The community environment is that of a slightly rundown suburb located on the outskirts of a sprawling major city. The neighborhood is situated off of a major highway. The houses in this neighborhood are slightly dilapidated. However, the house of the family that was assessed appears to be renovated and is a cheery yellow against the grays of the other houses. A few blocks down, there is a park with tennis courts, two playgrounds, a walking path and a large communal area. The area is primarily what would be expected of an urbanized suburb, large buildings in the distance, graffiti on walls and an eerie contrast of bikes, bottles and cigarette butts strewn on the lawns.
The home is second in line upon turning into the street. …show more content…
On several occasions the mother rubs the child’s back and makes direct eye contact with the child while talking to her. The mother praises the child for etiquette such as introducing herself as well as saying please and thank you when appropriate. The mother smiles while talking about her daughter and the child reciprocates this positivity. The mother primarily held the child on her lap and stroked her hair, exhibiting the closeness of their relationship. Both the mother and the father seem to recognize the child’s abundant energy and allow her to roam freely during the interview until she decides to return to her mother’s arms. Due to the parents traditional South American upbringing, they understand the effects of gender roles and jointly work to ensure their daughter does not feel pressured to traditionally behave a certain way. The mother expressed negative emotions due to her parents forcing her to embody a certain ideal of femininity and works to ensure that mentality does not imprint upon her …show more content…
A study conducted by Wang, Ianotti & Luk (2007) found that children ages six to ten were at a significantly increased risk for verbal bullying if they were overweight. In relation, a study conducted by Puhl, Luedicke & Heuer (2011) found that 84% of children reported witnessing numerous incidences where overweight students were teased. Also, 65% to 77% witnessed peers being ignored, avoided as well as teased in the cafeteria due to their weight. It is important to keep in mind that it has been proven that childhood bullying leads to an increase in anxiety, depressive feelings, loneliness, lowered self-esteem and behavior problems that carry well into adulthood (Griffiths et al., 2006). The general recommendation was to find ways in which to make the environment safer for the victim such as ensuring they are not bullied again, removing them from the situation and counseling if necessary. (Griffiths et al., 2006).
It is recommended that the parents approach the teachers in school about this issue. Teachers may serve as a bridge in terms of approaching the bully and ensuring they stop. Sharing this information with teachers may allow them to better support the child in school, becoming a safe haven to which the child can go to if bullied again. Also, it is important to address this with their primary physician. Their primary care