HRSA’s Stop Bullying Now! Campaign Job Corps Health & Wellness Conference

1. HRSA’s Stop Bullying Now! CampaignJob Corps Health & Wellness Conference Erin Reiney, MPH, CHES U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration November 2011

2. Today’s Discussion • Bullying Overview • Health Consequences • Myths • Youth at Risk • Best Practices and Climate • Campaign Resources • The Role of Bystanders • Breakout Groups: Scenario-Based Discussions

3. Bullying Overview

4. Bullying… • Is aggressive behavior that intends to cause harm or distress • Usually is repeated over time • Occurs in a relationship where there is an imbalance of power or strength

5. Key Facts About Bullying Bullying is best understood as a group phenomenon in which youth may play a variety of roles. • Youth Who Bullies • Youth Who Is Being Bullied • Bystander

6. Examples of Cyberbullying • Repeatedly sending rude or offensive text messages • Posting or sending digitally altered photos • Impersonating another and sending offensive messages • Tricking someone into revealing embarrassing info and forwarding it to others

7. Cyberbullying and “Traditional” Bullying Similar characteristics: • Aggressiveness • Power imbalance • Repetitiveness Different characteristics: • Anonymity • Disinhibition • Accessibility • Punitive fears • Bystanders

8. Bullying, School Engagement & Academic Achievement

9. Health Consequences of Bullying Studies comparing symptoms of youth who are bullied to their non-bullied peers, the youth victims manifested: Higher rates of physical problems • Consistently higher risks of psychosomatic problems among victimized children shown in a search of 11 studies through March 2008 involving 152,186 youth, ages 7 to 16 years (Gini & Pozzoli, 2009) • Among 15,686 US middle school students, those who suffered one or more physical or emotional symptoms several times a week were 2.4-3.5 times more likely to be involved in frequent bullying incidents (Srabstein et al., 2006) • Bullied students in Dutch schools, ages 9-12, were 3 times more likely to have headaches, feel listless and wet their beds, and were twice as likely to have trouble sleeping, have stomach pains, feel tense, tired and have poor appetites (Fekkes, et al., 2004)

10. Health Consequences of Bullying Signs of distress and psychological difficulties • Adolescents surveyed in the U.S. who reported frequent exposure to 4-5 different forms of bullying were at high risk of depression, suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts (Klomek, Marrocco, Kleinman, Schonfeld, & Gould, 2008) • Bullied youth reported more psychopathology and lower self worth in a large study of Norwegian adolescents aged 11-15 (Undheim & Sund, 2010) • Australian youth who are bullied frequently (at least once a week) were twice as likely to report wishing they were dead and having reoccurring thoughts of suicide (Rigby, 1996)

11. State Laws States with Laws on Bullying 47 States with No Laws on Bullying 3 (MI, MT, & SD + DC)

12. True or False: Bullying Myths 1. Bullying is the same thing as conflict. False 2. Most bullying is physical. False

13. How are Students Bullied? (Olweus & Limber, 2010) Grades 3-12

14. True or False: Bullying Myths 3. Bullying isn’t serious, it’s just a matter of “kids being kids.” False 4. Very few students are involved in bullying by the time they get to high school. False

15. Bullying Status Among High School Students (2-3 times/month or more)Olweus & Limber (2010) Grades 3-12

16. True or False: Bullying Myths 5. Bullying is mostly a problem in urban schools. False 6. Children and youth who are bullied almost always tell an adult. False

17. True or False: Bullying Myths 7. Bullying is more likely to happen at school than on a bus. True 8. Children and youth who bully are mostly loners with few social skills. False

18. True or False: Bullying Myths 9. Bullied youth need to learn how to deal with bullying on their own. False 10. High school students who observe bullying do not feel sorry for those who are bullied and don’t want to get involved. False

19. Students’ Perceptions of Bullied Students (Olweus & Limber, 2010) 88% of high school girls and 66% of high school boys feel sorry when they see a student being bullied.

20. If you see or learn that a student is being bullied, how do you usually react? (Olweus & Limber, 2010)

21. Groups at Risk for Bullying

22. Youth at High Risk For Bullying Include: • Those with: • Learning disabilities • ADHD • Autism Spectrum Disorder • Special health care needs or chronic diseases • Those who are: • Obese • LGBT

23. LGBT Youth • Exposure to biased language (2009 National School Climate Survey): • 72%of students heard homophobic or sexist remarks often or frequently at school. • 89%heard “gay” or “queer” used in a negative way. • 60%reported ever hearing homophobic remarks from their teachers or other school staff. • Only15%said that school personnel frequently intervened when hearing homophobic remarks.

24. LGBT Youth, cont. • 61% of LGBT students felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation. • 30% missed one or more days of school in the past month because they felt unsafe. • Students most commonly avoided locker rooms (36%) and bathrooms (34%) because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable.

25. Harassment and Assault at School(2009 National School Climate Survey)

26. Best Practices and Climate

27. Best Practices Focus on the social environment of the school Change in attitudes, behaviors, and norms takes considerable time and commitment Garner staff and parent support for and involvement in prevention Collect local data to determine need related to bullying, climate, and violence Use data to monitor where bullying is happening, impact of programs, need for training, etc. Assess perspectives of students, staff, and parents Increase adult supervision in “hot spots” where bullying occurs

28. Best Practices, cont. Train staff how to intervene effectively and consistently in bullying situations Intervene consistently and appropriately in bullying situations Establish and enforce school-wide rules and policies related to bullying Spend class time talking about bullying prevention Classroom is very important context for prevention (Durlak et al., in press) Coordinate and integrate prevention programs and activities

29. Best Practices, cont. Implement multi-component programs which teach social-emotional skills and prosocial behavior to all students in the classroom and schoolwide Use more intensive selected and indicated programs for students at higher risk Attend to implementation fidelity and factors that influence implementation Community support, teacher buy-in, administrative leadership, and ‘coaching’ are critical to the high quality implementation of programs Sustain these efforts over time Integrating programs and supports to promote fidelity and sustainability (Adelman & Taylor, 1997; Domitrovich, Bradshaw et al., 2009)

30. Factors in a Positive School Climate • Evidence of a Safe and Positive School Climate: • There’s a sense of belonging and students like school—school connectedness. • Everyone is treated with respect and their talents are acknowledged. • Clear rules and expectations that are fairly and consistently applied. Supportive friendships between peers in which sincere appreciation and concerns are shared. Trusting adults who are willing to discuss and address bullying in appropriate ways.

31. School Connectedness • 73%of 10-18 year-olds reported having a best friend at school • Gallup Survey on School Engagement (2009) • 73%believe they are treated fairly in school • 55%agree that their school’s rules are fair • 63% agree that their school’s rules are applied and enforced consistently • High School Survey of Student Engagement (2009)

32. Percentage of Students Who Have No or Only One Good Friend in Their Class Olweus & Limber (2010)

33. Percentage of Students Who Dislike SchoolOlweus & Limber (2010) Grade

34. Sense of Belonging • 70% agreed that “I care about this school” • 64% would choose to go to the same school • 57% agreed that “I am an important part of my high school community” • High School Survey of Student Engagement (2009)

35. Campaign Resources

36. Stop Bullying Now! Basics Who: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) What: Stop Bullying Now! Campaign When: Launched in 2004 Why: Raise awareness about bullying prevention and intervention among youth and adults and maximize partnerships.

37. Audience-Specific Tip Sheets

38. Audience-Specific Tip Sheets

39. Activities Guide • Suggestions for planning activities to raise awareness • Model programs

40. Recommendations for Use • Activities Guide ideas include: • Stop Bullying Now! theme week • Brown Bag Lunch/Teacher In-service • Mentoring program • Chalk it up! • Pledge wall • Much more

41. Posters Targeted for Adults

42. Youth Leaders’ Toolkit

43. Recommendations for Use • Youth Leaders’ Toolkit includes ideas for: • Bullying prevention projects, including videos/PSAs, murals, skits and plays • Step-by-step implementation guide • Project timelines and budgets • Ways to promote work • Techniques for evaluating success

44. Federal Partnerships

45. Bystanders

46. Support From Peers • 81% of high school students agreed that they feel supported by other students. • High School Survey of Student Engagement (2009) • 48% of U.S. students (age 11, 13, 15) agree that most of the students in their class(es) are kind and helpful. • Health Behaviour of School-Aged Children (2005/2006)

47. Percentage Who Say Other Students Try to Stop Bullying Olweus & Limber (2010)

48. Adult Support at School • 88%agreed that “There is at least one adult in this school who cares about me.” • 74%agreed that “There is at least one adult in this school who knows me well.” • 82%agreed that they felt supported by teachers • 67%believed that “most” or “all” of their teachers want them to do the best work they can do (17% “none” or “one”) • High School Survey of Student Engagement (2009)

49. Percentage Who Say Teachers or Other Adults at School Try to Stop Bullying Olweus & Limber (2010) Grade

50. Challenges to Engagement: Snitching Many youth do not report bullying to school staff. Older students and boys are less likely than younger students and girls to report their victimization. Percentage of Students Who Have or Have Not Reported Bullying (Olweus & Limber, 2010)