SCHOOL BULLYING, SILENT CHALLENGE THAT AFFECTS COEXISTENCE AND

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

ELIANA MARÍA MESA MONTOYA

KEVIN SANTIAGO SAENZ PEREZ

LAURA SOFIA CARRASCO HERRERA

DIEGO SEBASTIAN ALFONSO MEDINA

UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGÓGICA Y TECNOLÓGICA DE COLOMBIA

MODERN LANGUAGES

OCTOBER 2024
 INDEX

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................3

RATIONALE .............................................................................................................................3

PROBLEM ANALYSIS .............................................................................................................4

RESEARCH QUESTION ...........................................................................................................5

GENERAL OBJECTIVE ............................................................................................................5

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ...........................................................................................................5

LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................6

Causes of Bullying ..................................................................................................................6

Consequences of Bullying .......................................................................................................7

Public Policies and Institutional Responses .............................................................................7

Conclusions .............................................................................................................................8

BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................8
 INTRODUCTION:

School bullying has become an alarming social phenomenon in Colombian schools,

seriously affecting the emotional health and academic performance of students. This aggressive

behavior, which manifests itself through physical and psychological intimidation, not only

affects the victims, but also creates a toxic environment that harms the entire educational

community. Despite its growing notoriety, many cases remain unreported, making it difficult to

understand its scope and consequences. This research seeks to document the prevalence of

bullying, located in the José Acevedo y Gómez educational institution, analyzing factors such as

lack of awareness and social pressure, and proposing effective strategies to prevent and address

this problem, in order to promote a safe and conducive school environment for learning.

RATIONALE

School bullying is a global phenomenon that significantly affects the emotional, social

and academic well-being of students. In Colombia, educational institutions face a growing

challenge in identifying and managing situations of Bullying. According to the Instituto

Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (ICBF) and the Ministry of National Education, reports of

cases of Bullying have been increasing. The purpose of this project is to examine the causes and

consequences of bullying at the José Acevedo y Gómez educational institution in Monguí,

Boyacá, in order to design strategies that promote a safe, inclusive and respectful school

environment. This is due to situations observed in the institution with certain students. As future

teachers, it is considered pertinent to evaluate these behaviors and try to create strategies so that

new cases of bullying do not continue to arise. In addition, it is possible to study what
participation parents have in these bullying situations and what measures they adopt as a family

to achieve a good school environment. Finally, this project was created to try to solve a serious

problem in Colombia, focusing on a specific institution in Boyacá and, as future teachers, having

the knowledge of how to act in these cases.

PROBLEM ANALYSIS

Bullying in school environments represents a critical social problem that seriously affects

the academic and psychosocial development of students (Olweus, 2013). At the José Acevedo y

Gómez Educational Institution in Monguí, Boyacá, the existence of different types of bullying

has been identified, which generates a negative impact on the educational context and student

well-being, as indicated by García-Sancho et al. (2017) in similar contexts. The absence of a

precise diagnosis on the incidence, typology and reasons or causes of bullying in this institution

hinders the implementation of effective preventive strategies ( Keith, S., & Cleary, M. (2005). This

situation becomes more critical due to the complexity of factors involved such as the family

environment, the social dynamics of the municipality and the characteristics of the institution

itself, elements that Chaux (2012) has identified as crucial in the Colombian context. The lack of

specific data on the perceptions of students, teachers and parents, as well as on the usual

associated behaviors and the normalization of this behavior, limits the institution's capacity to

develop effective interventions and create a safe school environment (Román & Murillo, 2011).
 RESEARCH QUESTION

How does bullying affect students' academic performance and emotional well-being?

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

 Analyze the prevalence and dynamics of bullying in Colombian schools,

identifying its causes, consequences, and effective strategies for its prevention and

approach.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

 Document the frequency and types of bullying reported by students in the José

Acevedo y Gómez educational institution.

 Investigate the perceptions of students, teachers, and parents about bullying and

its implications in the educational community.

 Identify the risk factors associated with bullying, including the family

environment, social dynamics, and school characteristics.

 LITERATURE REVIEW

Bullying, also known as "matoneo" in Colombia, has become an alarming phenomenon

affecting a significant portion of the student population. The literature review reveals various

dimensions of school harassment, its causes, consequences, and the policies implemented to

address it.

Prevalence and Types of Bullying in Colombia

According to a study conducted by the Colombian Institute for the Evaluation of

Education (ICFES, 2019), approximately 30% of Colombian students report having experienced

some form of bullying found that in rural areas of Colombia, such as Boyacá, manifestations of

bullying may differ from urban areas, with a higher prevalence of verbal harassment and social

exclusion.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has highlighted

that Colombia ranks as one of the countries with the highest rates of bullying, coming in second

among its members. Studies show that around 32% of students aged 15 and older have

experienced school harassment. Major cities like Bogotá, Medellin, and Cali report particularly

high levels of this issue, significantly affecting the mental health and academic performance of

young people.

Causes of Bullying

School bullying in Colombia has deep-rooted origins that go beyond the school

environment. Family factors, such as the use of corporal punishment and inadequate
communication between parents and children, play a significant role in perpetuating bullying

behaviors. Furthermore, the broader context of social and community violence in the country

contributes to the normalization of mistreatment among peers. The asymmetric power dynamics

among students also facilitate bullying, making it a pervasive issue.

Consequences of Bullying

The consequences of bullying are indeed severe. García García (2017) found that victims

of bullying have academic consequences such as lower academic performance, increased school

absenteeism and decreased class participation. Likewise, psychological consequences such as

increased symptoms of anxiety and depression, long-term self-esteem problems and difficulties

in developing interpersonal relationships. In Colombia, the rates of youth suicides linked to

school harassment are particularly alarming. Additionally, many victims tend to self-blame and

shy away from seeking help, which worsens their circumstances.

Public Policies and Institutional Responses

Law 1620 of 2013 establishes the National School Coexistence System, designed to

prevent and address situations of school conflict. However, there is a concerning underreporting

of cases within this system, making effective implementation of preventive measures

challenging. Recommendations include improving data collection systems and encouraging a

culture of reporting to effectively tackle the issue. Likewise, Chaux (2012) proposes the

"Classrooms in Peace" program, which has demonstrated a 30% reduction in bullying incidents,

improvement in the school climate and finally an increase in prosocial behaviors.

Conclusions

Bullying is a complex issue in Colombia that demands a comprehensive approach,

involving active participation from schools, families, and communities. The effective

implementation of public policies is crucial to mitigate this phenomenon and foster a safe and

healthy school environment for all students. Raising awareness about the effects of bullying and

promoting a culture of respect are vital steps toward addressing this problem.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Castillo-Pulido, J. (2018). Impacto psicológico del bullying en jóvenes: Un

estudio longitudinal. Psicología y Educación, 25(3), 200-215.

 Chaux, E. (2012). Educación, convivencia y agresión escolar. Universidad de

los Andes.

 Chaux, E. (2012). Aulas en paz: Un programa para la prevención del

bullying.

 García García, A. (2017). La influencia del bullying en el rendimiento

académico.

 García-Sancho, E., Salguero, J. M., & Fernández-Berrocal, P. (2017). Ability

emotional intelligence and its relation to aggression across time and age

groups. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 58(1), 43-51.

https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12331

 ICFES. (2019). Informe de evaluación del estado de la educación en

 Colombia. Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación.

 Olweus, D. (2013). School bullying: Development and some important

challenges. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 9, 751-780.

https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050212-185516

 Román, M., & Murillo, F. J. (2011). América Latina: Violencia entre

estudiantes y desempeño escolar. Revista CEPAL, 104, 37-54.

https://hdl.handle.net/11362/11458

 Keith, S., & Cleary, M. (2005). Bullying en la enseñanza secundaria: El acoso

escolar: como se presenta y cómo afrontarlo. Barcelona España. Ceac, 15-21.