Bully Prevention in PBS
Bruce Stiller; Rhonda Torki
Session Goals


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
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
Most
a major issue
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


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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

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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
Problem Behavior During Recess
8
6
Rob
Incidents of Problem
Behavior at Recess
4
2
0
8
1
6
Jeff
4
2
0
8
1
6
11
16
21
26
31
36
41
Bruce
6
4
2
0
8
1
6
11
16
21
26
6
31
36
41
Composite Peer
4
2
0
1
6
11
16
21
Day
26
31
36
41
Probability of Re cip ient Resp onse following Pro blem Beh avior
C ondit ional Pr obabilit y
100
90
Baseline Phase
80
Intervention Phase
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
stop
walk
positive
negative
no r esponse
Prob ability of Bystande r Resp onse following Pro blem Beh avior
C ondit ional Pr obabilit y
100
90
Baseline Phase
80
Intervention Phase
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
stop
walk
positive
negative
no response
Key Findings: First 3 years of
Implementation of BP-PBS
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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
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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: Gender
Girls reported:

observing more gender-related harassment

feeling less safe from teasing
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that offensive language is a problem
Boys reported:
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fighting back is more likely to solve a problem
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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?
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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
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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
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Critical Features of Expect Respect
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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

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
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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

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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
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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
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Expect Respect will be piloted in 2 middle
schools that want to implement the program
Participation in the pilot will involve:
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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