Monthly Archives: August 2016

For too many young people, bullying is a fact of life. However, recent research from the Brain Sciences Institute at Swinburne University has shed some light on ways bullying might be reduced.

The research focuses on the concept of Emotional Intelligence, a term used to describe the ability of a person to recognize and respond appropriately to their own emotions and the emotions of others. 

Researchers found higher levels of Emotional Intelligence were associated with lower levels of both bullying others and being bullied by others.

Specifically, the researchers found young people who were better able to recognize and manage their own emotions were less likely to be bullied by others.

On the other side of the coin, young people who were better able to understand and imagine the emotions of others were less likely to bully their peers.

This is good news for teachers, parents, councilors, and others seeking to reduce bullying among young people. Helping young people imagine the emotions of their peers may make them less likely to bully others, and teaching young people how to recognize and manage their own emotions may help them avoid being bullied.

Emotional Intelligence has been shown to be helpful across a wide range of areas, and this new research adds to our understanding of exactly how education in Emotional Intelligence can be used to reduce bullying. 
Greg Bing, M.Ed., Certified Personal Trainer
KareBoost Health