Problems at Home
Bullying is often a learned behavior. Although any child can become a bully, experts believe that problems at home can lead to bullying behaviors. Children who experience the following are more likely to direct their anger toward other children:
Neglect
Inadequate adult supervision
Conflict between parents
Physical, emotional or sexual abuse
A lack of warmth and affection at home
A lack of rules and consequences
Personality
No one wants to raise a bully, but some teens have personality traits that may make them more likely to taunt or ridicule others. Studies show that bullies tend to be:
Aggressive
Impulsive
Dominating
Lacking empathy and social skills
Of course, biology isn’t destiny, and teens who grow up in happy, loving homes are perfectly capable of growing into caring, well-adjusted adults.
Stress
Teens are more stressed than ever, and some are acting out by directing their frustrations at other teens. Teen stress can be caused by:
Academic pressure or poor performance at school
Family conflict
Lack of friends or a support network
Concerns over physical appearance
Being bullied themselves
By attacking other students, bullies gain a sense of control over their lives and an artificial sense of superiority. In many cases, bullies were victims of bullying themselves and are clinging desperately to their sense of power.