It has been reported that poor psychological health of students is linked to the experience of being bullied by peers. In Hong Kong, there is a paucity of research on this form of social aggression and it is difficult to tackle the problem effectively. This study uses stratified random sampling techniques and a variety of research strategies (e.g. self-report, psychological assessment, questionnaire, interview) to collect data from students, teachers, school heads, and parents. The results will help throw light upon the antecedents, contextual factors, short- and long-term consequences of the problem so that appropriate intervention can be initiated.

This lecture explores evidence based approaches to meeting the needs of students presenting with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) in mainstream schools. It is argued that the SEBD phenomenon, although omnipresent, comes to particular public prominence in education in times of change. It is not surprising, therefore, that in a world dominated by social, economic and sustainability concerns, and in the concomitant educational climate characterized by sometimes competing emphases on performativity and social inclusion, that SEBD is a topic of particular interest in Hong Kong and across the developed world. After considering issues of definition and aetiology the focus of the lecture shifts to intervention. Particular attention is given to evidence on the qualities and skills of effective teachers and teaching in relation to SEBD, and the need for educators’ understandings of SEBD to be located within a biopsychosocial paradigm. The fundamental significance of physiological issues is discussed and the value of various empirically validated psychologically based interventions (e.g. psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioural, cognitive-behavioural and ecosystemic) is explored. Consideration is given to the sometimes neglected needs of teachers and parents in relation to SEBD. Challenges and questions elating to the cultural assumptions underpinning some of the dominant thinking in this area are discussed are also explored. Finally, policy and practice implications are addressed.
[Copyright © 2012 The Hong Kong Institute of Education]

This study aims to explore the relationships between the extent and perceived quality of teachers' experience of training in behaviour management (BM), and their awareness of the nature and extent of behavioural problems among school students, and their confidence in their own competence to deal with such problems. Teachers (n=183) from Hong Kong primary schools were surveyed. The results showed that gender, age and whether teachers have received training had no significant influence on teachers' awareness, conception and confidence regarding BM. A negative correlation was found between teachers' levels of satisfaction in relation to their training experiences and their perceptions of the level of problematic behaviours among students, and the impact of students' problematic behaviour on their teaching. A positive correlation was found between teachers' levels of satisfaction in relation to their training experiences and their confidence in their own competence to deal with students' problematic behaviour.

The contribution of social context to school bullying was examined from the self-determination theory perspective in this longitudinal study of 536 adolescents from 3 secondary schools in Hong Kong. Latent class growth analysis of the student-reported data at 5 time points from grade 7 to grade 9 identified 4 groups of students: bullies (9.8%), victims (3.0%), bully-victims (9.4%), and typical students (77.8%). There was a significant association between academic tracking and group membership. Students from the school with the lowest academic performance had a greater chance of being victims and bully-victims. Longitudinal data showed that all 4 groups tended to report less victimization over the years. The victims and the typical students also had a tendency to report less bullying over the years, but this tendency was reversed for bullies and bully-victims. Perceived support from teachers for relatedness significantly predicted membership of the groups of bullies and victims. Students with higher perceived support for relatedness from their teachers had a significantly lower likelihood of being bullies or victims. The findings have implications for the theory and practice of preventive interventions in school bullying.
[Copyright © 2014 American Psychological Association.]