Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Prevailing Interventions to Address Peer Victimization at school: A Study of California School Psychologists

  • Article
  • Published:
The California School Psychologist Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In an effort to understand how schools are coping with incidents of peer victimization, this study explored the types of related interventions currently being offered by public schools in Northern California. School psychologists’ perceptions of the importance of the available interventions were also examined (N = 96). The interventions reported to be the most widely available were a) whole-school no tolerance policies and b) school to home communication. Generally, the endorsed availability of interventions decreased as the intensity level of intervention increased. Interventions endorsed as most important were a) the whole-school no tolerance policy; b) general school climate interventions; c) school to home communication; and d) education of school personnel about bullying. Analyses examining the relative use of primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions revealed that school psychologists report primary intervention as most important for reducing levels of bullying at their schools. Analyses also revealed that the differences between psychologists’ ratings on each of the levels of the intervention hierarchy were significant. Implications for further scholarship and practice are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baldry, A. & Farrington, D.P. (2000). Bullies and delinquents: Personal characteristics and parental styles. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 10, 17–31. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1099–1298(200001/02)10:1<17:: AID-CASP526>3.0.CO;2-M

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barboza, G.E., Schiamberg, L.B., Oehmke, J., Korzeniewski, S., Post, L., Heraux, C. (2009). Individual characteristics and the multiple contexts of adolescent bullying: An Ecological Perspective. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 38, 101–121. doi:10.1007/s10964-008-9271-1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boivin, M., Hymel, S., & Bukowski, W.M. (1995). The roles of social withdrawal, peer rejection, and victimization by peers in predicting loneliness and depressed mood in childhood. Development and Psychopathology, 7, 765–785. doi:10.1017/S0954579400006830

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brewster, C., & Railsback, J. (2001). Schoolwide prevention of bullying. Retrieved March 1, 2005 from: http://www.nwrel.org/request/dec01/.

  • Brock, S.E., Nickerson, A., O’Malley, M.D., & Chang, Y. (2006). Understanding children victimized by their peers. Journal of School Violence, 5, 3–18. doi:10.1300/J202v05n03_02

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, W.H., Odom, S.L., & Conroy, M.A. (2001). An intervention hierarchy for promoting young children’s peer interactions in natural environments. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 21, 162–175. doi:10.1177/0 27112140102100304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bullying Prevention for School Safety and Crime Reduction Act, 828 CEC, §35294 (2003).

  • Card, N.A. & Hodges, E. (2008). Peer victimization among school children: Correlations, causes, consequences, and considerations in assessment and intervention. School Psychology Quarterly, 23, 451–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carney, J.V. (2000). Bullied to death: Perceptions of peer abuse and suicidal behavior during adolescence. School Psychology International, 21, 213–223. doi:10.1177/0143034300212007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, A. & Canter, A. (2002). Bullying: Facts for schools and parents. Retrieved on September 6, 2006 from: www.naspcenter.org/factsheets/bullying_fs.html

  • Cunningham, C.E., Cunningham, L.J., Martorelli, V., Tran, A., Young, J., & Zacharias, R. (1998). The effects of primary division, student-mediated conflict resolution programs on playground aggression. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 39, 653–662.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dishion, T.J., & Patterson, G.R. (1992). Age effects in parent training outcome. Behavior Therapy, 23, 719–729 doi:10.1016/S0005-7894(05)80231-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fried, S., & Fried, P. (1996). Bullies and victims: Helping your child survive in the schoolyard battlefield. New York: M. Evans.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gimpell, G.A., & Collett, B.R. (2002). Best Practices in Behavioral Parent Training. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.) Best Practices in Schoool Psychology IV (pp. 451–465). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jimerson, S.R., & Furlong, M.J. (Eds) (2006). Handbook of school violence and school safety: From research to practice. Mahwah, New Jersey. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jimerson, S.R., Swearer, S.M., & Espelage, D.L. (Eds) (2009). The Handbook of Bullying in Schools: An International Perspective New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasen, S., Berensen, K., Cohen, P., & Johnson, J.G. (2004). The effects of school climate on changes in aggressive and other behaviors related to bullying. In D. Espelange & S. Swearer (Eds.) Bullying in American Schools: A Social-Ecological Perspective on Prevention and Intervention. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larson, J., Smith, D.C., & Furlong, M.J. (2002). Best Practices in School Violence Prevention. In A. Thomas and J. Grimes (Eds.) Best Practices in School Psychology IV (pp 1081–1097). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, G.R., & Sulzer-Azaroff, B. (2002). Interventions for Vandalism and Aggression. In M.R. Shinn, H.M. Walker, & G. Stoner (Eds.) Interventions for academic and behavior problems II: Preventive and remedial approaches (pp. 853–883). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNamara, K. (2002). Best Practices in Promotion of Social Competence in the Schools. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.) Best Practices in Schoool Psychology IV (911–927). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

    Google Scholar 

  • Metzler, C.W., Biglan, A., Rusby, J.C., & Sprague, J.R. (2001). Evaluation of a comprehensive behavior management program to improve school wide positive behavior support. Education and Treatment of Children, 24, 448–479.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nansel, T.R., Overpeck, M., Pilla, R.S., Ruan, W.J., Simons-Morton, B., Scheidt, P. (2001). Bullying behaviors among U.S. youth: Prevalence and association with psychosocial adjustment. Journal of the American Medical Association, 285, 2094–2100.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Natvig, G.K., Albreksten, G., & Qvarnstom, U. (2001). School-Related stress experience as a risk factor for bullying behavior. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 5, 561–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naylor, P., & Cowie, H. (1999). The effectiveness of peer support systems in challenging school bullying: The perspectives and experiences of teachers and pupils. Journal of Adolescence, 22, 467–479. doi:10.1006/jado.1999.0241

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nickerson, A.B, Brock, S.E, Chang, Y., & O’Malley, M.D. (2006). Responding to children victimized by their peers. Journal of School Violence, 5, 19–32. doi:10.1300/J202v05n03_03

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school: What we know and what we can do. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olweus, D., Limber, S., & Mihalic, S. F. (1999). Blueprints for violence prevention: Book nine. Bullying prevention program. Boulder, CO: Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, M.A. (2005). Knowledge and roles in the school violence agenda: A national survey of school psychologists. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, 66, 570.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rigby, P. (2000). Effects of peer victimization in schools and perceived social support on adolescent well-being. Journal of Adolescence, 1, 57–68. doi:10.1006/jado.1999.0289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sawyer, A., Bradshaw, C.P., & O’Brennan, L.M. (2008). Examining Ethnic, Gender, and Developmental Differences in the Way Children Report Being a Victim of “Bullying” on Self-Report Measures. Journal of Adolescent Health, 43, 106–114. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.12.011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Skiba, R. & Sprague, J. (2008). Safety without suspensions. Educational Leadership, September 2008, 38–43.

  • Skiba, R., Reynolds, C.R., Graham, S., Sheras, P., Close-Conoley, J., Garcia-Vasquez, E. (2006). Are Zero Tolerance Policies Effective in the Schools? An Evidentiary Review and Recommendations. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slee, P.T. (1994). Situational and interpersonal correlates of anxiety associated with peer victimization. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 25, 97–107.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J.D., Schneider, B.H., Smith, P.K., & Ananiadou, K. (2004). The effectiveness of whole-school antibullying programs: A synthesis of evaluation research. School Psychology Review, 33, 547–560.

    Google Scholar 

  • SPSS Inc. (2008). PASW Base 17.0 for Mac User’s Guide. SPSS, Inc., Chicago, Il.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitney, I., & Smith, P. K. (1993). A survey of the nature and extent of bullying in junior/middle and secondary schools. Educational Research, 35, 3–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, H.M., Horner, R.H., & Sugai, G. (1996). Integrated approaches to preventing antisocial behavior patterns among school-age children and youth. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 4, 194–209. doi:10.117 7/106342669600400401

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. GGSE, CCSP, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9490, USA

    Meagan D. O’Malley M.A., NCSP

Authors
  1. Meagan D. O’Malley M.A., NCSP
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Meagan D. O’Malley M.A., NCSP.

Additional information

Note

The author would like to thank Stephen E. Brock, Ph.D., Catherine Christo, Ph.D., and Shane R. Jimerson, Ph.D., for their guidance and support related to this manuscript.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

O’Malley, M.D. Prevailing Interventions to Address Peer Victimization at school: A Study of California School Psychologists. Contemp School Psychol 14, 47–57 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03340950

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03340950

Keywords

Search

Navigation