Bullying Interventions can be implemented at the individual, classroom, and school levels.  The most effective method for reducing bullying in your school involves using data-based decision making.  Bullying takes different forms in different schools and communities. Pre-packaged interventions may or may not be the most effective intervention for you schools specific needs.  Therefore, schools FIRST need to assess the scope and forms of the bullying. This can be done by surveying students, teachers, and parents in your schools.  Then, you can use the results of your assessment to develop targeted interventions to combat bullying behaviors.  There are a few pre-packaged interventions that allow for some flexibility in administration and which are research-based.  The following is a list of interventions and resources that may be useful for reducing bullying in your school:

Interventions:

Bully Busters (Newman, Horne, & Bartolomucci, 2000)

Bully Busters K-5 (Horne, Bartolomucci, & Newman-Carlson, 2003)

Bully Busters 6-8 (Horne, Bartolomucci, & Newman-Carlson, 2003)

• Intervention and prevention programs designed specifically for the elementary and middle school years.

• Classroom-level program addresses the essential components of the school ecology that are responsible for change.

• Focus on teacher education and training.

• Differing implementation methods facilitate the needs of different school ecologies.

Order Information:

http://www.researchpress.com/product/item/5192/

The Bullying Prevention Program (Olweus & Limber, 1999)

• The only anti-bullying program to be evaluated for a proven program in the Blueprints for Violence Prevention (Elliott, 1999). 

• Successfully replicated internationally (e.g., Whitney, Rivers, Smith, & Sharp, 1994) and in the United States (Melton et al.,1998).

• Follows a whole-school multilevel approach that includes core components targeting several levels of the school ecology.

• Implementation issues across different school ecologies are discussed. 

Order Information:

Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence

Institute of Behavioral Science

University of Colorado at Boulder

Boulder, CO 80309-0442

(303) 492-8465

http://www.Colorado.EDU/cspv/blueprints

Steps to Respect: A Violence Prevention Curriculum (Committee for Children, 2001)

• Research-based program

• Teaches empathy, impulse-control, anger management, problem-solving

• Grades K-9

• User-friendly and developmentally appropriate

Order Information:

Steps to Respect: A Violence Prevention Curriculum

568 First Avenue South, Suite 600

Seattle, WA 98104-2804

http://www.cfchildren.org/ssf/ssindex

Second Step: A Violence Prevention Program (Committee for Children, 1997)

• Research-based program; research-based modules

• Includes a module on bullying

• User-friendly

• Buy-in issues are addressed first

• Comprehensive: Grades 1-3; 4-5; 6-7; 7-8;8-9

• U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools "Exemplary Program."

Second Step: A Violence Prevention Curriculum

2203 Airport Way South, Suite 500

Seattle, WA  98134

(800) 634-4449

http://www.cfchildren.org

The Peaceful Schools Project (Twemlow, Fonagy, Sacco, Vernberg, & Twemlow)

• "A philosophy, not a program."

• Essential components: discipline plan, positive climate campaign, gentle warrior, reflection time.

• Includes parent workshops.

• Addresses the schools unique ecology.

• Impressive outcome data.  

Order Information:

"The Peaceful Schools Project."

Web: http://www.backoffbully.com

 

Bully Proofing Your School, Third Edition: A Comprehensive Approach for Elementary Schools(Garrity, Jens, Porter, Sager, Short-Camilli, 2004

The curriculum teaches strategies that help students to avoid victimization and to take a stand for a bully-free school.  

Suggested Resources:

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 Behavior: Current issues, research, and interventions. Edited by Robert A. Geffner, Marti Loring, & Corinna Young, (2002). The Haworth Press, Inc.

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. Please visit Amazon.com to purchase your copy

Bullying in Schools: How Successful can Interventions Be? Edited by Peter K. Smith, Debra Pepler, and Ken Rigby (2004). Cambridge University Press.

Bullying, Peer Harassment, and Victimization in the Schools. Edited by Maurice Elias, & Joseph Zins, (2002). The Haworth Press, Inc.

Bullying Prevention: Creating a Positive School Climate and Developing Social Competence. By Pamela Orpinas, & Arthur (Andy) Horne, (2006). American Psychological Association.      

Resilient Classrooms. Beth Doll, Steven Zucker, & Katherine Brehm. (2004). The Guilford Press.

Video Resources        

Let's Get Real- Film and curriculum guide to address name-calling and bullying