\u27The Steps to Respect\u27 Program Uses a Multilevel Approach to Reduce Playground Bullying and Destructive Bystander Behaviors

Bullying reduction efforts benefit from combining universal and selected interventions. All children are involved occasionally as aggressor, victim or encouraging bystander, and some children are frequently involved. Bullying behavior is amply rewarded in the school environment. The Steps to Respect program aims to reduce rewards by increasing adult intervention and support for socially responsible student behavior. Cognitive-behavioral classroom curricula address peer norms, assertiveness, and general social-emotional skills. A random control trial showed decreases in playground bullying and negative bystander behavior after one year. Longitudinal analyses showed declines in all five problem behaviors after two years. Results were strongest when teachers also coached individuals involved in bullying. Compared to ‘zero-tolerance’ models, coaching offers advantages with respect to student reporting rates, discipline consistency, time-savings, and educational opportunities

Effects of a School-Based Social-Emotional Competence Program: Linking Children\u27s Goals, Attributions, and Behaviors

This study examined the effects of the Second Step social–emotional learning program and addressed the relations between social cognitions and prosocial and antisocial behavior. Children (N = 1,253) in intervention and control groups were assessed by teacher ratings, self report, and observation in two conflict situations. Intervention children were more likely to prefer prosocial goals and give egalitarian reasons for satisfaction than control children. Intervention children also required less adult intervention, and behaved less aggressively and (among girls) more cooperatively. Teacher ratings of social behavior showed improvement over time. Individual and dyadic behavior varied as a function of goals, hostile attributions, and attitude concordance within dyads. Findings are discussed with respect to social-cognitive models of aggression and prosocial behavior

Walking the Talk in Bullying Prevention: Teacher Implementation Variables Related to Initial Impact of the \u27Steps to Respect\u27 Program

This study examined relationships between teacher implementation of a comprehensive bullying prevention program and student outcomes. Implementation in third- through sixth-grade classrooms (N = 36) was measured by observation and teacher report. Student outcomes were measured by student surveys and teacher ratings of peer social skills (N = 549) and observations of playground behaviors (n = 298). Multilevel modeling showed that teacher coaching of students involved in bullying was associated with less observed victimization and destructive bystander behavior among students engaged in these problems at pretest, and less observed aggression among fifth- and sixth-grade students. Support for skill generalization related to reductions in observed aggression and victimization among older students. Adherence to lessons was associated with higher ratings of peer social skills. Quality of lesson instruction corresponded to greater self-reported victimization, as well as more perceived difficulty responding assertively to bullying. Implications for school-based practice and future research directions are discussed

Reducing Playground Bullying and Supporting Beliefs: An Experimental Trial of the \u27Steps to Respect\u27 Program

Six schools were randomly assigned to a multilevel bullying intervention or a control condition. Children in Grades 3–6 (N = 1,023) completed pre- and posttest surveys of behaviors and beliefs and were rated by teachers. Observers coded playground behavior of a random subsample (n = 544). Hierarchical analyses of changes in playground behavior revealed declines in bullying and argumentative behavior among intervention-group children relative to control-group children, increases in agreeable interactions, and a trend toward reduced destructive bystander behavior. Those in the intervention group reported enhanced bystander responsibility, greater perceived adult responsiveness, and less acceptance of bullying/aggression than those in the control group. Self-reported aggression did not differ between the groups. Implications for future research on the development and prevention of bullying are discussed

Reducing playground bullying and supporting beliefs: An experimental trial of the Steps to Respect program

Six schools were randomly assigned to a multilevel bullying intervention or a control condition. Children in Grades 3-6 (N ϭ 1,023) completed pre-and posttest surveys of behaviors and beliefs and were rated by teachers. Observers coded playground behavior of a random subsample (n ϭ 544). Hierarchical analyses of changes in playground behavior revealed declines in bullying and argumentative behavior among intervention-group children relative to control-group children, increases in agreeable interactions, and a trend toward reduced destructive bystander behavior. Those in the intervention group reported enhanced bystander responsibility, greater perceived adult responsiveness, and less acceptance of bullying/aggression than those in the control group. Self-reported aggression did not differ between the groups. Implications for future research on the development and prevention of bullying are discussed. Bullying in school is a pervasive social problem in which children exploit power imbalances in order to dominate and harm others physically, socially, or emotionally Adult and Systemic Factors Although teachers perceive themselves as intervening often against bullying, observational research shows teachers intercede in only 15% to 18% of classroom bullying episodes Bystander Behavior Bystanders to bullying events may contribute to the problem by providing attention and assistance to those who bully. Live observations showed bystanders involved in more than 80% of bullying episodes and generally reinforcing the aggression. Peers inter- We thank the school personnel, the children, and their parents not only for taking on the challenges of implementing a prevention program but for consenting to participate in this study. We also thank the following individuals: study coordinators Catherine Keelan and Truc Nguyen; teacher consultant Virginia Blashill; John Hilgedick and Rose Kroeker for creating the Personal Digital Assistant program and computer interface; Doug Cooper for manuscript assistance; and Sue Nolen and Diane Jones for their thoughtful comments on an earlier version of the article. We are indebted to the team of skilled research assistants who carried out the playground observations, particularly Collin Revoir, who assisted both with coding and coder training. Finally, we thank Debra Pepler and Wendy Craig for generously sharing their vast knowledge and collection of playground videotapes