The Effects of Bullying Type and Special Education Status on the Evaluation and Referral of Students to Mental Health Counseling

Abstract

The increased prevalence of school bullying over the last decade has gained the attention of the public as well as educational researchers. Many are concerned about the serious mental health consequences of bully victimization, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal behaviors. Although students in special education are significantly more likely to experience bullying than non-special education students, little research has addressed the evaluation and decision-making process of school counselors, who are often charged with responding to bullying incidents in schools. In this study, 31 middle and high school counselors read vignettes of bullying incidents in which the bullying type and special education status of the students varied and then responded to questions on a modified Bully Attitudes Questionnaire. The results indicated that the bullying type significantly influenced the counselors' evaluation and decision-making process, but the special education status of the student did not. In addition, a significant interaction was found between bullying type (verbal) and education status (victim specified as a person who receives special education) when taking into account the seriousness of the bullying. The findings point to the need for more counselor training in recognizing and responding to relational bullying, in particular, and for more efforts to decrease mental health consequences for victims. This additional expertise may help school counselors build relationships with other stakeholders in the community, thus increasing the likelihood of referral of bullying victims to mental health counseling.