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Emotional Intelligence As an Intervention Against Bullying in Primary Schools in Gauteng: Efficacy of an Anti-Bullying Intervention Programme

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Emotional Intelligence As an Intervention Against Bullying in Primary Schools in Gauteng: Efficacy of an Anti-Bullying Intervention Programme Emotional intelligence as an intervention against bullying in primary schools in Gauteng: Efficacy of an anti-bullying intervention programme by LAURIKA LUBBE submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the subject of PSYCHOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: Prof R van Eeden CO-SUPERVISOR: Prof P van der Merwe December 2019 “Bullies do what they do for self-protection. This is often because manipulation (i.e. humiliation, intimidation, and isolation) are the only way they know how to cope with their lack of self-worth. Having power over someone has in some way served them temporarily in the past. However, having power over another, taking someone’s power or giving power away is always temporary because it is an illusion. This is why bullies continue doing what they do over and over again. -It’s a dysfunctional addiction that society is now recognizing and insisting that it is no longer acceptable.” Susan Abrams Milligan (2012) Being a bully is a scream of brokenness, a sign that your needs for love, attention, worth and appreciation is not being met. i DECLARATION I, Laurika Lubbe, declare that EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AS AN INTERVENTION AGAINST BULLYING IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN GAUTENG: EFFICACY OF AN ANTI-BULLYING INTERVENTION PROGRAMME is my own work. I have acknowledged content and concepts of various authors and provided an alphabetised reference list as required by the APA method of referencing. Laurika Lubbe: ________________________ Date: _______________________2019.12.11 ii DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my Father and Mother who always showered me with lots of love, support and encouragement throughout the completion of my studies. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following individuals who have been instrumental in the completion of this thesis: • Most importantly I would like to thank my Heavenly Father who gave me strength and courage to complete it. My favourite verse, from the Holy Bible, which helped me through the completion of this thesis: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. • I would also like to thank my parents for their support and encouragement to complete my studies. • My supervisors, Prof. van Eeden and Prof. van der Merwe. Thank you for your patience and support throughout the process of the completion of my thesis. • Dr. L. Korf for assisting me with the analysis of the data. • Ms. A. du Rand for language editing the thesis. • Ms. I. Booysen for assisting me with the technical aspects of the thesis. • The Gauteng Department of Education. • The principals, governing bodies, teachers and parents of all the schools who were willing to participate in the study. • The participants and their parents for their willingness to participate in my study. • My cousin Jessica for her support and creative contribution to this study. • The members of my Lubbe family and Britz family, who encouraged me, prayed for me and believed in me. • My friends, Herman and Henry for their encouragement. iv ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to assess the emotional intelligence of bullies between the ages of 7 and 13 years and to use the information gathered to develop an Emotional Intelligence Skills Enhancement Programme that can serve as an anti-bullying intervention programme. The impact of the programme was evaluated to determine whether it assisted in decreasing bullying behaviour in the primary school context in South Africa. The study was conducted in a primary school in the Benoni area in Gauteng (South Africa). The study was divided into three phases. The aim of the pilot study was to test the research techniques to determine whether they would be suitable for use in South Africa specifically. The respondents in the pilot study were selected from five primary schools in Gauteng, South Africa. A total of 100 (n=100) learners between the ages of 7 and 13 years were included in the pilot study phase of this study to test whether the Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (BarOn EQ-i:YV) would be appropriate for use in a South African context. A total of 175 (n=175) parents were included in the pilot study to test the reliability of the Self-developed Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire for Adults and the appropriateness of the use of the Parent–Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI) and the Parenting Styles Questionnaire (PSQ). The reliability coefficients were calculated using Cronbach’s alpha. The results indicated that the Self-developed Intelligence Questionnaire for Adults was sufficiently reliable given the design and purpose of the study, and that the other measuring instruments were appropriate for use in the South African context. The aim of Phase 1 of this quantitative study was to determine and present the relationship between the independent variables (emotional intelligence, parent–child relationship and parenting styles) and the dependent variable, bullying. Phase 1 involved 56 (n=56) bullies and 56 (n=56) non-bullies, 36 (n=36) fathers of bullies, 55 (n=55) mothers of bullies, 42 (n=42) fathers of non-bullies and 56 (n=56) mothers of non-bullies. Descriptive statistics were provided on the scales of the BarOn EQ-i:YV, the Self-developed Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire for Adults, the PCRI and the PSQ. The bullies and the non-bullies were compared on the BarOn EQ-i:YV by means of independent samples t-tests. It was found that the bullies scored significantly lower on all the scales. The parents of the bullies and the non-bullies were compared on the Self-developed Questionnaire and the PCRI using independent samples t-tests. The results for the parents on the Self-developed Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire for Adults showed no significant differences, whereas the parents v of the bullies scored significantly lower on a number of scales of the PCRI. Poor parent–child relationships could, however, not be assumed based on the findings. A chi-square analysis of the results on the PSQ showed a significant interaction between the dominating parenting style of the fathers and bullying behaviour. A preference for an authoritarian parenting style was indicated by the fathers of the bullies. The aim of Phase 2 of this study was to develop an Emotional Intelligence Skills Enhancement Programme that can serve as an anti-bullying intervention programme to assist in decreasing the occurrence of bullying behaviour in the primary school context. The experimental group consisted of 15 (n=15) bullies and 15 (n=15) non-bullies and the control group consisted of 15 (n=15) bullies and 15 (n=15) non-bullies. Only the participants in the experimental group were exposed to the intervention programme. A mixed multivariate analysis (GLM) was used to explore the interaction between pretest and posttest scores and the experimental and control groups for the total EQ scores and the behavioural ratings given by the teachers. Significant changes were observed in relation to the bullies in the experimental group in the pretest and the posttest of the BarOn EQ-i:YV and the Teacher Rating Scale. These findings provide support for the effectiveness of the programme in the experimental group. Keywords: Primary school learners, bullies, non-bullies, bullying, emotional intelligence, Emotional Intelligence Skills Enhancement Programme, intervention vi ABSTRAK Hierdie studie het gepoog om die emosionele intelligensie van boelies/bullebakke tussen die ouderdomme 7 en 13 jaar oud te bepaal. Die bevindings is gebruik om ‘n Emosionele Intelligensie Vaardigheid Verrykingsprogram te ontwikkel wat daarna as ‘n (teen-) anti-boelie ingrypingsprogram geimplimenteer is. Dié program se impak is verder ook ge-evalueer om te bepaal of dit wel ‘n bydrae gemaak het tot vermindering van bullebakgedrag in die primêre skoolkonteks in Suid-Afrika. Die studie is in ‘n primêre skool in die omstreke van Benoni in Gauteng (Suid-Afrika), uitgevoer en is verdeel in drie fases. Die doel van die loodsstudie was om te toets of die navorsingstegnieke in Suid-Afrika toegepas kan word. Honderd (n=100) leerlinge tussen die ouderdom van 7 en 13 jaar oud, is geselekteer as deelnemers uit vyf primêre skole in Gauteng. Hierdie loodsstudie-groep is gebruik om te bepaal of die Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (BarOn EQ-i:YV), in ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, suksesvol toegepas kan word. ‘n Totaal van 175 ouers (n=175) was ook ingesluit in die loodsstudie om die betroubaarheid van die Self-ontwikkelde Emosionele Intelligensie Vraelys vir Volwassenes te toets asook die toepasbaarheid van die gebruik van die Parent-Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI) en die Parenting Style Questionnaire (PSQ). Die betroubaarheidskoeffisiënte is bereken met die Cronbach’s Alpha toets. Bevindings toon dat die Self-ontwikkelde Intelligensie Vraelys vir Volwassenes voldoende betroubaar is wat die ontwerp en doel van die studie betref. Ook die ander meetinstrumente kan in ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks suksesvol toegepas word. Die doel van Fase 1 (kwantitatiewe studie), was om die verhouding tussen die onafhanklike veranderlikes (emosionele intelligensie, ouer-kind verhouding en ouer- opvoedingstyle) en die afhanklike veranderlike naamlik bullebakgedrag, te bepaal. Fase 1 het 56 (n=56) boelies en 56 (n=56) nie-boelies, 36 (n=36) vaders van boelies, 55 (n=55) moeders van boelies, 42 (n=42) vaders van nie-boelies en 56 (n=56) moeders van nie-boelies, ingesluit. Beskrywende statistiek is verskaf op die volgende skale: BarOn EQ-i:YV, Self-ontwikkelde Intelligensie Vraelys vir Volwassenes, PCRI en die PSQ. Die boelies en nie-boelies is deur middel van onafhanklike steekproef t-toetse op die BarOn EQ-i:YV skaal met mekaar vergelyk en die resultaat het getoon dat die boelies beduidend laer punte op alle skale behaal het. Ouers van die boelies en nie-boelies is ook met mekaar vergelyk deur middel van die Self- ontwikkelde Intelligensie Vraelys vir Volwassenes en die PCRI en die PSQ.
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