Bullying Prevention & Intervention:

Strategies for School Staff

Amanda Nickerson, Ph.D. Director of Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention

Associate Professor of Counseling, School and Educational Psychologyogynickersa@buffalo.edugse.buffalo.edu/alberticenter

* This presentation has been posted as a resource and tool for educators and the general

public. Feel free to share and download the presentation provided that appropriate credit is given to the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention.

Learning Objectives

Bullying and Harassment: Brief Overview

School Culture: Power and Social Dynamics

Bullying in Context: Perpetrators, Targets, and Bystanders

What to do? Strategies, Critiques, and Brainstorming

Unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times (or is highly likely to be repeated)

Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014)

What is Bullying?

What is Harassment?

Generally defined as conduct which annoys, threatens, intimidates, alarms, or puts a person in fear of safety (varies by state)

Unwanted, unwelcomed and uninvited behavior that demeans, threatens or offends the victim and results in a hostile environment

Based on: Race, color, or national origin (Title VI of Civil Rights Act, 1964)

Sex (Title IX, Education Amendments, 1972) Regardless of the sex of the harasser (applies to same sex); prohibition of

gender‐based harassment based on sex or sex‐stereotyping

Disability (Section 504, Rehabilitation Act, 1973; Title II, ADA, 1990)

Other “legally protected status” NY Dignity for All Students Act includes actual or perceived sexual

orientation, gender, or sex; weight; religion; religious practices

Hinduja & Patchin (2009)

Types of Bullying and Harassment

Physical

• punching, hitting, spitting

Verbal

• name calling, making offensive remarks

Indirect

• spreading rumors, excluding, ganging up

Cyber

• willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices

Quick Facts About Bullying

Cowie (2000); Nansel et al. (2001); Perry, Kusel, & Perry (1988); Skiba & Fontanini (2000)

Estimates vary WIDELY, but about 1 in 3 children and adolescents are involved as bully, target, or both

Bullying occurs throughout lifespan; peaks grades 4-7 and in transition to new school (middle, high); cyberbullying increases in adolescence

Bullying is more likely to occur in less closely supervised areas (bathrooms, hallways, playground, lunch, bus, online)

Adults are often unaware of or do not see the problem

Students usually do NOT tell it is happening

Culture & Community

School (Staff/Peers) Family Bully, Target, and

Bystander

Adapted from Swearer &

Espelage (2004)

School Culture, Power, & Social Dynamics

Social Dynamics in Schools

30%

10%50%

10%

Social Dynamics

Cliques

Wannabees

Middle group

Outsiders

Adler & Adler (1996)

Bullying and relational aggression can be used to protect and/or achieve status in cliques

Guiding Principles for Positive School Climate

Reflect on your use of power in relationships

Be friendly (but not friends with) the students

Treat students the way you want to be treated and the way you want them to treat each other

Help all students look valuable in their classmates’ eyes

Take responsibility for intervening when behavior is inconsistent with the culture and norms in the school

Dillon (2012); Morrison & Marachi (2011)

Effective Classroom Management Strategies

Effective Educators: Ineffective Educators:

Pagliaro (2011). Educator or bully? Managing the

• Let students know they care

• Teach self-control

• Diffuse minor disruptions with humor

• Privately counsel chronic discipline programs

• Aware of the power they hold; choose words and actions carefully

• Help students feel successful

• Address misbehavior

• See each student’s uniqueness

• Highlight good behavior

• Proactive; create environments that minimize student misbehavior

• Let students know who’s boss

• Exert their own control

• Use sarcasm to turn disruptions into confrontations

• Publicly humiliate chronic misbehavers

• Use their power recklessly, frequently resort to anger and intimidation

• Punish their students for being unsuccessful

• Attack the character of misbehavers

• Compare children to one another

• Make examples of poor behavior

• Reactive; blame students for the lack of order in their classroom

Setting the Tone

You have just taught a class and on your way back from your 2-minute break to go to the restroom, you overhear a student say to another student, “you just ruined my chance for college because niggers are more likely to get special treatment – thanks a lot” Why teachers may not do anything:

Don’t know the specific student(s)

Too busy

Not sure what to do

What teacher can do/say: “That is not the way we talk to each other here”

“Whoa there – I get that applying to college is stressful but it is not acceptable to use racist comments”

Be timely, consistent, firm, and respectful

Discussion

In thinking about your school culture:

What are some specific things that are done well in terms of creating a positive, inclusive, and respectful culture?

What are the areas for improvement? Identify the issue and where you would like to be

(e.g., making “elite cliques” less exclusive, being more consistent in shaping positive student behavior, conveying clear message to parents that with privilege comes power and there is a need to use this carefully)

Bullying in Context

Bullying is a Dynamic Group Process

Roles: perpetrator, victim, both (“bully/victim), bystander

8% bully, 26% victim, 10% both

Roles roles exist on a continuum

Role of pure bully and victim at each extreme

One individual can play multiple roles in difference social contexts (i.e., bully-victim)

Bystanders Can exacerbate the problem (reinforce, assist), help reduce it

(defenders), or not doing anything (ignore)

Goossens, Othaf, & Dekker, 2006; Salmivalli et al., 1996

Perpetrators

Desire for power and control

Get satisfaction from others’ suffering

Justify behavior (“he deserved it”)

More exposed to physical punishment

Engage in other risky behaviors (substance abuse,lower school connectedness)

Basile (2009); Beaver, Perron, & Howard (2010); Olweus (1993); Pepler et al. (2006)

Warning Signs Child May Be Bullying Others

Refer to others negatively

(wimp, loser)

Lack empathy

Strong need to get

own way

Hostile/defiant attitude

Anger easilyDeny

involvement or blame others

Warning Signs Child May Be Cyberbullying Others

Quickly switches screens or closes programs when

someone walks by

Becomes unusually upset when personal electronic device use

is restricted

Avoids discussions about activities on

the computer or cell phone

Uses multiple online accounts or an

account that is not his or her own

Hinduja & Patchin (2011)

Social Patterns of Bullying

Bullying, harassment, and other aggressive behaviors can function to control social resources

Prosocial controllers

Highly skilled, socially appealing, enjoy high intimacy and low conflict friendships

Coercive controllers

Aggressive, hostile, not socially skilled

Bistrategic controllers

Both coercive (cheat, high desire for social recognition) andprosocial (socially skilled, attract peers, liked by teachers, extroverted)

Hawley (2003); Little, Rodkin, & Hawley (2013)

Targets

Most are targeted due to perceived weakness or vulnerability Different in some way (appearance, age,

disability, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender expression)

May be passive and lack assertiveness Often rejected by peers

In relational aggression, could be due to jealousy and competition

Ashbaugh & Cornell, 2008; Boivin, Poulin, & Vitaro (1994); Brock, Nickerson, O’Malley, & Chang (2006); Hodges & Perry (1999); Olweus (1978, 1993, 2001); Schwartz (2000); Snyder et al. (2003)

Warning Signs Child May Be Bullied or Harassed by Others

Chiodo et al., 2009; Gruber & Fineran, 2007; Hand & Sanchez, 2000; stopbullying.gov

Unexplained illnesses,

cuts/bruises (nurse’s office visits)

Not wanting to go to school or be in social

situations

Any change in behavior-Not interested in doing things that he/she used to like

-Withdrawn or isolated

-Change in friend group

-Loss of appetite

Warning Signs Child May Be Cyberbullied by Others

Unexpectedly stops using personal

technology (e.g., cell phone, computer,

games)

Appears nervous or jumpy when (s)he

receives messages via electronic devices

Appears angry, upset, depressed, or frustrated

after using the computer or cell phone

Avoids discussions about activities on the computer or cell phone

Becomes unusually withdrawn from friends and/or family members

Bully-Victims

Also called “provocative victims”

Offend, tease, irritate others

Reactive; fight back when attacked

Tend to be rejected by peers

Usually have social skills deficits

Often have other internalizing and externalizing problems

Ashbaugh & Cornell, 2008; Boivin, Poulin, & Vitaro (1994); Brock, Nickerson, O’Malley, & Chang (2006); Hodges & Perry (1999); Olweus (1978, 1993, 2001); Schwartz (2000); Snyder et al. (2003)

Bystanders

Bystanders witness 80% of bullying episodes, but intervene less than 20% of the time

Most say they are disgusted by the bullying, but several reasons they don’t help:

Diffusion of responsibility (“No one else is doing anything”)

Pluralistic ignorance (“Everyone else must think it’s OK)

Power of bullies/fear of retaliation (“It will just get turned on me”)

Attitudes toward the victims of bullying (“He got what was coming –he is so irritating”)

Atlas & Pepler, 1998; Boulton, Trueman, & Flemington, 2002; Lodge & Frydenberg, 2005;

O’Connell et al., 1999; Pepler & Craig, 2001; Rigby & Johnson, 2006

What do Youth Say About what is Helpful for Other Students to do? (Davis & Nixon)

Made it better sometimes, worse others:

• Kindly told the person to stop

• Angrily told the person to stop

Made it worse:

• Made fun of me

• Blamed me

• Ignored the situation

Made it better:• Spent time with me at school • Talked to me at school to

encourage me • Helped me get away from the

situation• Told an adult at school• Gave advice• Called me at home to

encourage me• Helped me tell an adult• Made a distraction• Told an adult

•

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What to do?

What do Youth Say About what is Helpful for Adults at School to do? (Davis & Nixon)

Made it better sometimes, worse others:

• Increased adult supervision for some time

• Used punishment for other student (varied widely)

• Sat down with both students together

• Talked about behavior in class

Made it worse:

• Told me to stop tattling

• Told me to solve it myself

• Told me if I acted differently this wouldn’t happen to me

Made it better:

• Listened

• Checked in with me

• Gave me advice

What do Youth Say About what is Helpful for Bullied Students to do? (Davis & Nixon)

Made it better sometimes, worse others:

• Walked away

• Pretended it didn’t bother me (effective for high school, mixed for middle school, made it worse for elementary)

Made it worse:

• Made plans to get back at them

• Told me to stop tattling

• Told the person how I felt

• Did nothing

• Told the person or people to stop

• Hit them or fought back

Made it better:

• Told an adult at home

• Told a friend

• Made a joke about it

• Told an adult at school

• Reminded myself it’s not my fault (high school)

•

On-the-Spot Interventions

Name the specific behavior and why it is not acceptable

Make teachable moment (include bystanders)

Apply consequences (discussed later)

Be sensitive to humiliation and possible retaliation

Follow-up privately with target to listen, provide support, and problem-solve

Immediate Response to Target

LISTEN and find out more

“Tell me what happened”

NOT “I’m so mad I’m going to…”

Empathize with feeling

“That must have been very scary for you”

NOT “You need to toughen up”

Problem-solve possible responses and coping

There is no single quick fix

Possible Strategies for Targets

Do not show you are upset

OK/normal to feel upset, but showing it can make it worse

Assert self using a calm, strong voice if safe

“Stop,” “Give it a rest”

Say something to deflect it or make a joke of it

“You’re fat” “Then I guess you don’t want me to sit on you!”

Report it (school, parent, community organization, police)

Surround self by adults and trusted peers/friends (“safe” or “go to” people)

Consequences

Goals:

Directly address the behavior and communicate that it is unacceptable and in conflict with school values

Protect student who was bullied; allow him or her to feel safe

Help student who bullied stop and learn better ways

Enlist parent support for a consistent message

Educate the community about its responsibility to prevent and reduce bullying

Three “I’s” of Consequences (Dillon, 2012)

Individualized Age, history, school

performance, relationship with target, honesty, remorse

Incremental Continuum of consequences

see

Insistent Clear, insistent message that

school needs to be a safe place to learn

INCREMENTAL CONSQUENCE EXAMPLES Reflection form Letter of apology Positive task to help school or repair

damage Reading and assignment related to

bullying or positive behavior change Behavioral contract Restricting unsupervised time Suspension from location (cafeteria) or

activity (sports) Check-in with principal each day Daily report to parents Counseling to build resilience and skills Referral for evaluation or intervention Student conduct committee

(suspension/expulsion)

Example of “Coaching” Response from Second Step

As you watch the video clip, please note:

What were some things done well?

What was done not so well?

How could this response be improved?

Thanks to

Example of “Coaching” Response

5 Step Model for Bystander Intervention

Nickerson, Aloe, Livingston, & Feeley, 2013; Latané and Darley, 1970

Notice the event

Interpret the event as an emergency that requires help

Accept responsibility for intervening

Know how to intervene or provide help

Implement intervention decisions

Knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed:• Bullying and harassment – what they look like, risk factors, warning signs• Accurate norms (understanding that others also don’t think it is OK)• Empathy toward target• Selecting and following through with options for intervening

• Telling the bully to stop• Reporting the incident• Asking the teacher or another adult for help• Supporting, consoling, comforting, befriending, or taking the side of the

student(s) being bullied)

Beyond the Initial Response

Assessment What purpose does the behavior serve (ABCs)?

Mental health issues (depression, anxiety, substance use)?

Cognitive distortions?

Lacking social skills (skill or performance deficit)?

Education & Intervention Education: What is bullying? What are its effects? What is the plan for

change? Use videos, readings, writing, contracting

Build resilience: network of support, involvement in positive activities

Skill building (assertiveness, anger management)

Swearer, Espelage, & Napolitano (2009); Bullying Intervention Program www.targetbully.com/Intervention_Program.php

Communicating with Parents

Be timely with communication!

Focus on the behavior (not the person)

Avoid blaming or judging (expect denial)

Emphasize how this type of behavior can be a problem for their child, the other person, and the school environment

Problem-solve by identifying goal, collecting data, developing, implementing, and evaluating plan

Cyberbullying

Anonymity

Spiral effect (forwarding & copying to many others)

Should school intervene? Yes, if it creates or would foreseeably create a risk of substantial disruption in the school environment

Legal issues

Federal statutes (Title VI, Title IX, ADA, 504, due process/equal protection) and state statutes (civil suits, New York State Penal Law – harassment/aggravated harassment, hazing, menacing, stalking, assault/aggravated assault), tort claims (negligence)

Sexting can fall under anti-pornography laws; students should be aware

Putting it Together

In your groups,

Read the scenarios

#1 Tamara – cyberbullying (video)

#2 Abdul – locker room harassment

Select one to discuss and problem-solve*

Outline the specific actions you would take, both immediately and longer term (with respect to students bullying, the target, bystanders, parents) – consider the who, what, and when

Be prepared to discuss with larger group

* If time permits, discuss both scenarios

“Broken Friendship – Real Life Story”