Mental toughness is best defence against bullying

26th February 2008

Teachers in Wales may get a new tool to counter bullying if education minister Jane Hutt agrees to roll out a mental toughness questionnaire.

The questionnaire has been developed by Wrexham-based research consultant AQR, and is designed to measure pupils' mental toughness with a view to working on confidence issues with the less mentally tough children.

The 48-question sheet has already been piloted at Halewood College in Knowsley, near Liverpool. The questions are based around four themes:

  • facing up to challenges;
  • feeling in control;
  • levels of confidence;
  • commitment.

The Knowsley pupils were shown statements such as: "I usually speak my mind when I have something to say," and asked to mark them on a scale from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree".

AQR managing director Doug Strycharczyk said that those who scored highly also did better in their cognitive ability tests at school. "There was a direct relationship between the two," he said.

The same pupils were less likely to perceive themselves as being bullied than those who scored lower in the questionnaire.

Teachers were told about the outcomes of the test so that they could use the information to help improve confidence – and ultimately results – in the less mentally tough children. The pupils will be monitored again in the summer. (Source: TES)

One Response to “Mental toughness is best defence against bullying”

  1. Jacinta says:
    June 13th, 2008 at 2:11 pm

    While this sounds very limited, it is in the right direction and is the only way to go. Children in our schools must be EDUCATED to deal with bullying, and bullies must be EDUCATED to the fact that bullying does not make for happy relationships. Guidelines, and more guidelines, will achieve nothing.
    What is needed is a syllabus that starts in junior infants and builds year on year till the Leaving Cert, which teaches children appropriate mental toughness – and more besides. This syllabus must be compulsory in all schools, all practicing teachers should receive extensive training in its delivery, and all colleges of education should make it part of their teacher training programme.
    Who will devise this programme NOW and who will sell it to the DES? Irish society needs it desperately.

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