Ecologically Based Assessment & Intervention for Schools
Bullying Intervention Program (BIP)
The Bullying Intervention Program (BIP; Espelage & Swearer, 2008; Swearer & Givens, 2006) is an individual cognitive–behavioral intervention for use with students who bully others. The guiding premise behind BIP is three-fold. First, we are guided by the reality that the social-cognitive perceptions of students involved in bullying interactions are as critical as are the aggressive behaviors, because the perceptions and cognitions of the participants serve to underlie, perpetuate, and escalate bullying interactions (Doll & Swearer, 2005; Swearer & Cary, 2003). Second, there is compelling research that suggests that homogeneous group interventions are not helpful for aggressive youth and in fact, may be damaging (Dishion et al., 1999). Third, we know that zero tolerance policies do not help students change their behaviors. Based on these three underlying premises, the BIP was developed as a mechanism for school counselors and school psychologists to work directly with students who bully others to help them change their bullying behaviors and develop more pro-social behaviors.
The BIP is in part based upon a decade of research on school bullying under the research project, “Target Bullying: Ecologically-Based Prevention and Intervention for Schools.” BIP was developed in collaboration with a middle school principal who experienced the fact that in-school suspension, suspension, and expulsion were ineffective strategies for reducing bullying behaviors. Research has also found that zero tolerance policies are not effective in curbing aggressive behaviors (Casella, 2003) and that expulsion is equally ineffective in reducing aggressive behavior (Gordon, 2001). Thus, the interventions typically employed in school settings (group treatment, zero tolerance, suspension, and expulsion) are ineffective in dealing with bullying behaviors.
The BIP is an alternative to in-school suspension for bullying behaviors. When a student is referred for bullying behaviors, the typical protocol is that the student is sent to in-school suspension. In BIP, parents are given a choice: in-school suspension or the BIP. In all cases since the program’s inception (2005), parents have chosen BIP. The BIP is a 3 hour one-on-one cognitive–behavioral intervention session with a masters-level therapist, counselor, or school psychologist. There are three components to the BIP: (1) assessment, (2) psychoeducation, and (3) feedback.
The assessment component consists of widely used measures to assess experiences with bullying, depression, anxiety, cognitive distortions, school climate, and self-concept. The psychoeducation component consists of the therapist presenting an engaging and youth-friendly PowerPoint presentation about bullying behaviors. The presentation is followed by a short quiz to assess for understanding. This is followed by several worksheet activities about bullying behavior that are used from Bully Busters (Newman et al., 2000). Finally, the student-therapist and the referred student watch a video about bullying. The session ends with a debriefing component where the referred student talks about his or her experiences with bullying and impressions of BIP. Based on the assessment data and the interactions with the referred student, a bullying intervention treatment report is written. Recommendations are based on the data collected. The treatment report is reviewed with the parents, student, and school personnel during a face-to-face solution-oriented meeting.
The BIP is in part based upon a decade of research on school bullying under the research project, “Target Bullying: Ecologically-Based Prevention and Intervention for Schools.” BIP was developed in collaboration with a middle school principal who experienced the fact that in-school suspension, suspension, and expulsion were ineffective strategies for reducing bullying behaviors. Research has also found that zero tolerance policies are not effective in curbing aggressive behaviors (Casella, 2003) and that expulsion is equally ineffective in reducing aggressive behavior (Gordon, 2001). Thus, the interventions typically employed in school settings (group treatment, zero tolerance, suspension, and expulsion) are ineffective in dealing with bullying behaviors.
The BIP is an alternative to in-school suspension for bullying behaviors. When a student is referred for bullying behaviors, the typical protocol is that the student is sent to in-school suspension. In BIP, parents are given a choice: in-school suspension or the BIP. In all cases since the program’s inception (2005), parents have chosen BIP. The BIP is a 3 hour one-on-one cognitive–behavioral intervention session with a masters-level therapist, counselor, or school psychologist. There are three components to the BIP: (1) assessment, (2) psychoeducation, and (3) feedback.
The assessment component consists of widely used measures to assess experiences with bullying, depression, anxiety, cognitive distortions, school climate, and self-concept. The psychoeducation component consists of the therapist presenting an engaging and youth-friendly PowerPoint presentation about bullying behaviors. The presentation is followed by a short quiz to assess for understanding. This is followed by several worksheet activities about bullying behavior that are used from Bully Busters (Newman et al., 2000). Finally, the student-therapist and the referred student watch a video about bullying. The session ends with a debriefing component where the referred student talks about his or her experiences with bullying and impressions of BIP. Based on the assessment data and the interactions with the referred student, a bullying intervention treatment report is written. Recommendations are based on the data collected. The treatment report is reviewed with the parents, student, and school personnel during a face-to-face solution-oriented meeting.
More information on the Bullying Intervention Program can be found in chapter 7 of Bullying Prevention and Intervention: Realistic Strategies for Schools (Swearer, Espelage, & Napolitano, 2009).
Train the Trainers
If you are interested in having your school counseling staff trained in the BIP, please use the Contact Us link and indicate your interest in the BIP training.
Video Resources used in BIP
Stories of Us: Bullying
Order Information:
1215 Wellesley Rd,
Madison, Wisconsin 53711
(608) 232 1682
Web: www.storiesofus.com
1215 Wellesley Rd,
Madison, Wisconsin 53711
(608) 232 1682
Web: www.storiesofus.com
Let's Get Real Film and curriculum guide to address name-calling and bullying
Order Information:
The Respect for All Project c/o Women's Educational Media
2180 Bryant St., Suite 203
San Francisco, CA 94110
800-405-3322
Email: info@respectforall.org
Web: www.groundspark.org/films/letsgetreal/
The Respect for All Project c/o Women's Educational Media
2180 Bryant St., Suite 203
San Francisco, CA 94110
800-405-3322
Email: info@respectforall.org
Web: www.groundspark.org/films/letsgetreal/
Bully Dance
To Learn More About Bullying/Victimization
And Words can Hurt Forever: How to Protect Adolescents from Bullying, Harassment, and Emotional Violence (2002). By James Garbarino and Ellen deLara.The Free Press.
Bullying in American Schools: A Social-Ecological Perspective on Prevention and Intervention. Edited by Dorothy L. Espelage, & Susan M. Swearer, (2004). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Bullying in Schools: How Successful can Interventions Be? Edited by Peter K. Smith, Debra Pepler, and Ken Rigby (2004). Cambridge University Press.
Bullying Prevention: Creating a Positive School Climate and Developing Social Competence. By Pamela Orpinas, & Arthur (Andy) Horne, (2006). American Psychological Association.
Bullying Prevention and Intervention. By Susan Swearer, Dorothy Espelage, and Scott Napolitano. (2009). Guilford Press. (Please visit Amazon.com to purchase your copy)
Bullying: A Handbook for Educators and Parents. By Ian Rivers, Neil Duncan, and Valerie Besag. (2007). Praeger.
Children and Bullying: How Parents and Educators can Reduce Bullying at School. By Ken Rigby. (2008). Blackwell Publishing.
Resilient Classrooms. Beth Doll, Steven Zucker, & Katherine Brehm. (2004). The Guilford Press.
Understanding and Addressing Bullying: An International Perspective. Edited by Debra Pepler and Wendy Craig (2008). AuthorHouse.
School Violence
and Primary Prevention. Edited by
Thomas W. Miller (2008). Springer.
Bullying in
North American schools, 2nd
edition. Edited by Dorothy L. Espelage and Susan M. Swearer (2011). Routledge.
Handbook of
bullying in schools: An international perspective. Edited by Shane R. Jimerson, Susan M. Swearer, &
Dorothy L.Espelage. (2010). Routledge.
Cyberbullying. By Robin M. Kowalski, Susan P. Limber, & Patricia W.
Agatston. (2008). Blackwell Publishing.
Cyberbullying:
What counselors need to know.
By Sheri Bauman. (2011). American Counseling Association.
Bullying, rejection, and peer victimization: A social
cognitive neuroscience perspective. Edited by Monica J. Harris. (2009). Springer Publishing Company.
Copyright . Susan Swearer All rights reserved.
