Bullying in an educational setting in Limpopo Province: Insights from the social work discipline

Abstract

Bullying is arguably the most prevalent form of aggression and violence experienced by learners during their schooling years. This phenomenon is gaining increasing recognition among social scientists globally and is becoming a pressing concern at local levels. Bullying is associated with a myriad of social issues, including mental health problems, trauma, diminished academic performance, school dropout rates and, tragically, suicide. Given the emotionally demanding nature of the social work profession, understanding bullying is of utmost importance. The study was conducted in five regions of the Limpopo province of South Africa. This study employed a qualitative research approach to investigate the understanding of bullying among social workers in educational settings. Social workers were targeted as the study participants. The study aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of bullying using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with participants selected through purposive sampling. Prior to data collection, participants provided their informed consent and were informed of audio-recording procedures. Thematic content analysis was applied to analyse the data. The study was guided by the ecological approach as a theoretical framework. The study findings revealed that the participants have a clear understanding of bullying. The study recommends continuous training and recruitment of social workers in schools.