Assessing the Merits of Coeducational and Gender-Specific Bullying Prevention Programs
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University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 3-1-2010 Addressing Relational Aggression: Assessing the Merits of Coeducational and Gender-Specific Bullying Prevention Programs Rena Dulberg University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons Recommended Citation Dulberg, Rena, "Addressing Relational Aggression: Assessing the Merits of Coeducational and Gender- Specific Bullying Prevention Programs" (2010). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 171. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/171 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. ADDRESSING RELATIONAL AGGRESSION: ASSESSING THE MERITS OF COEDUCATIONAL AND GENDER-SPECIFIC BULLYING PREVENTION PROGRAMS _______ A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the University of Denver University of Denver _______ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts _______ By Rena Dulberg March 2010 Advisor: Tamra Pearson d’Estree Author: Rena Dulberg Title: ADDRESSING RELATIONAL AGGRESSION: ASSESSING THE MERITS OF COEDUCATIONAL AND GENDER-SPECIFIC BULLYING PREVENTION PROGRAMS Advisor: Tamra Pearson d’Estree Degree Date: March 2010 ABSTRACT Interviews with eight bullying prevention program directors from around the country reveal the extent to which research findings are reflected in bullying prevention programs currently in operation. Framed as a list of best practices for coeducational and gender-specific bullying prevention curricula, the purpose of the present thesis was to document the most positive contributions made by various approaches to bullying prevention programs to the overall field, and to highlight practices of programs that reflect insight into what is known about gender differences in bullying. Best practices included new approaches to empathy-building, service-learning, confidentiality, cyberbullying, positive reinforcement, reporting systems and youth-driven programming. This thesis will demonstrate that only some bullying prevention programs take advantage of scholarly knowledge by incorporating recent findings into their curricula. The results demonstrate that while many programs incorporate known literature about bullying into their programs—resulting in positive contributions to the field—others may be applying potentially harmful practices. Research findings also revealed that new best practices were present in programs regardless of status as a gender-specific or coeducational audience. ii Acknowledgements It is a pleasure to thank the many people who made this thesis possible. I owe much gratitude to my thesis supervisor, Dr. Tamra Pearson d’Estree. With her enthusiasm, inspiration and dedication to supporting my interest in the topic of bullying prevention, she helped to make the process both interesting and feasible. Throughout my thesis-writing period, she provided encouragement, sound advice, good teaching and much patience. I would like to thank the many people who have inspired my interest in the topic of adolescent bullying prevention: my high school English teacher at Sandia Preparatory School—Mr. Fitzpatrick, my undergraduate academic advisor at Occidental College— Dr. Andrea Gorman and my graduate instructors at the University of Denver—Dr. Karen Feste and Dr. Tamra Pearson d’Estree. I must also thank the members of my thesis defense committee, Dr. Judith Fox and Dr. Nicholas Cutforth. I am indebted to the many bullying prevention program directors who allowed me to interview them for this thesis (in some cases for several hours). In alphabetized order, thank you to Joyce Bignell, Kathleen Keelan, Trish Madsen, Tonja Mitchell, Jeni Rinner, Lisa Scott, Dianne Senn and Julia Taylor. I wish to thank my husband, Cory Dulberg, for his continuous support, encouragement and patience during my graduate school career. He continually provides me with help in getting through difficult times along with the added inspiration to do so while being grateful for the opportunities I have. Finally, I wish to thank both my immediate and extended family for providing a warm and supportive environment in which learning has always been a labor of love. iii Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..1 Chapter One: Literature Review ………………………………………………………….3 Subject Context.....………………………………………………………………...3 General Bullying…………………………………………………………………..3 Terminology……………………………………………………………………….8 Gender Differences in Bullying………………………………………………….11 Effects of Bullying……………………………………………………………….19 General Bullying Prevention Programs………………………………………….21 Single-sex Prevention Programming…………………………………………….25 Single-sex Education…………………………………………………………….28 Single-sex Bullying Education/Gender-Specific Bullying Prevention Programs…………………………………………………………………………31 Chapter Two: Methods…………………………………………………………………..33 Participants………………………………………………………………………33 Materials…………………………………………………………………………34 Procedure.…………………………………………………………………....…..35 Measures…………………………………………………………………………35 Data Analysis………………………………………………………………….…37 Chapter Three: Results…………………………………………………………..............38 Program Profiles………………………………………………………………....39 Data Categorization……………………………………………………………...45 Gender-Specific Benefits………………………………………………………...46 Safety in Separation Reflecting Documented Gender Differences No Facilitation Without Representation Taking Ownership New Best Practices……………………………………………………………....55 Empathy for Everyone Cyberbullying Unplugged Popping Traditional Notions of Confidentiality From Service-Learning to Service-Leading An ‘Inbox’ for Bullying Do As I Say Youth-driven Programming Additional Results………………………………………………………..….…..80 Potential Harms…………………...………………………………………….….83 Intervention-Induced Revictimization All About the Victim Conclusions………………………………………………………………………94 iv Chapter Four: Discussion………………………………………………………………...98 Chapter Five: Recommendations………………………..……………………………...100 Interdisciplinary Wisdom…………………………………………………...…..100 From the Top……………………………………………………………….…...103 The Prevention-Intervention Model…………………………………………….107 References………………………………………………………………………………112 Appendices……………………………………………………………………………...119 Appendix A………………………………………………………………….….119 Appendix B……………………………………………………………………..124 Appendix C……………………………………………………………………..129 Appendix D……………………………………………………………………..131 v Introduction Where Humans Can't Leave and Mustn't Complain -Les Murray Where humans can't leave and mustn't complain, There some will emerge who enjoy giving pain. A dreary intense groove leads them to each one they pick to torment, and the rest will then shun. Some who might have been picked, and natural police, do routine hurt, the catcalling, the giving-no-peace, but dull brilliance evolves the betrayals and names that sear dignity and life like interior flames. Whole circles get enlisted, and blood loyalties reversed by self-avengers and failures-getting-in-first but this is the eye of fashion. Its sniggering stare breeds silenced accomplices. Courage proves rare. This powers revolution; this draws flies to sad pools; this is the true curriculum of schools. 1 “Kids will be kids.” “It’s just child’s-play.” “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” “A rite of passage.” “Little girls are made of sugar, spice and everything nice.” “Boys will be boys.” Many have heard these phrases summoned in the context of confrontations between adolescent boys and girls. However, new research is beginning to uncover the reality behind such negative interactions. Research increasingly demonstrates important, even dangerous outcomes from the presence of bullying behavior for adolescents. Going far beyond healthy or normal behavior, participation in bullying and other forms of abuse has serious negative consequences later in life. Additionally, programs designed to address the issue have begun to serve as subjects for formal evaluations and analysis that reveal both effective and substandard techniques. It remains to be seen, however, which aspects of these programs can be considered most effective according to modern research results. Framed as a list of best practices for both coeducational and gender-specific bullying prevention curricula, the present thesis will document and discuss these positive contributions and highlight key programs whose practices reflect insight into what is known about gender differences in bullying. 2 Literature Review Subject context As the topic of adolescent bullying receives increased attention from researchers in social science, criminal justice, psychology and other fields, its relevance for teachers, school counselors, child-oriented psychologists, social workers, after school program coordinators, administrators, parents and of course, the youth themselves, becomes more apparent. The following summary describes major findings with regard to frequency and trends in adolescent bullying and the programs and procedures used to address it. With particular emphasis on the differences between male and female aggression, the following literature review sets the stage for new research documenting the relative contributions of gender-specific and coeducational bullying prevention programs in the United States. General bullying According to the World