The influence of peer harassment on the wellbeing of form three learners in Zimbabwean rural day secondary schools

• Main Author: Shoko, Nothabo
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 2017
• Subjects: Harassment in schools > Zimbabwe; Bullying in schools > Zimbabwe; School discipline > Zimbabwe; Conduct disorders in children > Education (Secondary) > Zimbabwe
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20330

The aim of this study was to describe occurrences of peer harassment and the influences it has on Form Three learners in Zimbabwean rural day secondary schools. A review of studies conducted internationally indicated that peer harassment is prevalent and is stressful for most learners. Reports indicate that the negative impacts of peer harassment limit the educational achievements of the learners, and that learners need teacher and parental assistance to deal with peer harassment. In particular there appears to be a need for the creation of safe learning environments. This study was informed by an eclectic framework based on Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, Bronfenbrenner's socio-ecological theory and Allardt's social welfare theory. These three theories point to the need for understanding that the social supports available to an individual determine how the individual perceives and responds to all his or her experiences. Investigations of the perceptions which individuals hold of their diverse lived experiences are best understood from a qualitative paradigm. Since the study intended to gain an understanding of the forms of peer harassment experienced by learners and how their individual experiences influenced their wellbeing, a phenomenological design was used. The sample was comprised of fifteen Form Three (grade 10) learners from three rural schools who volunteered to share their experiences of peer harassment. Data generated from semi-structured interviews with the individual participants were analyzed revealing emergent themes to answer the research questions. Findings revealed that the learners experienced various forms of peer harassment with physical peer harassment being the most prevalent. The data also revealed that peer harassment had both psychological and social influences on the well being of the learners which were primarily negative. Most learners felt that they were not getting adequate support from the adults (i.e., their teachers and the parents and guardians. The apparent reason for this lack of support from the adults was related to the community values which adults held about how learners were expected to deal with peer harassment. It was also evident that most learners chose to suffer silently, or hoped that God would intervene to assist them. Teachers were also not doing enough to assist the learners to stop peer harassment. Like the parents and guardians, most of the teachers did not perceive peer harassment as a serious problem in learners' lives so they did very little to assist victims who complained to them. Learners relied primarily on friends for support. The study concluded that peer harassment influenced the learners 'psychological and social well being negatively. It provided recommendations for schools, teachers, parents and the learners themselves. These stakeholders may collaborate to establish anti-harassment policies and to inform the design and implementation of anti-harassment policies in Zimbabwean rural schools. Recommendations are also provided for further studies aimed at identifying effective responses to the phenomenon of peer harassment.