Behind the Blackboards: Prevalence and Impact of Bullying among Teachers in Public Schools of Lahore

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the prevalence and impact of workplace bullying among public school teachers in Lahore, Pakistan. Semi-structures interviews were conducted in order to collect insights from the public-school teachers who were selected through purposive sampling technique. Questions were related to the prevalence of bullying among school teachers and its impact on the victims. Through the use of thematic analysis technique, two major themes were identified: Verbal bullying and consequences for the victim. Subthemes of verbal bullying included uncomfortable jokes about personal characteristics and personal life, sexist remarks, name calling, teasing comments, narrative building and indirect bullying. The second theme “consequences for the victims” demonstrated the unwanted consequences which included mental health challenges such as stress, anxiety, sleep issues, job burnout and lack of focus on professional responsibilities. Further research work in different settings is needed for a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence of bullying at educational workplaces is needed. Adoption of anti-bullying programs by the management at school level is also suggested for the improvement of the situation.