware of what
actions are needed to solve bully/victim problems. Cremin (2002) agrees with Rigby
(2010) that very few teachers receive relevant training in mediation and conflict resolution.
He also states that this process is much more likely to be successful when staff are well
trained and aware of both the strengths and limitations of the approach. As evident in the
reviewed literature, there was a lack of specific teacher training and therefore a
corresponding lack of confidence in dealing with and solving bullying conflicts.

Based on the review of literature further research is needed to find a solution to

address the growing incidence of bullying in schools. Regardless of the number of
interventions to address bullying, current statistics show these conflicts to be on the
increase. As a result of this the main focus of this study is to explore how explicit values-
based education may assist in dealing with bullying in an endeavor to pursue a new
approach to address the source in these conflicts. Addressing the source of the bullying
and employing explicit values-based education to teach social skills directly to the
respectful treatment of others is the purpose of the study. Collecting data on this values
strategy, aimed to achieve positive behavior changes in these conflicts, is an approach
not evident in the literature explored in this study as a possible way of addressing the
growing incidence of bullying in schools.

Thus, the researcher, In an attempt to find a solution to this growing problem, a values
based strategy entitled KAGANDAHANG ASAL PROGRAM is considered as a possible
approach to achieving positive behavior changes in these conflict situations in the
selected grade grade 7 students of Lopez National Comp. High School, school year 2018-
2019.

III. Methodology

Research Methods

Qualitative method of research using focus group discussion to collect the needed
information was used in this study.

Research Locale

This study was conducted at Lopez National Comp. High School.

Participants of the Study

The study employed five groups of key informants which included five grade 7 students
and grade 7 teachers were the participants of the study.

Informed Consent

The JHS whose age ranged from 11- 14 years old were asked and consented to
be part of this study. It was emphasized during the orientation in conducting this study
that their participation is voluntary, has no known risk if they decide to join and will not
cost them anything. Likewise it was explained that the information gathered be solely for
the conduct of this study. Thus, all of them decided to participate.

Instrument

The study made use of moderator’s guide as the main data gathering instrument
which was developed by the researchers. This moderator’s guide contains questions that
intended to elicit responses related to the themes of the study. The moderator’s guide
underwent validation by experts and pilot testing in a elementary school which is not a
participant in this study.

Data Gathering Procedures

Focus group discussion was the primary device to collect the needed data. In the
conduct of the focus group discussion.