Children Recognize Bullying Harm, Yet Struggle to Intervene

New research indicates that children recognize bullying as intentional and emotionally harmful but often do not feel able to intervene. The findings, from a 2026 study by Pervez, Masrani, and Pemberton, were published in School Psychology International.

The study involved 36 students in years 4 and 5 in England. Its objective was to understand how children interpret bullying, exclusion, and the process of intervening when witnessing such behavior.

Children are not passive observers; they identify bullying as intentional and emotionally harmful and often express a desire to help. However, their responses are influenced by peer dynamics, social risk, and uncertainty regarding safe intervention.

Dr. Aneeza Pervez, lead author and Betty Behrens Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, emphasized that this perspective shifts the focus from children's willingness to care to the conditions that enable or impede acting on that care.

Study Methodology

The research utilized semi-structured, activity-based interviews to explore the topic in a child-centered and ethically sensitive manner. Interviews combined open-ended questions with visual cue cards and a vignette featuring a fictional child named Alex.

To create a more supportive environment, interviews were conducted in pairs, focusing on children's reasoning, their interpretation of situations, understanding of harm, and potential responses.

Key Findings

Three key themes emerged from the thematic analysis of the interview data:

• Understanding bullying dynamics: Students could differentiate bullying from isolated peer conflict and acknowledged its emotional impact.
• Empathy constrained: barriers to moral action in school settings: Children described obstacles to defending peers, including fear of becoming targets, immediate needs, or a lack of clarity on how to act.
• Moral dimensions of prosocial defense and reciprocity: Children's moral reasoning was shaped by their relational experiences. They articulated moral values like kindness and care but also assessed whether others 'deserved' help based on past behavior.

Dr. Pervez highlighted the 'gap between empathy and action,' noting that many children expressed concern and recognized wrongdoing but often felt unable to intervene.

Decisions to help were sometimes influenced by a peer's past kindness or unkindness, adding complexity to moral reasoning.

Implications for Anti-Bullying Programs

The research suggests that anti-bullying programs should extend beyond merely recognizing bullying behavior. Programs should also support students in feeling confident, clear, and safe enough to act.

Dr. Pervez recommended that schools support both moral understanding and practical action through opportunities such as role-play, peer discussion, and restorative dialogue.

The wider school environment is also considered important. Children were more likely to consider intervening when adult support was visible and reliable, and when prosocial behavior was perceived as a shared rather than individually risky action. Clear expectations and accessible response mechanisms are crucial.

Future Research

Further research could investigate how these dynamics manifest in actual everyday school interactions, moving beyond children's perceptions and anticipated responses. The study emphasizes the significance of considering children's perspectives to better understand what enables and constrains prosocial action in practice.