Glossary of common terms and abbreviations

Bullying (also called peer victimisation)

Repeated and intentional aggressive behaviour in which there is an imbalance of power between the parties involved

Bystander

Someone who observes bullying behaviour but is not the main initiator of that behaviour

Conduct problems

An umbrella term used to describe a cluster of antisocial behaviours (e.g., aggressive, disruptive or delinquent acts)

Hauora

A holistic Māori concept of health and wellbeing

Health Promoting Schools (HPS)

A way of working in schools to promote health and wellbeing that uses the systems-based Whole-School Approach

Hui Whakatika

Hui Whakatika (translated as “meeting together to put an issue right”) is a restorative justice process based on Māori protocol

Nonpunitive discipline

Approaches to behaviour management that involve student or community problem solving and restoration of relationships

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)

A Ministry of Education strategy that outlines a range of evidence-based approaches that aim to support parents and the education sector to manage challenging student behaviour

Positive youth development

An umbrella term that describes approaches that aim to strengthen young people’s skills and competences (rather than remedy deficits) by more actively involving them in the creation of strategies. Examples include restorative practices, conflict resolution training, social and emotional learning, and resilience building. Positive youth development approaches aim to increase protective factors and decrease risk factors

Pro-social behaviours

Helping behaviour that includes empathy (understanding others’ feelings), pro-social actions (inclusion, helping, sharing, caring, co-operating), and social problem-solving.

Protective factors

Protective factors are characteristics that are known to be associated with positive outcomes. They can be located within the individual, peer group, family, school, or community (e.g., a sense of connection to school is a protective factor that is associated with improved education and health and wellbeing outcomes for young people)

Punitive discipline

Approaches that emphasise sanctions and consequences (e.g., time-out, suspension) for particular behaviours that are identified as not acceptable

Restorative practices

Restorative practices aim to repair relationships in a way that “reintegrates” those involved. Community or group problem solving by all affected parties is used to develop ways of repairing relationships

Risk factors

Risk factors are characteristics of individuals or their peer group, family, school, or community environment that are associated with less positive education or health outcomes (e.g., risk factors include a lack of connection to school and a school climate that does not encourage positive relationships between students and teachers)

Social and emotional learning (SEL)

Approaches that aim to explicitly teach social and emotional skills and strategies to students (e.g., emotional regulation, pro-social behaviours, or social problem solving strategies)

Sociocultural

A sociocultural perspective sees bullying behaviour in its social context (e.g., as a peer and group influenced behaviour, rather than an interaction between two people)

Socioecological

A socioecological perspective considers the range of social and environmental factors in the wider system. Risk and protective factors that are known to influence the cause and expression of bullying behaviours include those related to the individual, peers, family, school, community, and society

Strengths-based perspective

A focus on identifying and drawing on young people’s skills, strengths and competences, rather than weaknesses or deficits (e.g., positive youth development approaches)

Universal approaches

Approaches for all students, rather than a targeted group

Victimisation

The experience of being bullied (for the victim)

Whole-School Approach (WSA)

A WSA has two main aspects: a way of thinking about schools, and a process of change. A WSA sees a school as an ecological system with many interacting parts and layers that can be aligned. A WSA commonly uses a community development process that involves all stakeholders in making changes