DOTHAN, Ala. (WDNews) — A University of Alabama at Birmingham psychologist is offering guidance to parents and teachers on how to recognize and prevent bullying, especially as harassment increasingly follows children beyond the classroom through digital platforms.
Margaret Canter, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor in pediatrics at UAB, said bullying is often misunderstood. “One thing that can be challenging is I think sometimes bullying is a term that gets overused a lot,” Canter said. “Bullying is that like repeated not-nice things that are occurring, and there’s usually some sort of power differential that goes along with it.”
She explained that could be a senior targeting a freshman or a team captain harassing a new player. With students spending much of their time online, she added, the behavior doesn’t always stop when the school day ends.
“As a parent, your role is to monitor any kind of social media or any technology that your child has,” Canter said. “Letting them know, ‘I will be monitoring that,’ and that child can also let others know, ‘My mom monitors my social media.’ I think that in general can kind of cut down on a lot.”
Canter encouraged parents to create open lines of communication with their children, reminding them they can speak up if they feel uncomfortable at school or online. Therapy can help children struggling with self-esteem after bullying, she said, but a proactive approach is building confidence through activities where they can excel.
“Something they’re good at that makes them feel good about themselves can go such a long way,” Canter said. She added that success can take many forms, from theater and art to sports or student government, and finding a child’s passion can help them resist the negative effects of bullying.
