Life Of An Adolescent

How Has Bullying Changed?

“Bullying is a pattern of verbal or physical, direct or indirect aggression in which there is a power imbalance, consistent in direction, between the victim and the aggressor in children who bully” (Porter & Smith-Adcock, 2017, p. 1) Bullying has been a prevalent problem throughout the American educational system without every narrowing down a structure that can systematically eliminate it as a whole. While this goal may be an impossible feat, there is always progress and awareness that can be made. Life Of An Adolescent is attempting to bring educational awareness to bullying and the results that it can have on an individual but also the larger community at hand.  

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While the quote above remains true, bullying has adapted over the years and has entered into a technological world where the pain does not stop once you leave school. Adolescents today live in a culture where victimization can occur through the touch of a button. This technological development of bully-capability platforms has lead to a national epidemic suicide tragedy, an increased difficulty of exploring one's identity, and mental health concerns that school's are not equipped to handle. 

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At this fragile age of adolescence, excessive ridicule can shift an adolescent so far off-track from their identity that the outcomes can be life-changing. In fact, social belongingness within a school setting has been shown to incorporate several positive outcomes for these teenagers. These constructive results range from less risk-taking behavior, reduced school-based aggression, and improved academic performance. (Turner, I, 2014)

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The LOAD program, also known as Life Of An Adolescent, is attempting to address these systematic problems, as well as supply the tools to our youth and guardians in order to make a difference in for future citizens. Although Life Of An Adolescent is not distinctly saying that we have found any direct way to handle bullying, we are confident that by incorporating the empirical evidence and personal experience, we can create a captivating experience that will help any victim of bullying. 

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