PREVENTING BULLYING IN

ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS

Bullying Physical, verbal, or psychological

Intended harm

Imbalance of power

Repeated over time

j

An Issue of Equity

The IMBALANCE OF POWER involved in bullying creates an academic, social, and emotional ACHIEVEMENT GAP

Consequences for Victims

Academic difficulties Depression Anxiety Loneliness Low self-esteem Humiliation Difficulty with

relationships

Psycho-somatic problems Schizophrenia Fear of attending school Peer rejection Suicidal ideation Delinquent behavior Criminality Violence

The U.S. Secret Service reports that 71% of students who have committed sieges on schools felt bullied

Consequences for Bullies Failing to learn social behavioral norms Substance abuse Depression Psychiatric disorders Vandalism Shoplifting Fighting Dropout Suicidal ideation

Consequences for Bystanders

Psychological consequences

Physiological consequences

Fear of becoming the victim

Two Paths of Prevention Social Emotional

Learning Programs (SEL)

Bullying Prevention Programs (BPP)

Effective SELs: Focus on the whole school and community Long-term Educate students on:

Self-regulationPerspective taking/empathyEmotion managementProblem solvingCommunication skillsFriendship skills

SEL SPOTLIGHT:

SECOND STEP Empathy, problem-solving, anger

management

A staff person is chosen to be “on-site trainer” for all other staff

SECOND STEP: Methods Teacher/counselor techniques:

Model behaviorCue, coach, reinforceAllow students to participate in decision making

Classroom lessons:Discuss emotional scenariosModel scenariosRole play and presentations

Effectiveness Reduces conduct problems

Improves social emotional skills

Effectiveness A Washington state study found that

Physical aggression decreasedVerbal hostility decreasedProsocial behavior increasedNeutral behavior increased

Effective BPPs Focus on whole school and community

Structured curriculum

Teach and encourage practice of new skills

Clear policies and procedures

Incorporate SEL techniques

Effective BPPs Train staff on:

Psychology of bullyingDeliveryReportingWorking one-on-one with bullies and victims

Classroom curriculum:Definition of bullyingClear rules and consequencesCommunication skillsBystander responsibilitiesReporting

BPP SPOTLIGHTTHE OLWEUS BULLYING PREVENTION PROGRAM

School, classroom and individual levels Bully/victim questionnaire Coordinating Committee & onsite coordinator Staff training Development of school rules Playground and lunchroom supervision plans Classroom lessons Parent meetings individual meetings with bullies, victims, and parents Evaluation through questionnaire

Effectiveness In Norway, bullying decreased by 50.9%

U.S. findings have not been consistent

Bullying incident density has been found to decrease with strict implementation

Olweus Results in Norway

What can School Counselors do?DATA COLLECTION:

Collect and interpret data to display need and secure funding

Collect and interpret school data to help choose a program

What can School Counselors do?COLLABORATION:

Assume role of on-site coordinator/trainer Train teachers and staff Educate staff on consequences of bullying Form and head committee Collaborate Train volunteers to monitor

lunchroom/playground Train parents

What can School Counselors do?CLASSROOM LEVEL:

Include students in creating rules and consequences

Classroom guidance lessons

What can School Counselors do?INDIVIDUAL LEVEL:

Counsel students

Model desired behavior in daily interactions

What can School Counselors do?EVALUATION:

Monitor consistency of staff

Encourage fidelity among staff

Collect and interpret data to evaluate interventions

Share successes with stakeholders

Implications for the Profession Stakeholders see the impact made by the

school counselor by looking at school data

As head of the committee, the school counselor is an indispensable resource

Committee meetings give opportunities to network with parents, teachers, and administrators

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10.1177/0143034307085662 Black, S., Harner, P., Pollock, E., Trent, V., & Washington, E. (2010). Translating the Olweus Bullying

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