Common Traits of a Bully

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, as many as half of all school-aged children are bullied at some point during their educational career. Up to 10 percent are bullied on a regular basis. The behavior of a bully can be physical or verbal, and those who suffer at the hands of bullies may end up with lifetime scars. There are several common traits that bullies share, and these are characteristics teachers and parents should look for to help stop a bully before he goes too far.

  1. Thrive On Power

    • Many bullies think rather highly of themselves and do not believe the rules apply to them. Bullies enjoy the rush they get when picking on or dominating someone who is smaller or weaker than them. Bullies use their supposed power to obtain goods or favors from other children, such as money or homework. Since most younger, smaller or weaker children give into the demands because of fear, the cycle of power and control continues for the bully.

    Aggression

    • Almost every bully has a problem with controlling aggressive behavior, whether it be verbal or physical. Some may have been victims of bullying themselves and are lashing out their own feelings of anger. Others might have seen violence at home or on television and believe it is okay to act in a similar manner. WebMD states that many bullies will physically hit or push other children as a way of bullying them. These bullies are at a greater risk of dropping out of school and living a life of crime as adults.

    Negative Family Life

    • Many bullies come from broken homes, according to Education.com. These children are often the victims of physical or emotional abuse at the hand of a parent or other relative. Families of bullies are generally not close or affectionate and there are power and control struggles between most members of the family. A bully is likely to start with his own siblings as victims first, then move onto other children as he becomes more confident in his negative power.

    Lack of Empathy

    • Empathy is the ability to understand another person's feelings regarding a particular situation. Bullies have a very difficult time understanding how other children feel, even if they have been victims of bullying themselves. Bullies believe they are the only people in the world that matter and are usually not popular with kids their own age, according to the WebMD. Bullies will treat others however they need to in order to get what they want; when this behaviod gets the bully what he wants, the cycle of abuse continues.

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