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Thesis Database

We have developed the following database of research theses on bullying from all academic institutions in the UK and Ireland. The aim of this database is to assist those who are interested in the field of bullying and want to see what research has already been done. We have attempted to ensure that we have included all relevant theses here; but if there is an omission please let us know by emailing geraldine.kiernan@dcu.ie.

The database is here for information purposes. Those who want access to the texts of the theses need to contact the author, the relevant institution, or both.

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Investigating secretaries and sexual harassment: studies in self-reports, cultural representations and discursive ethnography
2010
Mott, H.L.
University of Bristol

This thesis aims to advance understanding of how behaviour that constitutes sexual harassment, as the imposition of unwelcome attention based on sex or gender, is embedded within the everyday working lives of secretaries. This aim is achieved through the reporting of results from a number of research studies including a self-report questionnaire completed by secretaries, an examination of texts and advertisements concerning secretarial work, and two ethnographic studies of the secretarial workplace. The thesis reports research that demonstrates the limitations of commonly used investigative methods which abstract sexual harassment events from the immediate microsocial context in which they occur, and arguments are made for the centrality of an approach to sexual harassment research that acknowledges and prioritises the intrinsic socially situated nature of sexual harassment. Research is reported that demonstrates how sexually harassing behaviour carries out multiple social functions within everyday interaction. Research is reported that analyses how social rules for interaction, set within cultural structures defining identity and status, limit the possibilities for effective challenge of sexually harassing behaviour. Research is reported that considers the place of certain features of social identity as they are culturally constructed particularly around women, and secretaries, in influencing the conditions for sexual harassment to occur and to pass unchallenged. Implications of the findings are discussed in relation to the project to eliminate sexual harassment.

Finding and minding the gap: an interpretive phenomenological analysis of how women with Asperger Syndrome describe their main life challenges and their possible solutions
2010
Neil-MacLachlan, Jane
Glasgow Caledonian University

Research questions providing the impetus for this study relate to how a small group of women with AS describe their main life challenges and what they view as possible solutions. The main aim was to listen to and record the individual experiences of a group of women diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and to identify what they thought had helped or might have helped them. A review of selected peer reviewed literature relating to women with AS revealed a scarcity of systematic enquiry. An alternative source was identified in the writings of women themselves. Both types of literature were appraised using different methods as appropriate to the genre of literature identified. Critical appraisal tools were used to study the peer reviewed literature and the personal accounts were subjected to a modified thematic analysis. Following data collection and analysis different literature was reviewed in the light of what had emerged. An interpretive phenomenological analytical methodology was used following the criteria set out by Smith (2009). A sample of eight women was identified. Interviews were carried out using a semi structured interview format, recorded, transcribed and analysed to ascertain key themes. Direct quotes were selected to illustrate these and to reflect the women’s voices. Findings from the synthesised themes included: the importance of early diagnosis; feeling different; the search for rules; the challenge of change; perfectionism; difficulties with other people and places including bullying; difficulties at school and in employment; relationships in various forms. Suggestions for possible support mechanisms included early diagnosis; the provision of information to families, health providers and school and the availability of mentors and social groups for women. The key findings have been incorporated into a set of recommendations which has potential value for future research, policy and practice.

Support for children and young people with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties: the perspectives of children, young people, families and practitioners
2010
Penna Bray, Sally
University of Exeter

This small scale study was informed by Symbolic Interactionism and Interpretivist Analysis and was carried out in a county within the south of England, referred to as ‘Southshire’. File searches and questionnaires were employed to gather contextual data. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather participant views and thematic analysis was used to analyse these interviews. This was a two part study consisting of two papers. The participants in Paper one of the study were young people with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) and their parents or carers. Paper one focussed on the participants’ views and experiences of mainstream and special education after they had experienced both. The views of the special school keyworker were also sought in order to improve understanding of the support and barriers that exist for young people and families. Views were elicited through individual semi-structured interviews which were analysed qualitatively using a thematic analysis approach (Braun and Clarke 2006). To gain contextual information within the county and to help in the process of selecting participants, the files of fifty young people identified as experiencing BESD were searched and analysed and relevant information was recorded. Paper two focussed on practitioners’ experiences of supporting young people with BESD. An electronic questionnaire was sent to practitioners from a wide range of agencies and collected qualitative and quantitative data which informed the researcher of the local context and gave insights into practitioner views. Five practitioners were invited to take part in individual semi-structured interviews to explore their views on supporting young people with BESD. Interviews were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings from papers one and two were assimilated and the implications for Educational Psychology practice were considered. The following research aims were addressed: 1. To improve our understanding of the support and barriers experienced by children and young people with BESD in a Local Authority 2. To develop a better understanding of how Educational Psychologists can support children and young people experiencing BESD, their parents, carers and other practitioners. Summary of findings The key finding within Paper 1 was that both the young people and parents/carers reported experiences that were contrary to the intentions of current inclusion policy. Broadly, negative experiences were reported at mainstream school and positive experiences were reported while at special school for BESD. Participants felt that they had been treated negatively by mainstream practitioners in particular and that young people had been denied access to the curriculum and activities within mainstream school. Additionally the young people had experienced bullying at mainstream school and the bullying had been ignored or the young people themselves had been perceived as the bully despite being the victim. Perceptions of and attitudes towards the ‘unseen’ disability of BESD were also referred to and parents and carers reported feeling isolated while their child was attending mainstream education. The key finding within Paper 2 was that practitioners also reported experiences that were contrary to the intentions of the current inclusion policy. They reported many challenges that are faced by practitioners when trying to include young people with BESD in mainstream schools, and when supporting them within the Local Authority. Participants felt that negative attitudes towards BESD exist within mainstream schools, that working with other agencies to support young people with BESD is difficult, that parental involvement is key, but not always possible and that elements within the government and Local Authority context conflict with the inclusion agenda and with meeting children’s needs. Significance and Contribution Through a design informed by Symbolic Interactionism and Interpretivist Analysis the participants authentic voices have been heard in order to deepen our understanding of their experiences. Previous research has explored the views and experiences of young people, families and practitioners; however this is the first time that they have been considered together sufficiently in order to identify shared views. Additionally, young people, families and keyworkers views were sought at a specific point within the young person’s journey – after they had attended both mainstream school and special school. Furthermore experiences of the transition from mainstream school to special school were considered. The findings within this study suggest that the application of a simple solution (i.e. including young people with BESD in mainstream schools) to a complex problem (the social inclusion of young people with BESD), has had a negative impact. In fact the findings seem to imply that the inclusion of young people with BESD within mainstream schools has actually created the social exclusion that inclusion was designed to alleviate. The evidence for this is present within the findings within this study. In relation to BESD, the medical model has been criticised for individualising the ‘problem’, however if an educational model view of BESD is taken we are led to consider that the education system itself is imperfect. Therefore taking the educational model approach and applying the simple solution of ‘inclusion’ to the very complex problem of social inclusion highlights many areas of difficulty. These areas of difficulty have been outlined in the findings of this study and of previous studies. The identified issues are entrenched within the education system and can only be tackled through an examination of the system itself. The reported experiences of inclusion are more nuanced than the powerful message my data suggests, therefore it is essential to note that this study is not simply suggesting that inclusion is ‘negative’ or ‘bad’ and that special school is ‘positive’ or ‘good’ – a much more complex picture has been presented. The complexities that have been highlighted within this study have also been considered alongside the role of the Educational Psychologist and how they can facilitate inclusion and essentially social inclusion through their work with young people, families and practitioners. As a result of the findings, it has been suggested that further research should focus on examining the education system and in particular the dichotomy between the inclusion agenda and results centred teaching and the specialist provision for BESD that exists since the implementation of the inclusion agenda and whether it is meeting the needs of young people. Further research may also focus on whether the case presented for young people with BESD in this study is similar for young people with other types of SEN. This further research on how inclusion policy translates into practice will be particularly pertinent as new government policies and agendas unfold.

Young children and bullying a quantitative study of perceptions of bullying in irish primary schools
2010
Purcell, Anita Margaret
University of Bristol

This thesis reports on research conducted with young children (aged six to seven years) on the issue of bullying in Irish schools. The aim was to explore the perceptions and understanding of bullying from children’s perspectives and experience. The research also included the views of the children’s parents and teachers on bullying. This research adopted an interpretative stance. A grounded theory approach was used to collect and analyse qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews which were conducted with eight children (aged six to seven years), eight parents and two teachers. Two primary schools in Ireland participated in the research. The data from the interviews generated a number of categories and subcategories addressing the following broad areas; bullying and exclusion, friendship, school life and home life. Findings revealed insights into the participants’ understanding of bullying and friendship which highlighted the complexity of young children’s interactions in school and the difficulty the adults around them have in accurately defining and addressing bullying behaviour. The study concludes with emerging theory from the data which suggests that children operate in their own miniature social world in which they follow rules, where failure to do so results in children being excluded. The thesis concludes with specific recommendations for adults working with young children who are bullied, such as the need for adults to listen to children’s accounts of bullying and to provide consistent advice on how to address bullying. The results indicate that future research needs to be focused on identifying strategies to improve our understanding of bullying and how to address it.

How young men negotiate schooling: the role of significant events, masculinities and influence of home
2010
Rylands, Carole
University of East Anglia

The thesis uses qualitative, interview based research to explore some of the ways ten young male students negotiated schooling. The students were all originally from an AS Sociology class which the researcher also taught. The participants are introduced to the readers in the form of profiles which are mostly composed of the interview data as well as observations from lessons, and thoughts of the researcher at the time of the interview. The rest of the thesis analyses the data along the lines of impact of significant events, the influence of home and the formation of masculine identities and comments on how schooling is negotiated in/through the interplay of these aspects. The original intention had been to understand how family background influenced educational attainment but during the course of the study both their masculine identities and critical events in their lives emerged as important terms through which they understood their lives. So, although ‘masculinities’ were not discussed explicitly in the interviews, it emerged as a relevant approach to analysing and making sense of their lives. The ways their performed masculinities had been influenced by and then impact on their schooling is key to the thesis, particularly as several of the respondents could be considered to perform what could be termed ‘subordinate masculinities’ according to pro-feminist literature on the subject. Experiences of bullying and sporting prowess are examined as influences on the type of masculine identity exhibited and adopted by the boys. The thesis suggests students possess diverse masculinities which impact on how a student performs at school and that these masculinities are subject to change as students mature. Family background and critical events experienced in life also play a part in the production of these masculinities.

Living differently: gay male undergraduates’ student experiences
2009
Taulke-Johnson, R. A.
The University of Wales College of Cardiff

In this thesis I present a snapshot of the university lives and experiences of 17 gay male undergraduate students attending an institution in the UK.  I draw upon thematic analysis of data obtained from individual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews.  My focus is the ways participants’ higher education biographies compare and contrast with dominant accounts of the gay student experience, which are characterised by intolerance, harassment, victimisation, heterosexism and homophobia. My theoretical framework is derived from university space being, like all non-gay-specific space, pervaded by discourses of compulsory heterosexuality (Rich 1980) and the workings of the heterosexual matrix (Butler, 1990). I am interested in how participants produced, expressed, managed and negotiated their alternative identities in these higher education settings.  I therefore interrogate the role and importance participants ascribe their gayness at university, the effect and influence of their sexuality on their university choices and on their relationships with flatmates, their coming out narratives and experiences in higher education. Findings often contrast with those typically reported in academic literature, both in participants’ marked decentralisation of their non-heterosexuality in self-identification, and in portrayals of gay students as other than victims of harassment, discrimination and persecution. Although participants are very much aware of the regulatory heteronormative mechanisms of straight discourse operating within university spaces, they are highly sensitive and skilled in expressing, monitoring, adapting, asserting, and negotiating their identities in these environments.  In fact, participants framed university as a generally positive, tolerant, accepting and happy place in which to be gay. I therefore argue that these ‘new’ stories and ways of ‘living differently’ should be acknowledged to enrich and further understanding of this population’s experiences within higher education.

Testing the applicability of criminological theories to the context of bullying behaviour: implications for prevention and treatment
2009
Ttofi, Maria
University of Cambridge

This thesis starts with a detailed review of studies on the short-term and long-term effects of bullying on children’s physical and mental health (part A).  Many cross-sectional studies show that children’s involvement in bullying is related to several physical and psychological problems.  Longitudinal research indicates that bullying is a strong risk marker for anti-sociality and future criminality.  The necessity arises to examine the extent to which bullying prevention programmes are effective in tackling bullying. Part B presents a systematic and meta-analytic review of the effectiveness of anti-bullying programmes.  It includes programmes that were implemented and evaluated I schools, with the aim of reducing bullying and/or victimisation.  This project followed 25 years of intervention research and was based on extensive searches, for example all volumes of 35 journals were hand-searched from 1983 to 2008.  Intervention components within each programme were coded and correlated with the effect sizes, so that solid conclusions could be drawn about what works in preventing bullying, for whom and under what circumstances.  I conclude that anti-bullying programmes are effective, but that future programmes are needed that are based on empirically validated theories of bullying. Part C begins with a review of previous theoretical perspectives that have been utilized in the understanding of bullying.  It then focuses on testing the applicability of two criminological theories in explaining sibling and peer bullying, namely Reintegrative Shaming Theory and Defiance Theory.  These two theories were chosen because of their importance and many points of convergence.  Part C is based on a survey that was conducted with primary school children.  The emphasis is on sibling bullying, which –unlike peer bullying- is an under-researched topic.  In line with the postulates of the two theories, I establish which family factors are related to sibling bullying and make recommendations about how best to utilize the survey findings for the prevention of bullying. Part D is based on another survey that was constructed and used with both primary and secondary school children.  The theoretical constructs of Defiance Theory were operationalized and empirically tested using the same questionnaire so that comparisons based on the two datasets – as well as final conclusions – could be drawn based on age and gender differences.  The focal point of part D is on teacher-targeted bullying perpetrated by students, which is a highly neglected area of research.  In part D, as in part C, some hypotheses are experimentally tested using vignettes so that solid inferences can be drawn about the applicability of the theory to the context of teacher-targeted bullying behaviour.

Work place job satisfaction with fast food industry’s employees within Dublin City centre: An examination of fast food employee’s perceptions or experiences
2009
Nan. Li
Dublin Business School

There has been much research carried out into the topic of labour turnover over many years. Staffs who are satisfied are more likely to stay working for a business. Research has also shown that there can be many reasons for dissatisfaction, and that they will vary in different situations. One of the main aims of this work was to carry out research into the causal effects of labour turnover at fast food restaurants in Dublin City. This was achieved in the form of a self-completion questionnaire, which sought to measure staff opinions and attitudes,
from a census of staff. The main drivers of turnover identified were: pay rates; lack of career development; hours of work; training; poor staff recognition; staff and employer relationship; staff working condition; and communications etc.

Can young people develop and deliver effective creative anti-bullying strategies?
2009
Hickson, Andy
University of Exeter

Using action research within a critical paradigm framework the author investigated young people’s ability to develop a programme of work that raises awareness of bullying in schools. The research group was made up of six young people, to whom the author and other specialists offered anti-bullying and participatory training techniques. The group eventually designed their own anti-bullying activity programme, which they delivered in creative workshop style sessions to other young people in schools. The author located this research in critical enquiry, engaging the group in a self-reflective process that aimed to be democratic, equitable, liberating and life enhancing. This report is written in the form of a narrative and evaluates the author’s practice as an educative theatre practitioner. Central themes to this research are bullying, power, creative activity and youth participation. Schools, teachers and adults are often described as sucking out the creativity of young people and thus not allowing many of them achieve their full potential. In this context young people are often powerless to deal with some of the difficult issues in their lives such as bullying. The author suggests that peer support is a key strategy to deal with bullying in schools. The author introduces a new concept of peer support called external peer support, which he has evaluated against the current literature. The definition of bullying is explored in depth, as is its relationship to power. The author suggests peer support to be a key strategy in youth participation and ultimately helping youth empowerment.

Not drowning but waving: the american junior year abroad
2009
Karnehm, Katrina A.
University of St. Andrews

“Not Drowning but Waving: The American Junior Year Abroad” explores and describes study abroad amongst college students while also showing the historical roots of study abroad. This thesis seeks to understand the history and current issues in study abroad while also giving a literary description of the experiences, personal changes, and development of insight in the students who decide to study abroad. The Introduction serves both as the introduction to my project as well as an overview of the history and current issues within study abroad. It is divided into three main parts. The first section discusses the impetus for the project, the research methodology, relevant literature, and the genre of creative nonfiction. The second section covers the history of American travel and study abroad, as well as the work of the Fulbright Program. The third section is a short survey of contemporary trends within study abroad, and addresses issues of gender, race, location, and student behavior while abroad. The creative portion of this thesis describes the study abroad students’ stories, experiences, and insights during and after a semester in Europe. The first three chapters of this section—“Leaving”, “Destinations” and “Guardians at the Gate”—describe some of the initial experiences during a semester abroad. Chapter one looks at the process of traveling to a new country and adapting to new cultural norms. Chapter two describes the study abroad destinations where I did my primary research for this project. Chapter three explores some logistical issues in study abroad, namely academics, finances, and housing. Chapter four explores the challenges students face after the initial excitement of study abroad wears off, and looks at the issues of student responsibility, danger, harassment, and alcohol abuse. Chapter five describes student travel habits, which is one of the most popular elements of study abroad but also one of the more problematic. Chapter six looks at the challenge of re-entry to North America for study abroad students, and chapter seven provides a conclusion to the piece.

Deconstructing sexual harassment: an analysis of constructions of unwanted sexual attention and (un)resistance in participant and policy accounts
2009
Lazard, Lisa
The University of Northampton

The term ‘sexual harassment’ has been treated as key to victim resistance against normalising constructions of unwanted sexual/gendered attention as ‘just sex’ and as a ‘trivial’ part of everyday life. The act of labelling unwanted conduct as sexual harassment has been constituted as an important political step in reframing normalised problematic conduct as gendered violence as well as legitimising recipient access to formalised routes of amelioration. However concerns have been raised that recipients, particularly women, are ‘reluctant’ to use the term ‘sexual harassment’ to describe their experiences and resist unwanted attention using laws and policies designed to deal with this issue. Drawing on resources from discursive, postmodern and feminist approaches, this thesis explores how constructions of the term ‘sexual harassment’ and strategies to deal with it shape, enable and constrain resistances against gendered/sexualised power relations inscribed in manifestations of unwanted attention. It unpacks how discourses of sexual harassment polarise labelling and non-labelling behaviour to produce the former as an act of resistance and the latter as non-resistance. This project moves away from this polarisation to consider boundary construction around the issue of sexual harassment. Through discursive analysis of narratives identified through Q methodological analysis and constructions produced in interview data, this thesis examines how both inclusion and exclusion of relevant issues in multiple understandings of sexual harassment and policy considerations impact challenges that can be made to unwanted conduct. Central to this examination is critical consideration of the operation of gendered power relations within sexual harassment discourses. I pay particular attention to how various constructions of resistance within sexual harassment discourses become embedded in and re(produce) gendered binaries of dominance-subordination. This thesis considers how gendered binaries might be transgressed and destabilised by articulating alternative spaces for the performance of resistance.

An investigation of cyber bullying through the utilisation of children and young people as active researchers
2009
Ackers, Melanie Jane
The University of Manchester
An investigation of the impact of formal and informal assessment of the self-esteem of pupils with borderline learning difficulties learning in mixed ability english language classes
2009
Ndebele, Kordwick
The University of Nottingham

This thesis reports on a research study aimed at examining the impact of informal and formal assessment on the self-esteem of pupils with borderline difficulties and language deficiencies learning in mixed ability English language classes. The thesis adopted a qualitative ethnographic methodology with triangulated methods to enquire into macro and micro views of the main concepts in this study. Thus, data were collected by participant observation within English classes, informal and formal interviews with pupils and teachers at the research site and semi-structured interviews at home with parents and pupils. Questionnaires for 6 teachers, pupils and parents [total n=31] were administered 22 pupils were observed over a period of nine months, spanning 5th September 2005 to May 2006 and 3 parents interviewed due to availability of willing pupils and their parents. This was followed by structured and semi-structured questionnaire administration and interviews with six teachers and pupils [n=22]. The experiences of pupils deemed to be struggling with learning, yet not certificated as having learning difficulties were analyzed utilizing the methodology outlined by [Lincoln and Guba 1985; Creswell 1998; Richards 2005; and Bryman 2004] among others, and the data provided rich ground for a potential development of a substantive theory of learning and self-esteem. The questions focused on the evidence of classroom, and on verbal and non-verbal teacher treatment of the focus group. It also focused on the perceptions and expectations of teachers and students regarding assessment [formal and informal] and how it impacts on pupils’ self esteem. Some themes that emerged in the study included the following: resistance to learning and to authority, ridicule and racism, treats and intimidations, student-teacher infatuation, racial and bullying, counter- school culture, and unfair teaching practices. Findings from this research study are a mixed bag. The evidence suggests that, self-esteem is dynamic and has an inherent executive capacity based particularly on individual competence, beliefs, thinking and feeling components. Furthermore, there was no evidence to suggest that pupils performing poorly suffered low self-esteem.

The likelihood of immigrant students being bullied in an Irish second level school
2009
Dunleavy, Geraldine
Dublin City University
Meanings of bullying in the Greek context: an investigation of meanings of bullying from the perspectives and the experiences of 11-12 year old pupils attending a primary school in Greece
2009
Nika, V.
The University of Wales College of Cardiff

Throughout fieldwork conducted in a primary school of southwest Greece, thirty one 11-12 year old pupils offered their perspectives of school bullying. Moreover, they wrote and talked about their related experiences. The children’s reports indicate that reaching a consensus of what constitutes a bullying act, when real life incidents are concerned, is unrealistic. The explanations that the children offered, linking bullying to a network of personal, socio-cultural and organisational factors, confirm the multi-causal nature of the phenomenon.  However, a dominant perspective taken, explains bullying as being provoked by a “deserving” victim, who is deemed as transgressing the existing socio-cultural norms.  Regarding the “bullies”’ motives, their behaviour is understood as conformity to the existing socio-cultural requests rather than representing feelings of malice or hostility.  The pupils’ responses to bullying seem to constitute a struggle to safeguard desirable social identities, these being dictated by the existing socio-cultural norms, rather than tackle the phenomenon itself. The study additionally highlights the power of the Greek terminology to either mask, or connote and reproduce exclusive socio-cultural meanings and practices and discusses the related implications. The importance of language as a social means used for achieving personal goals is emphasised.  This is because through the rationales, excuses and justifications which the pupils offer, meanings of bullying are constructed so that to fit the Greek socio-cultural reality, thus the phenomenon being normalised.  It is suggested that culture and context should not be overlooked when anti-bullying school programs are being designed.

An analysis into workplace bullying within the healthcare sector in Ireland
2009
Ganly, Michael
University of Limerick
School connectedness and bullying behaviours in Ireland : secondary data analysis of the health behaviour in school-aged children (HBSC) survey
2009
Osborn, Amber
National University of Ireland, Galway
Trade unions perspectives on workplace bullying
2009
Meehan, Natasha
National University of Ireland, Galway
“it’s like david trying to take down goliath”: perspectives on bullying from nine male adolescents with autistic spectrum conditions
2009
Roberts, Veronica
University of London, Institute of Education

This qualitative research aimed to explore what male adolescents with higher-functioning Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASCs) understand by the term ‘bullying’, and how they experience incidents they perceive as such. It considers these questions within the context of their wider social understanding, and relationships. Nine male adolescents, aged between 11-18 years old, with diagnoses of higher-functioning ASCs were interviewed. Four participants attended mainstream educational provisions, four attended specialised ASC provisions and one attended a specialist provision for those with behavioural difficulties. Interviews covered areas of interest, school, people they felt were important to them, friendships, and experiences of bullying either as a victim, bystander and/or bully. Each interview was transcribed, and qualitatively analysed using thematic analysis. Four major themes emerged. These related to the participants’ conceptualisation of their relationships, their understanding and definition of bullying, the important roles of others within the bullying dynamic, and the participants’ personal repertoire of responses to bullying incidents. This research highlights the need for adolescents with higher-functioning ASCs to be explicitly taught about the more subtle forms of bullying behaviour. It also suggests they would benefit from instruction on age-appropriate strategies with which to respond to bullying attempts. The topic of bullying may also serve as a catalyst for discussing social nuances with young people with higher-functioning ASCs, and build on their understanding of reciprocity and loyalty in friendship.

The theoretical perspective of restorative justice as a bullying intervention: evidence from a uk population
2009
Phillips, Alexis
University of London, Institute of Education

Bullying is a significant problem faced by all schools in the UK, with a negative impact on all involved. Interventions based on Restorative Justice are currently used by a number of schools in the UK to tackle bullying. The theoretical perspective of Restorative Justice as a bullying intervention suggests that victims, bullies, bully/victims and nonbullies/nonvictims differ according to how they manage feelings of shame in response to causing harm and according to their feelings about school. In addition, it argues that the use of Restorative Justice interventions can reduce these differences helping those involved to manage their feelings of shame adaptively and feel supported by the school community. This research aimed to test the theoretical perspective of Restorative Justice as a bullying intervention. A mixed methodology was used, with each strand focusing on a distinct component. In the first strand a questionnaire was completed by 222 pupils (aged between 12 and 14 years), which gathered information on bullying behaviour, shame management and variables associated with feelings about school. This was subjected to statistical analysis to explore differences between the bullying groups on these measures. In the second strand semi-structured interviews were completed with 8 pupils (aged between 12 and 15 years) who had taken part in a Restorative Justice mediation in response to a bullying incident. A thematic analysis was completed on this data to consider the outcomes of the intervention from the 2 pupils’ perspective and whether this was commensurate with that predicted by the theoretical perspective of Restorative Justice. The results of the questionnaire supported the theoretical perspective of Restorative Justice, with differences found between the different bullying groups in terms of shame management and feelings about school. Interviews with pupils who had experienced the interviews, however, suggested that the intervention was not working as predicted by the theoretical perspective. Pupils were not experiencing shifts in shame management and feelings as part of the school community as a result of the intervention. Although not working as suggested by the theoretical perspective of Restorative Justice, interviews with the participants did identify positive outcomes for those involved, with the majority reporting that the bullying stopped after the intervention. It is argued, that if carefully monitored, bullying interventions based on Restorative Justice could offer a different perspective for managing bullying situations in schools.