Understanding the Relationship between Resiliency and Bullying in Adolescence: An Assessment of Youth Resiliency from Five Urban Junior High Schools

Much of the debate on youth bullying and violence focuses upon interventions with instigators of the violence or on broad-based general prevention strategies that may or may not be geared toward individual school conditions. These strategies frequently take a problem-focused approach that can pathologize behavior and create divisions within schools rather than providing solutions. One of the reasons why this occurs is because it is difficult for educators to gather specific information related to bullying and aggressive behaviors in their school or district. This article provides an overview of a comprehensive assessment tool, the Youth Resiliency: Assessing Developmental Strengths questionnaire, developed by Resiliency Canada, that is being used by educators and other concerned stakeholders to understand the dynamics of resiliency to bullying and other aggressive behavior patterns. The article also provides information for understanding the resiliency factors and strengths related to a range of connected behaviors and attitudes of young people who engage in bullying. It also suggests a strength-based approach that can be used by educators, parents, students, and members of the community to promote the development of resiliency through collaborative strategies that address the needs of youth in their school.