Background to the Research

• A growing evidence base links bullying to mental health difficulties, with victims and perpetrators of bullying experiencing a variety of psychological problems. Whilst the prevalence of adolescent bullying is markedly higher in NI than in other areas of the UK and Ireland, there have been no formal explanations for this, and bullying research is very much in its infancy in NI. This pilot study aimed to examine bullying in a CAMH setting, which had not previously been systematically examined.
  

Research Approach

• The investigation was conducted as a cross-sectional pilot survey at a community-based specialist CAMH service in NI. A modified version of the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was used to assess bullying experiences. Participants comprised an opportunity sample of 26 adolescent male and female CAMH service-users. The survey focussed on victim rather than bully experiences.
  

Main Findings

• Bullying was a significant problem for CAMH service-users, with 30.8% of participants (8 service-users) reporting being bullied in the area where they live and 57.7% (15 service-users) at school.
• Overall, 61.5% of participants (16 service-users) reported being bullied either at school or in the area where they live at least once or twice over the past couple of months (hereafter ‘bullied participants).
• All of these ‘bullied participants’ had experienced verbal aggression in the form of generic name-calling/teasing. Name-calling based on race/colour and religion was less common, with 37.5% (6 service-users) and 18.7% (3 service-users) of bullied participants reporting these forms of bullying respectively. The higher level of racial bullying may be indicative of the escalating levels of racial tension and harassment observed in NI society in recent years.
• The clearest suggestion of a link between bullying and mental health was that 62.5% of bullied participants rated being bullied as a ‘moderately important-very important’ reason for their attendance at the CAMH service. The most frequently endorsed problems as a result of bullying were withdrawal from activities and difficulties going to school, suggesting that, while bullying may be the central issue for many adolescents, it may be hidden behind more familiar difficulties such as school refusal. 
• 60% of respondents (9/15 bullied participants) reported that their CAMH therapists had provided ‘a good deal – much’ help with being bullied, providing a generally positive evaluation of CAMH service efforts to assist with bullying issues.   
• The two bullying interventions perceived as most helpful by service-users were ‘assertiveness training’ and ‘therapy and/or psychological coping strategies’. Other highly ranked interventions included ‘social skills training’ and ‘increased teacher support’. The lowest ranked intervention was ‘conflict resolution’.
  

Conclusions

• The high level of bullying reported in this investigation in comparison with regional prevalence rates provides empirical support to long-established anecdotal observations that bullying is a pervasive problem for CAMH service-users. 
• The findings highlight the need for a more rigorous assessment of client bullying histories and increased promotion of bullying awareness and anti-bullying resources. The importance of the views of adolescents is noted as a potential avenue for future research.
• Whilst seen as helpful in relation to bullying, service-users identified areas for development of the service: a more active role in addressing bullying by fostering interagency links, promoting bullying awareness, and contributing to bullying interventions.