IPPN

Published: 08 December 2008

In recent years, there has been increasing awareness around the issue of bullying in schools. However, there has been little discussion regarding the bullying of primary school Principals. As the role of Principal has become more challenging and increasingly complex, evidence suggests that we are becoming increasingly vulnerable to bullying behaviour from a variety of sources.

IPPN member, Dr. Paul Stevens, Scoil an Chroí Naofa, Castletownbere, Co. Cork is currently undertaking an MBA in education. He has chosen to examine this bullying phenomenon for his thesis. The purpose of his research is to:

• Attempt to establish incidence
• Categorise the perpetrators
• Establish whether bullying is associated with organisational change
• Identify the precise nature of the bullying
• Establish the effects of bullying on Principals' well-being, health, lifestyle etc.
• Record Principals' responses and identify actions which bring a successful/unsuccessful resolution to bullying behaviour.

In order to establish the incidence of bullying, it is important that all Principals complete the questionnaire whether they have or have not been bullied. The questionnaire will take approximately 10 to 12 minutes to complete. All responses will be collated for research purposes and will be held in confidence.

We hope that the research findings will assist IPPN in highlighting this phenomenon and contribute to the improvement of procedures which successfully address bullying behaviour directed at Primary Principals.

Paul is deeply appreciative of your assistance with his research. If you have a query about any aspect of the questionnaire, you may contact him on 086-6015110 or by e-mail at Paul@Stevens.net

Is sinne le meas,

Larry Fleming, Séan Cottrell