“You Really Don't Know How Much It Hurts:” Children's and Preservice Teachers' Reactions to Childhood Teasing

Abstract

The sensitivity of preservice teachers to the impact of teasing on children was examined. Preservice teachers (n = 164) and elementary-age children (n = 184) viewed one of three videotaped responses (i.e., Hostile, Ignore, or Humorous) to an observed teasing incident among children and then evaluated the child actor's response to the teasing and social status of the participants in the teasing episode. Preservice teachers were asked to respond as they thought children would. Results revealed several important differences between responses of preservice teachers and children, including how mad participants would be if they were involved and the effectiveness of the child's response to discourage subsequent teasing. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding teachers' responses to teasing incidents in the school environment.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Steven Landau

Steven Landau, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at Illinois State University with an interest in children's disturbed peer relations. He is a former Associate Editor of the School Psychology Review.

Richard Milich

Richard Milich, Ph.D., is Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Psychology at the University of Kentucky. His research interests include children's learning and behavior problems, as well as peer relations difficulties. He recently completed a 6-year term as Associate Editor of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

Monica J. Harris

Monica J. Harris, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Kentucky. Her research interests include teasing and peer victimization, interpersonal expectancy effects, interpersonal power, and meta-analysis.

Sarah E. Larson

Sarah E. Larson, S.S.P., recently graduated from the Specialist degree program in School Psychology at Illinois State University. She presently serves as school psychologist for the McLean County (IL) Unit District #5. Her professional interests focus on social skills and peer relations of students with emotional/behavior disorders.