Determining The Effects of Victimization By Peer-Bullying During School-Age on Adults Who Stutter: A Preliminary Study

Introduction: Peer victimization is when a student is exposed to negative behaviour in a constant and repetitive manner by another student or students (Olweus, 1993). Being exposed to victimization effects is likely to negatively influence the academic success of an individual and can also result in lack of concentration, difficulty in learning and dropping out of school. Among those who have been bullied, depression and anxiety disorders are commonly observed, as well as weak social relations and weaker sense of self (Craig and Pepler, 2007; Blood et al. 2010, 2016). Children who stutter have a higher chance of being exposed to bullying compared to their peers who speak fluently. Blood et al (2010) have stated that 61% of children who stutter and 22% of children who speak fluently are exposed to peer victimization. Langey’in (2009) has stated that 81% of the children who stutter have been exposed to peer victimization. Children who stutter, as with their fellow peers who have been exposed to bullying, show various negative attitudes and behaviour on the emotional and social level (Hugh-Jones and Smith, 1999). This study is a preliminary examination to determine whether adults who stutter in Turkey have been exposed to peer-bullying, the type of bullying they encounter and the short and longterm effects of this victimization. Method: 54 adults, 17 females and 37 males, participated in this study. Participants were volunteers from 9 different cities were who were over 18 years old. There were no prerequisites. Participants were administered the "Victimization Assessment Questionnaire for Stuttering" designed bythe authors based on Hugh-Jones ve Smith’in (1999). This questionnaire is a retrospective questionnaire containing questions about the bullying that they were exposed to and its effects. The questionnaire had 15 items and the results of 13 items were presented in this study. Findings obtained from the questionnaire were analysed by descriptive statistical methods. Results: For the question "Have you ever been bullied in your school life?" 84% of respondents answered yes, 16% answered no. When they were asked what type of bullying that they were exposed to, 34% reported mocking, 18% nicknaming, 7% being part of gossip, 5% physical abuse and 2% reported abuse of their belongings. None of the participants reported any threats or racist bullying. Regarding the frequency of bullying, 5% responded ‘every day’, 41% ‘several times in a week’, 13% ‘once a week’’, 22% ‘a few times in a month’ and 19% ‘several times during the year’. For the question “Was