Resilience in families in which a child is bullied

The aim of this study was to identify family resilience characteristics in families in which a child has been bullied, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Forty-eight mothers represented their families and completed a biographical questionnaire containing an open-ended question, and seven self-report questionnaires. Results from the qualitative data showed that most of the families coped with the bullying by talking to a teacher, principal or the governing body, or by giving advice to the child who had been bullied. The quantitative results highlighted the quality of family communication, the fortitude and durability of the family unit, and the family's emphasis on being together. These findings can be utilised in interventions to strengthen families finding themselves in a similar crisis.