Bully Prevention in PBSBully Prevention in PBS

Bruce Stiller; Rhonda TorkiBruce Stiller; Rhonda TorkiBruce Stiller; Rhonda TorkiBruce Stiller; Rhonda Torki

Session Goals

Review Bully Prevention in Positive Behavior Support (Stop/Walk/Talk) -- What we have learned after 3 years of implementation

Present feedback from middle school students and staff regarding how to make Bully Prevention in PBS developmentally appropriate for secondary students

Review results of School Climate Survey Present Expect Respect -- a program in development

for Bully and Harassment Prevention at the secondary level

Bullying & Harassment

Bullying and harassment are serious issues in schools that can influence a student’s ability to complete school and advance to higher education.

30% of youth in the United States (or over 5.7 million)1 are estimated to be involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both.

1Nansel et al. (2001). Bullying Behaviors Among U.S. Youth. JAMA.

Literature Review of Existing Bully Prevention Programs

Outcomes less than ideal (efficacy data is

sparse -- many have evidence only that

student knowledge of what to do improves,

not that actual behavior changes)

Efficiency a major issue

Most do not target behavior of bystanders

Core Features of Bully and Harassment Prevention in Positive Behavior Support

Define, teach and reinforce school-wide behavior expectations.

Teach all students to identify and label disrespectful behavior.

Teach students a universal Stop Signal to use when they experience disrespectful behavior.

What to do as recipient What to do as perpetrator What to do as bystander

Stop/Walk/Talk Program

One Primary Lesson -- 50 minutes -- delivered to all students the same day Class discussion of disrespectful behavior Introduction of Stop Signal Role Playing

Follow Up Lessons as needed Gossip; Rumor Spreading Exclusion Cyberbullying

Coaching from supervisory personnel is ongoing and critical

Lesson Delivery: Teach Students the “Stop Signal”

If someone is bothering you, or someone else, deliver the “Stop Signal”.

Bystanders are asked to help by using the “Stop Signal” or by taking the victim away from the situation if they see someone else being harassed, teased, or treated disrespectfully.

If disrespectful behavior continues after the stop signal is delivered, walk away and/or report to an adult

Coaching Students: Accepting Reports

When problem behavior is reported, adults follow a specific response:

Reinforce the student for reporting the problem behavior (i.e. "I'm glad you told me.")

Ask who, what, when and where.

Ensure the student’s safety. Is the problem still happening? Assess severity of the incident Assess likelihood of retaliation Devise Safety Plan if needed

Ask the Student if he/she Used the Stop Signal -- Coach as needed

Coaching Perpetrators

If the problem behavior included harassment or physical assault, complete an Office Discipline Referral and turn in to office

For chronic offenders, implement a reminder, warning, consequence correction sequence (timeout on the bench or an office referral, depending severity/frequency) in addition to the previously described coaching steps

Checking In -- Continued Follow-Up

For chronic victims of bullying or harassment On a regular basis, an adult should check in with

students to determine if the problem behaviors have ceased.

Continue to reinforce students for confiding and seeking assistance

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Problem Behavior During Recess

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Key Findings: First 3 years of Implementation of BP-PBS

Contextual fit -- get student input on which hand signal students like best

Re-teach/prompt on a regular basis -- students needs lots of reminder to use the Stop Signal, especially in context

Cumulative effect is likely if the program is implemented over a period of several years and becomes more of a standard feature of the school culture

Fidelity Study - Spring 2009

Fidelity Study Spring 2009 included playground observations; interviews with students and staff; and student focus groups

Fidelity Study completed in a 4J elementary school -- one of the schools most invested in Stop/Walk/Talk

Results: Students had learned the expected behaviors and could tell

researchers what they were supposed to do Adults couldn’t remember all of the coaching steps Students complained that the adults weren’t listening to

them

4J Climate Survey (Pilot): Overview

Pilot study designed by 4J School District to assess harassment and bullying in schools 24 questions about different types of

harassment; where & when bullying occur; available resources and problem-solving strategies

1581 students assessed from 4 schools in spring 2009 1 high school (Churchill); 3 middle schools

(Spencer Butte, Kelly, Roosevelt)

Safety and Respect*

Observations & Experiences of Bullying, Teasing, Offensive Language*

Bullied or Harassed* (in past year)

Participation in Bullying, Harassment or Teasing*

Seeking Adult Help & Reporting Bullying

Problem-Solving Strategies for Bullying and Harassment*

Harassment Observed on the Bases of…*

*Data reported by percent of responses.

Significant Findings: GenderGirls reported:

observing more gender-related harassment

feeling less safe from teasing

that offensive language is a problem

Boys reported:

fighting back is more likely to solve a problem

using more computers and other devices to intimidate other students

being less likely to talk to an adult for help

Stop/Walk/Talk for Middle School? Pilot implementation at 4J Middle School Student input: “This will be lame if we let the adults do it” Student taught lessons with adult facilitation End of year Focus Group

Steps for recipients need to be different for middle school students because reporting is plain old not going to happen

Interrupting behaviors have to be more elegant and age appropriate (e.g. “I expect respect” v. “Stop”) Students choose the interrupting behavior

Need for ongoing dialogue Only when there is danger of someone being hurt is it

appropriate (from their point of view) to report

Stop/Walk/Talk for Middle School = Expect Respect

Critical Features of Expect Respect Student Driven (it won’t happen if it’s not) Removal of Social Reinforcers Interrupting Behavior (tools to interrupt bullying):

catch phrase, stop signal, etc. Lessons: Combination of 4 adult lead lessons and

4 student forums (on alternating months) Expect Respect on staff meeting agendas:

School-wide initiative and staff buy-in necessary

Differences -- Stop/Walk/Talk v. Expect Respect

Stop/Walk/Talk Hand signal paired with

verbal Role plays more

directed; specific Adult driven strategies

for interrupting disrespect and for resolving conflicts

One primary lesson Most incidents

resolved with one or two adult contacts

Expect Respect Interruption behaviors more

developmentally advanced with multiple options

More sophisticated role plays

Strategies for interrupting disrespect are student driven

8 primary lessons including student forums

More emphasis on continuing dialogue and follow through

Expect Respect: Creating the Curriculum

8 contacts with students throughout the year 4 Adult-lead Lessons: Mix of discussion and

experiential lessons (“Getting on the Bus; You-Tube vignettes)

4 Student forums: All students invited, open forum with a lesson or topic for discussion, “take-away” point to share with classes

Plan for Next Year

Expect Respect will be piloted in 2 middle schools that want to implement the program

Participation in the pilot will involve: Key people at each school willing to coordinate

implementation of the curriculum Teacher and staff participation Completion of pre and post surveys and

questionnaires Updates at staff meeting and research team

meetings