Victimization in Black and Brown: Culturally Responsive Strategies to address

Bullying

Jamilia J. Blake, Ph.D.(Peer Aggression in Ethnic Minority Youth)

TASP 2015 Summer Institute

Agenda• (Re)Defining the Problem

– Bullying, a stubborn problem• Dispelling Myths

– Intersectional approach to bullying• Implications

– Where do we go from here

(RE)DEFINING BULLYING

Form Function

Bullying Features

Bullying Roles

Defining Bullying: A 4-prong approach

Three Characteristics of Bullying1. Power Imbalance

a) Physicalb) Socialc) Emotional Distress*

2. Negative and Intentional 3. Repetitive

a) Implies intentionality

Are all features of bullying necessary? Youth don’t use this definition, so should we?

Defining Bullying: Features

Features of bullying: Distinct from aggression

Are all features of bullying necessary?

Youth don’t use this definition, so should we?

Defining Bullying: Features

Features of bullying: Distinct from aggression

Direct/Overt forms of Bullying– Physical – Verbal

Indirect/Covert forms of Bullying– Relational/Social– Cyber

Forms of bullying: How youth bully others

Defining Bullying: Form

Victims of bullying are usually polyvictims• Experiencing multiple forms of bullying simultaneously

Forms of bullying: How youth bully others

Defining Bullying: Form

• Deviation from peer norms and perceived vulnerability– Appearance– Social Prowess (lack there of)– Emotional and behavioral dysregulation

Function of bullying: Why we believe youth are bullied

Defining Bullying: Function

Instrumental Goals– Achieve tangible goods/social resources– Achieve or maintain social status – Win the attention of romantic partners– Social dominance

Function of bullying: Why we believe youth bully

Defining Bullying: Function

• Bias? – Disability– Gender expression– Sexual orientation – Race/ethnicity– Religious affiliation

Function of bullying: Why we believe youth bully

Defining Bullying: Function

BystanderBystander

BullyAssistant

Victim

Defining Bullying: RolesBullying is a group phenomena

BULLIES• Smoking• Tobacco and Alcohol use• Fighting and violence

later in life• Conduct problems

BULLIES• Difficulty

making friends

BULLIES• Decreased

academic engagement

• Lower achievement

• Poor school adjustment

VICTIMS• Social Anxiety• Depression• Low self-esteem• Loneliness• Somatic complaints• Physical injury, Suicide

& death

Impacts of Bullying

Risky Behavior

Andershed et al., 2001; Card & Hodges, 2008; Hawker & Boulton, 2002; Hogulund, 2007; Nansel et al., 2001; Peplar, et al., 2002; Robers et al. 2010; Shaw, 1995; Shwartz& Gorman, 2003; Ttofi & Farrington, 2008

Academic and Achievement Outcomes

Health & Psych Outcomes

Peer Relationships

Victims•Negative attitudes toward school

•Poorer school outcomes

•Lower school attendance

•Truancy and dropout

VICTIMS• Peer

rejection

We’ve come a long way…but there is still work to be done

School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey

Indicators of Crime and Safety Report: Nationally

2005 2007 2009 2011 20130

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

25 million children ages 12 to 17

5.25 million bullied

21% of secondary students bullied in 2013

Texas Anti-Bullying Law: Makes the Grade• SB 471 and HB 1942

– Texas Educ. Code § 37.001 Texas defines bullying as any written, verbal or physical act that physically harms a student or damages a student's property, or that creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment.

• Requirements for schools include…– Staff development – Protection for reporters– Transfer of students who are victims of or have engaged in bullying – Required curriculum and code of conduct – Bullying prevention policies and procedures – Discipline management policies– Community education relating to internet safety – Provide counseling to bullies and victims

A++

What are the stats for Texas?2013 CDC High School Youth Risk Survey

bullied cyberbullied0

5

10

15

20

25

Texas Nationally

DISPELLING MYTHS

Bullying from a Cultural Lens

State of the literature

• Black and Latino students – More likely to endorse positive attitudes toward aggression

and engagement in aggression• At face value, what is the take home message?

White, non-Hispanic Black Hispanic/Latino Asian0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

Physical Fight

2013 CDC High School Youth Risk Survey

Qualifying findings

• Black and Latino students endorse pro-aggression attitudes and engaging in aggression

• Primarily males• Drawn from urban communities• What do we know about urban communities

–Greater concentration of poverty–Concentrated poverty associated with community violence–Greater exposure to community violence

Explanation for Racial/Ethnic Differences

• What may be at play – Culture of Honor

• Insults and slights perceived as challenge to (masculinity) identity– False Bravado

• Masking and overcompensating insecurity with “courage”– Laymen terms: Need to be respected

• Loyalty & Admiration are central to this

State of the literature

• Black and Latino students – Less likely to report victimization

• At face value, what is the take home message?

White, non-Hispanic Black Hispanic/Latino Asian0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

2011 2013

School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey

Qualifying findings

• Black and Latino students less likely to report being victimized

• Dependent on how the question is posed–Bullying vs. Victimization

• Influenced by the racial-composition of the school–Majority-race victim vs. Minority-race victim

»Contingent on student’s racial/ethnic identity »Distinct from intragroup marginalization

Explanation of Racial/Ethnic Differences

• Perhaps due to culture of honor or false bravado– Difficulty accepting vulnerability

Take Home Message

• An intersectional approach to bullying is essential– Black and Latino students are subject to bullying but may

underreport their experiences—silent suffering– Black and Latino students do engage in aggression but not

for the reasons we may think• Differential rates in Black and Latino students bullying engagement

is unclear

What does this mean for practice?• Three C’s that Matter

– Culture: There are cultural norms that may explain students bullying and victimization risk and involvement that have historical significance

– Context: Racial/ethnic school diversity impacts bullying involvement

– Conformity: Adherence to broader cultural norms of school as well as racial/ethnic group membership

CURRENT PRACTICES

New Directions to Foster Culturally Responsive Strategies

Best Practices for Addressing Bullying

Tier 1 Primary Prevention

Tier 2 Secondary Prevention

Tier 3 Tertiary

Prevention

Prevention is better than a cure

Target entire school

Target students who maybe at risk for engaging in bullying or targeted for victimization

Target students exhibiting bullying behavior or who arevictimized by peers Provide focusedservices

How we typically address bullying in schools?

Tier 1 Primary Prevention

Tier 2 Secondary Prevention

Tier 3 Tertiary

Prevention

Tier 1: Primary Prevention Programs and Strategies•Anti-bullying policies•Bullying prevention programs•School-wide discipline programs•Social Emotional Learning programs

Target entire school

If prevention is better than a cure….

Tier 1 Primary Prevention

Tier 2 Secondary Prevention

Tier 3 Tertiary

Prevention

Tier 2: Secondary Prevention Programs and Strategies•Social Skills Training

• Anger management • Friendship building

•Other?

Target students who maybe at risk for engaging in bullying or targeted for victimization

Why are we not more proactive?

What about those afflicted by bullying?

Tier 1 Primary Prevention

Tier 2 Secondary Prevention

Tier 3 Tertiary

Prevention

Tier 3: Tertiary Prevention Programs•????

Target students exhibiting bullying behavior or who arevictimized by peers

Bullying Assessment is Important

Proactive Responding: Effective bullying prevention & intervention begins with accurate identification

• Legal View: Collateral Data– Corroboration that victimization occurs and causes harm

• Texas Anti-bullying Law: Transfer of students who are victims of or have engaged in bullying

Blake, J. J., Banks, C. S. , Patience, B. A. , & Lund, E. M (accepted) School-based mental health professionals’ bullying assessment practices: A call for evidenced-based bullying assessment guidelines. Professional School Counselor.

Bullying Assessment is Important

Proactive Responding: Effective bullying prevention & intervention begins with accurate identification

• Mental Health View: Eye of the Beholder– Perception of victimization is sufficient to warrant support– Identify support services

• Texas Anti-bullying Law : provide counseling to bullies and victimsBlake, J. J., Banks, C. S. , Patience, B. A. , & Lund, E. M (accepted) School-based mental health professionals’ bullying assessment practices: A call for evidenced-based bullying assessment guidelines. Professional School Counselor.

Bullying Assessment is Important.Can we assess in culturally responsive ways?

Measures and Methods to consider

Interviews

• Form• Function• Intensity• Duration:

Precipitating Events

• Role

Anonymous Reporting

• Web-based system

• Bully Box• texting

Teacher Rating Scales

• Behavior Assessment System for Children

• ASEBA CBCL

Archival Records

• Office Discipline Referrals

• School Nurses Office Log

• Attendance

Student Rating Scales

• Self-Reported Bully Victimization Measures

• Reynolds Victimization Measures

Observations

• Classroom• Structured• Unstructured

• Playground• Lunchroom• Hallway

Transitions

Culturally Responsive Assessment: Are we asking the right questions?

Culturally Responsive Assessment: Are we asking the right questions?

Bullying Assessment: Routine Assessment

Suspected Student Named

ClassroomObservation

Student Interview

Adult Informant Interview

Peer Report

Archival Records Review

Mental Health View: Eye of Beholder

Collateral Evidence

Social Emotional Assessment

Anonymous Reporting

Anonymous Reporting

Self-, Peer-, Teacher Report

Surveying Students of

Bullying Experiences

Culturally Responsive Assessment: Are we asking the right questions?

Culturally Responsive Assessment: Are we asking the right questions?

ONCE WE IDENTIFY THOSE BEING BULLIED…

Need to Implement: Bystander intervention & Victimization Supports

• “Trying to make the bully behave differently rarely leads to a permanent change. Thus, the idea is to affect the behavior of the bystanders; students who witness the bullying but do nothing to stop it” (Salmivalli, Kaukiainen, & Voeten, 2005, p. 467)

• Victimization has lasting effects. Strategies for teaching victims how to cope with their bullying experiences and to not internalize this experience is a critical aspect of Bullying Prevention. (Blake, 2012)

How do Bystanders Disrupt the Cycle of Bullying

Move beyond focusing solely on bullies and victims• Bystanders are present 80% to 88% of the time in bullying situations• Broader school climatic and supervision issues

Recognition that bystanders matter• When bystanders intervene student victimization is reduced by 20% to 50%

Craig, Pepler, & Atlas, 2000; Hawkins, Pepler, & Craig, 2001; O’Connell, Pepler & Craig, 1999; Polanin, Espelage, & Pigott, 2012

Bystander Intervention: What are we up against?

Goal: Shift youth from being passive bystanders to active defenders

Media/Society

Media/Society

Community

Family

Goal: Shift youth from being passive bystanders to active defenders

Community Factors & Local

• Community Violence Exposure

• Law Enforcement Community Relationships: What is the level of trust vs. distrust?

Banks, Blake, & Joslin, 2013

Bystander Intervention: What are we up against?

Adopting a culturally responsive lens: What role does loyalty to the community/group membership play here? In vs. outgroup

Family SystemParent teachings:Stand up or stay out of it?

School

Classroom

Individual

Goal: Shift youth from being passive bystanders to active defenders

• Increased supervision & monitoring

• Consistent and positive behavior management

• Fostering positive student teacher relationships

• Increase opportunities for school belonging

• Teacher response to bullying• Believe victims should stand up

to bullies have students with less victim empathy → less likely to intervene

• Classroom norms to bystander intervention

• Classroom norms for bullying

• Social status• Empathy• Moral cognition• Theory of Mind• Prosocial skills• Self-efficacy• Gender

Caravita, Gini, & Pozzoli, 2009; Karna et al., 2010; Poyhoen, Juvonen, & Salmivali, 2010; Pozzoli, et al., 2012 ; Pronk,et al., 2013

Bystander Intervention: What are we up against?

What about the victims of bullying?

Tier 1 Primary Prevention

Tier 2 Secondary Prevention

Tier 3 Tertiary

Prevention

Tier 3: Tertiary Prevention Programs•????

Target students exhibiting bullying behavior or who arevictimized by peers

Interventions for Victims of Bullying

• To date, no evidenced-based victimization interventions exist

• How might we tailor existing bullying prevention programs to be more culturally salient?– Let’s Brainstorm

Questions & Presenter Contact Information

Jamilia Blake, Ph.D.• Associate Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, jjblake@tamu.edu

@drjjblake

• Expertise:– Peer relations and educational experiences of socially marginalized youth

• Bullying and victimization risk and protective factors• Disparate impact of exclusionary discipline