Bullying and adolescents occupational performance: an exploratory study

• Grant number: 12/11815-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2012
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Maria Paula Panúncio Pinto
• Grantee: Mariana Oliveira Leite Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bullying includes all forms of aggressive attitudes, intentional and repeated (so insistent and disturbing) that occur with no obvious motivation and veiled, being adopted by one or more students against another (s) within an unequal power relationship. This phenomenon manifests itself subtly in the form of jokes, nicknames, hazing, teasing, and physical aggression, and their targets, typically lack the resources, status, or ability to react or terminate the harmful acts. Bullying can open severe mental disorders and/or behavior that often bring irreversible damage, psychosomatic symptoms - that cause high levels of discomfort and bring harm to the individual's daily activities. Considering the presence of bullying in schools, this exploratory study aims to investigate the possible relationship between suffering or witnessing bullying and the occupational performance of adolescents in the areas of social participation, leisure, instrumental activities of daily living, and education. Moreover, preferably through a qualitative approach by conducting focus groups in public schools, seeks to identify how adolescents perceive and identify the phenomenon if practiced or suffered bullying. In addition, an assessment protocol will be applied to assess occupational performance.(AU)