Effects of Bullying on Victims’ Behaviour among Girls in Public Secondary Schools in Kajiado West, Kenya

Abstract

A vast majority of students in the world are experiencing bullying in their schools and this remains a significant problem in the education system. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of bullying on victims’ behavior among girls in public secondary schools in Kajiado West, Kenya. The study adopted a cross sectional survey design. The sample comprised of one hundred and eighteen students from the selected girls’ schools in Kajiado West Sub County. Stratified random sampling procedure was used to arrive at the sample. The study used a questionnaire to collect quantitative data from the students. The validation of research instrument was done by subjecting the items in the questionnaire to a content validity. The reliability of the study was computed with the help of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) using Cronbach’s alpha. The analysis of data adopted quantitative approach. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study found that bullying had a number of effects on the victims’ behavior. These included: irritability, poor concentration, poor performance, low self esteem and panic attacks. The study suggests the need to curb bullying issues in schools by coming up with strict measures to enhance learning behavior among students.