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What are the Types of Bullying?

William DeMeo, PhD

June 30, 2020

Question

What are the types of bullying?

Answer

Physical
Verbal
Nonverbal
Direct
Indirect

There are three types of bullying behavior: verbal, physical, and nonverbal. In addition to that, these behaviors can either be direct or indirect. Indirect behaviors are more difficult to identify than direct bullying behaviors. Let me give you some specific examples of each category.

Physical

Direct Bullying

Hitting
Kicking
Shoving
Spitting

Indirect Bullying

Getting Another Person to Assault Someone

When we refer to direct bullying physical behaviors we're talking about hitting, kicking, shoving, and spitting. Indirect bullying physical behaviors occur when the individual gets somebody else to assault the other child.

Verbal

Direct Bullying

Taunting
Racial Slurs
Verbal or Sexual Harassment

Indirect Bullying

Spreading Rumors

Direct verbal bullying behaviors include taunting, using racial slurs, and verbally or sexually harassing others. Indirect verbal bullying behaviors, which is something that is very popular with children, includes spreading rumors.

Non-Verbal

Direct Bullying

Threatening
Obscene Gestures

Indirect Bullying

Deliberate Exclusion from a Group or Activity

Direct, nonverbal bullying behavior includes threatening or using your body to physically threaten somebody else or using obscene gestures. Indirect nonverbal bullying behavior, which I have discovered is very popular even with young children, is deliberate exclusion from a group or activity. For example, when a child says, "You are not my friend" or, "You cannot play with us" or, "You cannot sit here." This is a very common behavior we see with young children.

This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, Bully Proofing Your Early Childhood Program, in partnership with Region 9 Head Start Association, by William DeMeo, PhD.

william demeo

William DeMeo, PhD

Dr. William DeMeo is a Developmental Psychologist who consults with an organization that serves over 1,000 daycare programs across the county. In addition, he has a private practice that specializes in serving children and families that other agencies are not able to serve in the Greater Cincinnati Area. William had coordinated the mental health services for Cincinnati Public Schools’ Early Childhood Program for the past 25 years. A former teacher, he has taught at all levels, from elementary through the university. Finally, William is a National Certified Olweus Trainer, National Association of School Psychologist Approved Provider and a National Consultant for the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention.

William has presented workshops and symposia at the national meetings for early childhood professionals at the National Head Start Association (NHS), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Society for Developmental Education (SDE) and the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). In addition, he has also presented numerous workshops for administrators, mental health professionals and educators at the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), National Title I Conference, American Montessori Society (AMS), Association of Middle Level Education (AMLE),Global Summit on Childhood, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and International Behavioral Institute for Children and Adolescents.

William continues to be one of the most sought after national and international trainers for educators in the areas of challenging behavior, mental health and brain-based learning, utilizing his extensive experience to present practical and entertaining workshops. He has authored several books, including his latest publications; Managing the Angry and Aggressive Child (1999), Brain-Based Learning: How Does the Brain Really Learn! (2000), The Educator’s Survival Guide for Preventing Burnout! (2003), Reading with the Brain in Mind! (2003), Discipline with the Brain in Mind! (2006), The Bullying Student (2007) and Sensory Integration Dysfunction (2010), When Nothing Else Works: What Early Childhood Professionals Can Do to Reduce Challenging Behaviors (2013).