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Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools

Middle School Bullying Prevention Program

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Bullying . . .Bullying . . .

““A student is being bullied A student is being bullied when he or she is when he or she is

exposed,repeatedly and over exposed,repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on time, to negative actions on

the part of one or more the part of one or more students.”students.”

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Bullying involves Bullying involves an an imbalanceimbalance in in

power or strength.power or strength.

The student who is bullied The student who is bullied has difficulty defending has difficulty defending

himself/herself.himself/herself.

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Bullying BehaviorBullying Behavior

• Often part of a conduct-Often part of a conduct-disordered behavior patterndisordered behavior pattern

• This pattern may continue This pattern may continue into young adulthoodinto young adulthood

• Olweus study: Bullies were 4 Olweus study: Bullies were 4 times as likely to have 3 or times as likely to have 3 or more criminal convictions by more criminal convictions by age 24age 24

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Why Focus on Bully/Victim Problems

• Because of:– Short and long-term effects

on victims– Concern about students who

bully – Impact on bystanders– School social climate– Legal concerns

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Concerns About Children Who Bully• Children who bully are more likely to:

– Get into frequent fights– Be injured in a fight– Steal, vandalize property– Drink alcohol, smoke– Be truant, drop out of school– Report poorer academic achievement– Perceive a negative climate at school– Carry a weapon

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Short-term Effects Short-term Effects of Being Bulliedof Being Bullied

• Lower self-esteemLower self-esteem• Depression & Depression &

anxietyanxiety• IllnessIllness• AbsenteeismAbsenteeism• Thoughts of suicideThoughts of suicide

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Lasting Effects Lasting Effects of Being Bulliedof Being Bullied

•Lower self-esteemLower self-esteem

•Higher rates Higher rates of depressionof depression

•Higher rates ofHigher rates of Post Traumatic StressPost Traumatic Stress

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Effects of Bullying on Bystanders

• Bystanders may feel:

– Afraid– Powerless to change the situation– Guilty for not acting– Diminished empathy for victims

over time

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Effects of Bullying on School Climate

• Interferes with student learning

• Creates a climate of fear and disrespect

• Students may perceive lack of control/caring

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Types of Types of Bullying:Bullying:

Direct BullyingDirect Bullying• Hitting, kicking, shoving, Hitting, kicking, shoving,

spitting…spitting…

• Taunting, hurtful teasing, Taunting, hurtful teasing, degrading racial or sexual degrading racial or sexual commentscomments

• Threatening, obscene gesturesThreatening, obscene gestures

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Indirect Indirect BullyingBullying

• Getting another person to Getting another person to assault someoneassault someone

• Spreading rumorsSpreading rumors• Deliberate exclusion from a Deliberate exclusion from a

group or activitygroup or activity• Cyber-bullyingCyber-bullying

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Relational BullyingRelational Bullying

•Combines direct & indirect bullying strategies.

•Targets relationships and social status to cause harm to peers.

BULLYINGBULLYING

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Health Consequences of Bullying

Fekkes et al.(2003) Pediatrics, 144, 17-22Bullied Not bullied

Headache 16% 6%Sleep problems 42% 23%Abdominal pain 17% 9%Feeling tense 20% 9%Anxiety 28% 10%Feeling unhappy 23% 5%Depression scale

moderate indication 49% 16%strong indication 16% 2%

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What Motivates What Motivates Children Who Bully?Children Who Bully?

• Like to dominate others in a Like to dominate others in a negative waynegative way

• Gain satisfaction from Gain satisfaction from inflicting injury and sufferinginflicting injury and suffering

• Receive “rewards” by bullying Receive “rewards” by bullying others (prestige,possessions)others (prestige,possessions)

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Gender plays a roleGender plays a role• Similarities:Similarities:

– Both boys and girls engage in frequent verbal Both boys and girls engage in frequent verbal bullying. bullying.

– Girls and boys are equally likely to engage in Girls and boys are equally likely to engage in relational bullying.relational bullying.

• Differences:Differences:– Boys are bullied primarily by boys; girls are Boys are bullied primarily by boys; girls are

bullied by boys and girls.bullied by boys and girls.– Boys are more likely to be physically bullied. Boys are more likely to be physically bullied. – Girls are more likely to be bullied through social Girls are more likely to be bullied through social

exclusion, rumor-spreading, cyber bullying, and exclusion, rumor-spreading, cyber bullying, and sexual comments.sexual comments.

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Reporting of Reporting of VictimizationVictimization

• Many children do Many children do not report bullying not report bullying to school staff.to school staff.

• Older students Older students and boys are less and boys are less likely than likely than younger students younger students and girls to report and girls to report their victimization.their victimization.

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Children Who Bully Can Children Who Bully Can ChangeChange

• Bullying behaviors Bullying behaviors and victimization and victimization experiences are experiences are relatively stable relatively stable over time over time if if there there is no intervention.is no intervention.

• BUT, appropriate BUT, appropriate intervention can intervention can change behaviors.change behaviors.

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Olweus Bullying Olweus Bullying Program is…Program is…

• UniversalUniversal (a school-wide effort)(a school-wide effort)• Systems-oriented Systems-oriented AND AND

individual-orientedindividual-oriented• PreventivePreventive AND AND problem-solvingproblem-solving• Focused on changing normsFocused on changing norms andand

behaviorbehavior• Research-basedResearch-based• NOT time-limited:NOT time-limited: Requires Requires

systematic efforts over timesystematic efforts over time

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Goals of the Olweus Goals of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Bullying Prevention

ProgramProgram

• Reduce existing bully/victim Reduce existing bully/victim problems among school childrenproblems among school children

• Prevent the development of new Prevent the development of new bully/victim problemsbully/victim problems

• Improve peer relationsImprove peer relations

• Improve school climateImprove school climate

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Program Principles-Program Principles-

• Warmth & Warmth & Positive InterestPositive Interest

• Involvement from adultsInvolvement from adults

• Adults acting as authorities Adults acting as authorities and positive role modelsand positive role models

• Firm limitsFirm limits

It is critical to develop a It is critical to develop a school environment school environment characterized by:characterized by:

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Overview of School-Wide Elements

1. Form Bullying Prevention Coordinating Committee

2. Train committee and all school personnel

3. Develop school rules against bullying

5. Increase supervision6. Use consistent positive and

negative consequences7. Teach monthly lessons on bullying8. Involve parents

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3 Levels of Bullying

Level 1Lowest level of bullying that includes:

Blaming, threatening gestures, insults, teasing, gossip, spreading

rumors, excluding, minor pushing/shoving/tripping, taking items, booking, throwing items

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3 Levels of Bullying

Level 2Middle level of bullying that includes:Threatening physical harm, stealing personal property, biting/scratching,

verbal threats, insulting ones ethnicity/ race/ gender/ family, embarrassing

others, destruction of property, cyber bullying, invading ones privacy,

extortion, repeating level 1

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3 Levels of Bullying

Level 3Highest level of bullying that

includes:Repeated threats, repeated harassment, repeating level 2

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Consequences can include:

Verbal warningWritten reflection formPhone call to parentReferral to guidanceDetentionSaturday School In-school suspensionOut-of-school suspensionGroup counseling referral Juvenile court referral

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Why Adults Why Adults Don’tDon’t Always Always Intervene:Intervene:• Have difficulty recognizing Have difficulty recognizing

bullyingbullying• Fail to recognize the Fail to recognize the

importance of interveningimportance of intervening• Uncertain Uncertain howhow best to best to

interveneintervene

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What the school will What the school will do:do:

1. On-the-spot 1. On-the-spot interventionsinterventions

2. Follow-up discussions 2. Follow-up discussions with children who are with children who are bulliedbullied

3. Follow-up discussions 3. Follow-up discussions with children who bullywith children who bully

4. Parental involvement4. Parental involvement

4. Consequences4. Consequences

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What Can Parents Do What Can Parents Do If Their Child Is Bullied?If Their Child Is Bullied?• Help the child develop talents Help the child develop talents

and positive attributesand positive attributes

• Encourage the child to make Encourage the child to make contact with friendly student(s) contact with friendly student(s) in their classesin their classes

• Encourage the child to Encourage the child to get to know peers in get to know peers in new situationsnew situations

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What Doesn’t Work?

• Ignoring the problem• Blaming your child for

provoking bullying• Telling the child to

“hit back”• Calling the parents of the bully

– unless there is a friendly relationship between parents

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Communicate directly to the Communicate directly to the child:child:– We know you have been We know you have been

involved in bullyinginvolved in bullying– Bullying is a serious behaviorBullying is a serious behavior

– We will not tolerate We will not tolerate any future any future

bullying behaviorbullying behavior

What Can Parents Do If What Can Parents Do If Their Child Bullies Their Child Bullies

Others?Others?

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• Enforce family rules Enforce family rules • Reinforce positive and kind Reinforce positive and kind

behaviorbehavior• Spend more time with your childSpend more time with your child• Monitor the child’s activitiesMonitor the child’s activities• Build upon the child’s talentsBuild upon the child’s talents• Help child find more appropriate Help child find more appropriate

behavior patternsbehavior patterns• Seek professional assistance, if Seek professional assistance, if

necessary necessary

What Can Parents Do If What Can Parents Do If Their Child Bullies Their Child Bullies

Others?Others?

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What Doesn’t Work?

• Ignoring the problem• Denying that their child could

do such a thing as bullying• Protecting the child from

consequences• Blaming the victim for your

child’s problems

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Take-Home MessageTake-Home Message

•Stopping bullying takes a Stopping bullying takes a team effort.team effort.

•Approach the process in Approach the process in steps.steps.

•Change happens in Change happens in small incrementssmall increments..