CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. School Bullying: What It Is and Why It Hurts
2. The Role of Bullies, Victims, and Witnesses
3. Factors Contributing to Bullying and Violence
4. Screening and Assessment
5. Treatment For Children and Adolescents
6. Prevention and Intervention
7. Legal and Ethical Issues

Supplements
Case Studies
Fact Sheets
References
Resources

The ABCs of Bullying
Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Aggression

Antibullying Policies

When trying to reduce bullying in a school, the entire school administration should agree on and develop its own policy and procedures for dealing with discipline, which is followed by all school staff. In addition to implementing consistent discipline, all adults should model respectful and appropriate behavior. Procedures may include:ref^, ref

• Intervene immediately. Stop the bullying behavior as soon as you see it or hear about it.
• Talk to the bully and the victim separately. If more than one child is involved, talk to each of them individually, in quick succession.
• If a peer mediation program is already in place, be careful with referrals where bullying is involved because of the power imbalance between bully and victim. The target may feel additional intimidation and/or may not have the communication or assertiveness skills necessary for successful mediation.
• Consult with other school personnel to understand the wider implication of the new policies within the larger school community.
• Expect the bully to minimize or deny his or her actions. Inform all bullies of the school policy and rules, class codes, the school sanctions, and the expectations for behavior.
• Reassure the victim. He or she needs to know that measures will be taken to address the bullying behavior.
• Inform the parents immediately about the incident.
• Follow up until the situation is resolved.

For students who are the victims of bullying:ref

• Involve them in groups and situations to make friends and develop social skills (e.g., peer support group, new student orientation, or cooperative learning group).
• Encourage them to participate in assertiveness training.

For students who bully:ref

• Reeducate them as to their behavior, its impact, and resulting consequences.
• Determine what situations require sanctions, such as removing privileges, detention, etc. Some schools mandate that aggressive children must complete social skills modules designed to reduce aggression and build empathy during detention.

For students who are witnesses:ref

• Educate witnesses on the difference between tattling and reporting.
• Encourage witnesses to support victims rather than bullies.