Early childhood attachment behaviour and high school bullying : a pastoral perspective

Abstract

School bullying is not a new phenomenon in South Africa. An increasing trend of bullying incidents is widespread in South African schools. Existing research on school bullying indicates that the focus has been on the victim and there is little intervention to address the behaviour of the person who is the perpetrator of bullying. Schools mostly resort only to discipline and sanctions, such as detention, suspension and in extreme cases expulsion. These have proven to be ineffective. Learners who exhibit bullying behaviour tend to simply resume their behaviour afterwards. From a family perspective the parent-child relationship plays an important role in the child’s psychological development. This study will explore early childhood attachment behaviour and behavioural problems in pre-schoolers and in older learners. The study will also examine internal working models as an indication of how early childhood attachment behaviour influence people’s social relationships later in life. The contribution of this study is to focus on pastoral engagement with the person who exhibits bullying behaviour. The narrative model, narrative hermeneutical model and the shepherding model are three models that could be used in the pastoral setting. Narrative therapy is not a pastoral model. This study will show whether it can be used as a pastoral response to bullying. The aim is to develop an effective pastoral response to bullying and to guide the perpetrator to change their behaviour. The identification of guiding principles whereby the pastor plan and implement an effective pastoral care programme for addressing the behaviour of the school bully. The pastor is to journey with young people who exhibits bullying behaviour with the intention to help them to understand and effectively change their behaviour.