ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at what research has revealed about bully-victim problems, and about social withdrawal, and, using evidence from the research and elsewhere, examines how they might be inter-related, and how armed with this knowledge we may place ourselves in a better position to help those children who are involved. A common finding from studies of bullying is that boys are more likely than girls to be perpetrators, whereas the two sexes are about equally likely to be on the receiving end. Typically, victims of bullying appear to have a low opinion of themselves, and to be anxious and insecure; as do many socially withdrawn children. Social withdrawal will in itself lead to less practice in important peer social skills; so many withdrawn children, and many victims, may indeed lack some social skills, even if this may not be a primary cause for their condition.
