Best Practices Best Practices in Bullying Prevention:in Bullying Prevention:

One Size Does Not Fit AllOne Size Does Not Fit All

Presented by Kathleen Conn, Ph.D., J.D., LL.M.Assistant Professor, Neumann University Adjunct Professor, Widener School of Law

The Bottom LineThe Bottom Line

• Bullying in schools isworldwide phenomenon

• Starts early and continues throughout the grades

• Causes externalizing and internalizing problems, weapon carrying, suicidal ideation and even accomplished suicides

Some Kids Can Brush It Some Kids Can Brush It OffOff But some can’tBut some can’t

The Heartbreak Is RealThe Heartbreak Is Real

What Can We Do About What Can We Do About It?It?•Schools are adopting bullying

prevention programs•States are passing anti-

bullying statutes•Law Schools are holding

bullying symposia

•BUT IT’S NOT WORKING!BUT IT’S NOT WORKING!

Olweus as the “Gold Olweus as the “Gold Standard”?Standard”?

Results of OBBP in U.S. Results of OBBP in U.S. MixedMixed• Some schools using the Some schools using the

Olweus program report Olweus program report reductions in bullying and reductions in bullying and peer victimization, peer victimization, increases in bystander increases in bystander interventionsinterventions

• But many do not see any But many do not see any positive resultspositive results

• And OBBP is expensiveAnd OBBP is expensive

Mixed Results with All Mixed Results with All Interventions?Interventions?

• Ttofi and Farrington (2011) located Ttofi and Farrington (2011) located 622 reports of anti-bullying 622 reports of anti-bullying programs worldwide from 1983-2009programs worldwide from 1983-2009

• They examined 89 studies reporting They examined 89 studies reporting results of 53 different programsresults of 53 different programs

• They divided programs according to They divided programs according to sizes of schools in which they were sizes of schools in which they were implemented, and research designsimplemented, and research designs

It’s Not Working…It’s Not Working…

• NO EFFECTS in “under-200 students” NO EFFECTS in “under-200 students” category, only moderate effects in category, only moderate effects in “over-200s” schools“over-200s” schools

• Of the research design with the best Of the research design with the best results, the age-cohort study design, results, the age-cohort study design, only one study was in the United only one study was in the United StatesStates

• Overall, 17-23% reduction in bullyingOverall, 17-23% reduction in bullying• Most positive effects were seen in Most positive effects were seen in

Scandinavian countries Scandinavian countries

Don’t Think Laws Will Don’t Think Laws Will HelpHelp• State anti-bullying laws have been State anti-bullying laws have been

passed in 49 statespassed in 49 states• Nieman, Robers & Robers (2012) Nieman, Robers & Robers (2012)

analyzed results of the analyzed results of the effectiveness of state statutes on effectiveness of state statutes on reducing bullyingreducing bullying

• Only the most severe statute had a Only the most severe statute had a consistent positive effectconsistent positive effect

• State laws do not provide parents’ State laws do not provide parents’ access to the courtsaccess to the courts

Some Laws May Hurt . . .Some Laws May Hurt . . .

• Does No Child Left Behind incentivize Does No Child Left Behind incentivize non-reporting of violence in schools?non-reporting of violence in schools?

• Who wants the label of “Persistently Who wants the label of “Persistently Dangerous School”?Dangerous School”?

• 2003-2004, only 52 schools in the 2003-2004, only 52 schools in the entire nation were classified as entire nation were classified as persistently dangerous; none in persistently dangerous; none in Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, San Diego, or Los Angeles, Miami, San Diego, or Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C.

Persistently DangerousPersistently Dangerous

• PDE reports that in 2012-2013, only PDE reports that in 2012-2013, only 6 schools in the state were 6 schools in the state were persistently dangerous, all in the persistently dangerous, all in the Philadelphia School District (PSD)Philadelphia School District (PSD)

• Numbers decreasingNumbers decreasing– In 2010-2011, 19 schools, all in PSDIn 2010-2011, 19 schools, all in PSD– In 2011-2012, only 12, all in PSDIn 2011-2012, only 12, all in PSD

• Frankford, Lincoln, Strawberry Frankford, Lincoln, Strawberry Mansion High Schools on the list Mansion High Schools on the list last several yearslast several years

Some Laws May Hurt . . .Some Laws May Hurt . . .

• Pennsylvania’s Anti-Bullying Law Pennsylvania’s Anti-Bullying Law requires schools to adopt anti-bullying requires schools to adopt anti-bullying policiespolicies

• Requires schools to review policies Requires schools to review policies every 3 years and report development every 3 years and report development and implementation of policiesand implementation of policies

• School policies must mandate reporting School policies must mandate reporting of bullying to the school, but law does of bullying to the school, but law does not describe a specific investigation not describe a specific investigation process, nor does it require records keptprocess, nor does it require records kept

What’s Should Schools What’s Should Schools Do?Do?• Administrators need to Administrators need to

approach the problem with a approach the problem with a cautious eyecautious eye

• Do due diligenceDo due diligence• Get the research studiesGet the research studies• Read what worked in schools Read what worked in schools

your size, your location, with your size, your location, with your population . . . your population . . .

• And with your problemAnd with your problem

What’s the Best Course?What’s the Best Course?

• Find out what your problem isFind out what your problem is• US Centers for Disease Control US Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention publishes a and Prevention publishes a guide to measuring guide to measuring instrumentsinstruments

• Actual surveys are in the guideActual surveys are in the guide• http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullyCompendiumbk-a.pdf..

What’s the Best Course?What’s the Best Course?

• Treat the bullying problem as Treat the bullying problem as a a groupgroup phenomenon: the phenomenon: the interaction between bullies, interaction between bullies, victims, bully-victims, and victims, bully-victims, and bystandersbystanders

• Focus on changing the overall Focus on changing the overall classroom interactionsclassroom interactions

What’s the Best Course?What’s the Best Course?

• Acknowledge the importance Acknowledge the importance

of family environmentsof family environments• Ambivalent and less cohesive Ambivalent and less cohesive

family relationships, harsh family relationships, harsh discipline practices, and discipline practices, and inconsistent and authoritarian inconsistent and authoritarian parenting is in the background parenting is in the background of many bullies and bully of many bullies and bully victimsvictims

What’s the Best Course?What’s the Best Course?

• Be prepared to wait for resultsBe prepared to wait for results• Program duration and intensity Program duration and intensity

are important variablesare important variables• Fidelity of implementation must Fidelity of implementation must

be monitoredbe monitored• Everyone has to be on the same Everyone has to be on the same

page, including studentspage, including students

Every School Is DifferentEvery School Is Different

• One size does not fit allOne size does not fit all• Some programs work well in some Some programs work well in some

schoolsschools• School size, student School size, student

demographics, community mores, demographics, community mores, community participation need to community participation need to be consideredbe considered

• Administrator and staff Administrator and staff “personalities” must influence “personalities” must influence program choiceprogram choice

Visit and Study Visit and Study SuccessesSuccesses

Kathleen Conn, Ph.D., J.D., LL.M.connk@neumann.edu

Thank you for your Thank you for your

attention.attention.