Creating a Positive School EnvironmentBullying Prevention and Intervention

Material from “Bullying Prevention and Intervention “ presentation by Susan M. Swearer, Ph.D.

WHAT IS BULLYING?

While the definition of bullying can be agreed upon by scholars and educators; students, parents, and teachers often struggle with the distinction between teasing and bullying.

• The same aggressive behaviors (taunting, teasing, hitting, pushing) can be playful or part of bullying depending on whether they occur between friends or “frenemies.”

• Adults typically don’t see bullying.

• The dividing line between bullying (repeatedly and to intimidate) and being mean (a single aggressive act) is not immediately apparent to adults.

• Bullying is a very complex dynamic.

Why Adults Can’t Always Tell What Behaviors are Bullying

What we are Up Against?

• “Bullying is not an issue that needs to be addressed – we are more concerned with academic success.”

• “Not all districts/schools have problems with bullying.”

• “A new policy… will not eradicate bullying. Have they forgotten what growing up is like?”

• “Bullying is just part of life.”• “I was bullied and I turned out fine.”

*From a school administrator’s survey

Definition of Bullying

Students are being bullied when another student or students:

• Say mean and hurtful things to them or make fun of them (verbally or electronically).

• Completely ignore or exclude them from their group of friends or leave them out on purpose.

• Hit, kick, push, shove• Tell lies, spread false rumors about them or

end mean notes and try to make other students dislike them.

Therefore…

Bullying is:1.A negative, mean

behavior that2.Occurs repeatedly (over

time)3.in a relationship that is

characterized by an imbalance of power or strength.

Olweus, 1999

Bullying/Victim Continuum Definitions

• Bullying – reports bullying others• Victim – reports being bullied by others

• Bully-victim – reports bullying others & being bullied

• Bystander – reports observing others being bullied

• No Status/Not involved – does not report any involvement with bullying

Cyber-Bullying

“Cyber-bullying involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others.”

Bill Belsey:www.cyberbullying.ca

Methods of Communication

• Social networks like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter

• Emails• Cell phones• Texts• Sexting• Blogs• Websites like Formspring• Instant Messaging

Relational Aggression Between Girls

Relational aggression encompasses behaviors that harm others by damaging, threatening to damage or manipulating one's relationships with his/her peers, or by injuring one's feelings of social acceptance.

http://www.opheliaproject.org/main/ra_about3.html

For example:• Giving someone a mean look or staring at

them• Purposefully ignoring someone when

angry (giving the "silent treatment") • Spreading rumors about a disliked

classmate • Telling others not to play with a certain

classmate as a means of retaliation

*Most of these acts are unseen by adults and have no written rules against them.

http://www.opheliaproject.org/main/ra_about3.html

Acts of Relational Aggression

We Need to Ask the Right Question:

“What are the conditions that allow bullying behaviors to occur?”

Family and School Risk Factors for Bullying• Family

– Lack of supervision– Lack of attachment– Negative, critical

relationships– Lack of discipline or

consequences– Support for aggression– Modeling of aggression

• School– Lack of supervision– Lack of attachment– Negative, critical

relationships– Lack of discipline or

consequences– Support for aggression– Modeling of aggression

School Influences that contribute to bullying

• Poor classroom management• Lack of adult supervision• Lack of awareness of problem• Poor understanding of bullying• Teachers less likely to consider verbal

and relational/emotional forms of aggression as bullying

• Discomfort in responding to students’ aggression

• Acceptance of bullying which increases as students get older

From: “Does bullying affect school climate? If so? How? Tony Warren

The Cost of Bullying

•Lower academic performance•Psychological consequences: depression, anxiety, antisocial behavior

•Feelings of helplessness, anger, and frustration

•Costs of litigation•Dropout and suicide

The Reasons Victims Gave for Not Telling Include:

• Fearing retaliation• Feeling shame at not being able to stand up for

themselves• Fearing they would not be believed• Not wanting to worry their parents• Having no confidence that anything would change

as a result• Thinking their parents’ or teachers’ advice would

make the problem worse• Fearing their teacher would tell the bully who told

on him or her• Thinking it worse to be thought of as a snitch

From: “Does bullying affect school climate? If so? How? Tony Warren

There are No Easy Solutions!

Bullying is a complex phenomenon that MUST include interventions at all levels:

• Individual• Peer• Family• School• Community• Society

Effective Strategies to Counter Bullying in Schools

• Enlisting the principal’s commitment and involvement

• Using a multifaceted , comprehensive approach• Using the “whole school” approach• Increase student reporting of bullying• Reducing the amount of time students can spend

less supervised• Monitor areas where bullying can be expected (e.g.

bathrooms)• Posting classroom signs school-wide prohibiting

bullying and listing the consequences for it

From: “Does bullying affect school climate? If so? How? Tony Warren

Less Effective Strategies

• Training students in conflict resolution and peer mediation

• Adopting a “zero tolerance” policy• Providing group therapy for bullies• Encouraging victims to simply “stand up” to bullies

From: “Does bullying affect school climate? If so? How? Tony Warren

Bystanders are a Key to Reducing Bullying

When bystanders take a stand against bullying they help create an environment that is safer and more conducive to learning.

(Tremlow, Peaceful Schools Project, study with Topeka schools, 2002)

Document Bullying Incidents

• Develop a confidential reporting system

• Determine a method for reporting bullying

• Document the incident in detail• Use forms consistently• Follow-up consistently

Helping Victims, Bully-Victims, Bullies, and Bystanders

• Make sure students are aware of the confidential reporting system for bullying

• Have an open door policy with counselors to address the needs of students involved in bullying

• Stay away from a shame/blame mentality

Therapeutic Interventions

• Understand the connection between bullying and mental health issues

• Develop a strong community referral system• Utilize school counselors and school psychologists• Assess and treat depression and anxiety – linked

to bullying/victimization• Cognitive-behavior therapy is the front-line

treatment for depression and anxiety

• Bullying Intervention Program (BIP: Swearer & Givens, 2006)

Critical Components of Effective Bullying Prevention and Intervention

• Start with an anti-bullying policy that includes provisions for assessment and intervention.

• Increase awareness about the negative consequences of bullying – videos, plays, classroom presentations.

• Collect data in individual schools.

• Analyze data

• Use the data to make decisions about bullying prevention and intervention.

• Repeat annually to track bullying/victimization over time.

The Promoting Positive Peer Relationships (P3R) bullying prevention initiative has been developed with this concept in mind. Three of America’s leading specialists on bullying and school violence – Professor Dorothy Espelage (UIUC), Associate Professor Susan Swearer (UNL) and Professor Shane Jimerson (UCSB) – collaborated in developing P3R and have jointly written the accompanying text and curriculum materials.

Designed for school and after-school programs, P3R is composed of four resources, each built around professional films produced in collaboration with students. There are two curriculum resources – Classroom Resource, Make-You-Own-Film Resource – plus two adult education resources – Professional Development Resource, Community Education Resource. 

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