A Look at the Warning Signs of Bullying

Rock In Prevention is a nonprofit organization that was named one of the 20 best prevention programs by General McCaffrey, the former United States Drug Czar. Rock In Prevention primarily operates in schools and helps students develop skills to resist alcohol, drugs, and bullying.

Bullying, actions that consists of unwelcome or hostile behaviors, often result from an imbalance of power. For example, a stronger or more popular child might bully a smaller or less popular peer. Bullying is also repetitive, and takes the form of verbal or physical abuse. However bullies also engage in social bullying that can involve spreading hurtful rumors or embarrassing others intentionally. 

Bullying can lead to an array of harmful effects that range from depression and anxiety to a decrease in performance. To minimize these effects, adults should be aware of the warning signs of bullying. These might include:

- Injuries that can’t be explained and destruction of property.

- A tendency to avoid social activities and a loss of friends.

- An increased frequency of pretending to be ill or not wanting to go to school, as well as poor grades.

- Volatile sleep patterns and regular nightmares.

- A decrease in self-esteem and an increase in destructive behaviors.

The Importance of Spanish Programming

Since 1990, Rock in Prevention has used music to combat the effects of substance abuse among children. A non-profit organization, Rock in Prevention currently offers several empirically based programs, which includes Rock World Empathy, Rock Plus, and Rock Live.

Outside of these core programs, Rock in Prevention also offers a Spanish version of Rock Live known as Rock En Vivo. According to the National Association of Social Work, cultural competence is a core component of social work, especially considering there are currently approximately 55 million Hispanic individuals in the country. Hispanic individuals include those from Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and South America. Together, they make up 17% of the entire United States population.

Moreover, the Hispanic population is growing at faster rates than other demographics in the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that 28% of the country’s population will be comprised of Hispanics by the year 2060. Approximately 4.6 million children are also considered to be English language learners (ELLs). Of these ELLs, 3.7 million count Spanish as their first language.