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• Forum - Classroom Environment: Educator Viewpoints

Our goal at this site is to provide research information (selected articles) and Forums (submitted suggestions/opinions) to help educators improve their classroom environment and teaching methods. We are asking teachers/administrators to share their successful techniques and submit them here so others can benefit. We are particularly interested in hearing about innovative/creative approaches that improve the classroom learning environment. Please fill out our Educators' Form and submit your suggestions/opinions to us. Selected responses will be listed at "Forum - Classroom Environment: Educator Viewpoints".

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Oppositional Defiant Disorders

NIH - Medical Encyclopedia Oppositional Defiant Disorder

"Oppositional defiant disorder is a pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures. To fit this diagnosis, the pattern must persist for at least 6 months and must go beyond the bounds of normal childhood misbehavior.

Symptoms: • Arguing with adults • Loss of temper • Angry and resentful of others • Actively defies adults' requests • Spiteful or vindictive behavior • Blames others for own mistakes • Is touchy or easily annoyed • Few or no friends or loss of previous friends • Constant trouble in school ...

Possible Complications: In a significant proportion of cases, the adult condition of conduct disorder can be traced back to the presence of oppositional defiant disorder in childhood ...

Prevention: Consistency in rules and fair consequences should be practiced in the child's home. Punishments should not be overly harsh or inconsistently applied. Appropriate behaviors should be modeled by the adults in the household. Abuse and neglect increase the chances that this condition will occur. "

Highlighted Articles

Oppositional defiant disorder. (Aust Fam Physician. 2008) “DISCUSSION: Many of the behaviours required to meet this diagnosis are not uncommon in the preschool child or adolescent. However, in children with ODD the behaviours are persistent, cause significant distress to the family system, and impact on the child's social and educational functioning. Oppositional defiant disorder usually presents in the preschool years, although it may become evident during adolescence. There is strong evidence that early intervention to increase positive factors in family relationships and to increase both the parents' and child's skill levels can assist in the prevention of more serious disorders and mental health issues.”

Lifetime prevalence, correlates, and persistence of oppositional defiant disorder: results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. (J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2007) "Results: Lifetime prevalence of ODD is estimated to be 10.2% (males = 11.2%; females = 9.2%). Of those with lifetime ODD, 92.4% meet criteria for at least one other lifetime DSM-IV disorder, including: mood (45.8%), anxiety (62.3%), impulse-control (68.2%), and substance use (47.2%) disorders. ODD is temporally primary in the vast majority of cases for most comorbid disorders. Both active and remitted ODD significantly predict subsequent onset of secondary disorders even after controlling for comorbid conduct disorder (CD). Early onset (before age 8) and comorbidity predict slow speed of recovery of ODD. Conclusions: ODD is a common child- and adolescent-onset disorder associated with substantial risk of secondary mood, anxiety, impulse-control, and substance use disorders. These results support the study of ODD as a distinct disorder."

Conduct Disorders

NIH - Medical Encyclopedia Conduct Disorder

"Conduct disorder, a disorder of childhood and adolescence, involves chronic behavior problems, such as defiant, impulsive, or antisocial behavior; drug use; or criminal activity.

Causes: Conduct disorder has been associated with family conflicts, child abuse, poverty, genetic defects, and parental drug addiction or alcoholism. The diagnosis is more common among boys and is estimated to be as high as 10%. However, because many of the qualities necessary to make the diagnosis (such as "defiance" and "rule breaking") can be subjective, it is hard to know how common the disorder really is. For accurate diagnosis, the behavior must be far more extreme than simple adolescent rebellion or boyish exuberance. Conduct disorder is often associated with attention-deficit disorder, and the two together carry a major risk for alcohol and/or other drug dependence. Children with conduct disorder tend to be impulsive, difficult to control, and unconcerned about the feelings of others ...

Symptoms: Cruel or aggressive behavior toward people and animals • Destruction of property, including fire setting • Lying, truancy, running away • Vandalism, theft • Heavy drinking and/or heavy illicit drug use • Breaking rules without apparent reason • Antisocial behaviors, such as bullying and fighting ...

Possible Complications: Children with conduct disorder may go on to develop personality disorders as adults, particularly antisocial personality disorder. As their behaviors worsen, these individuals may also develop significant drug and legal problems.

When to Contact a Medical Professional: See your health care provider if your child seems to be overly aggressive, is bullying others, is being victimized, or continually gets in trouble. Early treatment may help."

Highlighted Articles

A 30-Year Prospective Follow-up Study of Hyperactive Boys With Conduct Problems: Adult Criminality. (J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007)

"CONCLUSIONS: Hyperactive/ADHD boys with conduct problems are at increased risk for adult criminality. Hyperactive boys without childhood conduct problems are not at increased risk for later criminality. An intensive 3-year MMT treatment of 6- to 12-year-old hyperactive boys is insufficient to prevent later adult criminality."

From conduct disorder to severe mental illness: associations with aggressive behaviour, crime and victimization. (Psychol Med. 2007)

"CONCLUSIONS: Men and women with severe mental illness who have a history of CD by mid-adolescence are at increased risk for aggressive behaviour and violent crime. These patients are easily identifiable and may benefit from learning-based treatments aimed at reducing antisocial behaviour. Longitudinal, prospective investigations are needed to understand why CD is more common among people with than without schizophrenia."

CONTINUE YOUR INFOMEDSEARCH RESEARCH with our previous InfoMedLinks. Start with InfoMedLinks 2007.

Health - Environment and Learning

Bullying

NEWS:

A Boy the Bullies Love to Beat Up, Repeatedly

Behaving Violently At School: Adolescents' Values Can Serve As A Buffer

Boy-girl Bullying In Middle Grades More Common Than Previously Thought

Bullies May Enjoy Seeing Others In Pain “"Aggressive adolescents showed a specific and very strong activation of the amygdala and ventral striatum (an area that responds to feeling rewarded) when watching pain inflicted on others, which suggested that they enjoyed watching pain," he said. Unlike the control group, the youth with conduct disorder did not activate the area of the brain involved in self-regulation (the medial prefrontal cortex and the temporoparietal junction).”

Bullying And Being Bullied Linked To Suicide In Children, Review Of Studies Suggests “According to international studies, bullying is common and affects anywhere from 9 percent to 54 percent of children. In the United States, many have blamed bullying for spurring acts of violence, including the Columbine High School massacre. In the United States, many adults scoff at bullying and say, "Oh, that's what happens when kids are growing up," according to Kim, who argues that bullying is serious and causes major problems for children. Kim is currently studying whether being bullied actually leads to suicide, although she acknowledges it will be difficult for researchers to get a firm grasp on a cause-and-effect relationship. She said that to confirm a definitive link, researchers would have to rule out the possibility that some unknown factor makes certain children more susceptible to both bullying and suicide. For now, Kim said, the existing research should encourage adults to pay more attention to bullying and signs of suicidal behavior in children.”

Bullying Of Teenagers Online Is Common, UCLA Psychologists Report “Nearly three in four teenagers say they were bullied online at least once during a recent 12-month period, and only one in 10 reported such cyber-bullying to parents or other adults, according to a new study by UCLA psychologists.”

Bullying starts early and escalates for some kids “Bullying starts as early as preschool for some children and may get progressively worse, a new study shows. The study also found that children who show early signs of being physically aggressive (at age 17 months), who come from families with harsh parenting styles, or from poor families seem more likely to be consistently the target of bullying by their peers. "Preventive efforts should start early and focus on the child and their family to alleviate or mitigate these negative life experiences and their related outcomes," Dr. Michel Boivin from Laval University, Quebec City, Canada, an investigator on the study, told Reuters Health. In the report, published today in Archives of General Psychiatry, Boivin and colleagues point out that as many as 1 in 10 children are bullied by children their own age. Studies also show that peer bullying "becomes increasingly stable over time, with the same children enduring such negative experiences throughout childhood and adolescence," they note. Chronic bullying may lead to a whole host of problems including depression, loneliness, low self-esteem, physical health problems, social withdrawal, alcohol or drug use, low school performance, as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviors. “

Bullying Top Concern of Parents With Overweight Child “"We found that parents with overweight or obese children actually view bullying as a greater problem than childhood obesity," Dr. Matthew M. Davis, director of the National Poll on Children's Health, said in a university news release. "Since bullying is known to be a problem for children with increased weight, bullying prevention programs will need to be mindful of obesity as a potential trigger for bullying behavior and of parents concerns surrounding this issue." “

Bullying Victimization Study At University Of Denver “In skills instruction, students learned how to use social and interpersonal skills to decrease the likelihood of being bullied by classmates. They also were taught ways to stand up for themselves and others, and instruction in asking for help when confronted by a bully. The goal of the training was to teach students how to use these skills to stay out of trouble, build positive relationships, make good decisions, and avoid anti-social behavior. "Understanding the consequences of bullying from both a bully and a victim perspective is emphasized in training sessions," Jenson reports. "Our findings point to the importance of social and emotional skills in reducing bullying."”

Children Who Bully Also Have Problems With Other Relationships “Bullying is a behavior that most children engage in at some point during their school years, according to the study. Almost a tenth (9.9 percent) of the students said they engaged in consistently high levels of bullying from elementary through high school. Some 13.4 percent said they bullied at relatively high levels in elementary school but dropped to almost no bullying by the end of high school. Some 35.1 percent of the children said they bullied peers at moderate levels. And 41.6 percent almost never reported bullying across the adolescent years. The study also found that children who bullied tended to be aggressive and lacking in a moral compass and they experienced a lot of conflict in their relationships with their parents. In addition, their relationships with friends also were marked by a lot of conflict, and they tended to associate with others who bullied. … "Interventions must focus on the children who bully, with attention to their aggressive behavior problems, social skills, and social problem-solving skills. A focus on the child alone is not sufficient. Bullying is a relationship problem that requires relationship solutions by focusing on the bullying children's strained relationships with parents and risky relationships with peers," according to Pepler. "By providing intensive and ongoing support starting in the elementary school years to this small group of youth who persistently bully, it may be possible to promote healthy relationships and prevent their 'career path' of bullying that leads to numerous social-emotional and relationship problems in adolescence and adulthood." “

Culture Affects How Teen Girls See Sexual Harassment

Getting Tough on Bullying “"Bullying shouldn't be considered a normal part of growing up. Adults need to take it seriously and try to understand why kids are involved on either end of bullying," said Richard Gallagher, director of the Parenting Institute at the New York University Child Study Center. "Any form of verbal or physical behavior that is controlling or threatening is bullying," he said. “

High-school Girls Who Consider Themselves Attractive Are More Likely To Be Targets For Bullying

How And Why Some Children Become Chronically Abused By Peers “As soon as children are old enough to interact socially, some become entrenched in chronic and increasing patterns of victimization by their peers, according to a new report. Children who are aggressive in infancy and are from families with harsh parenting styles and insufficient income appear more likely to be consistently victimized. As many as one in 10 youth are the direct target of physical attacks, hostile words and social aggression from peers during school years, according to background information in the article. "Studies also show that peer victimization becomes increasingly stable over time, with the same children enduring such negative experiences throughout childhood and adolescence," the authors write. "The consequences associated with high and chronic victimization are manifold and include depression, loneliness, low self-esteem, physical health problems, social withdrawal, alcohol and/or drug use, school absence and avoidance, decrease in school performance, self-harm and suicidal ideation [thoughts and behaviors]." “

How to help your child cope with a bully “Toting anti-bullying posters and masking tape, Magee was determined to let students see from Day One that she had a zero-tolerance policy when it came to that kind of harassment. "Middle-school kids are just cruel to each other," Magee said. "They speak their minds, so you see bullying in the form of teasing, taunting, social isolation and name calling." The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimated that 30 percent of all children in grades six through 10 have been bullied or have bullied other children during a school year. Clinical psychologist Mark Crawford of Roswell, Georgia, called the statistics unacceptable. "Bullying is not a rite of passage," he said. "It always has a bad outcome. ... She warned mothers and fathers to be on the lookout for signs a child is being bullied. "When you see signs of being anxious, sad and withdrawn, of having a kid move off their typical personality, it alerts you that something is going on." Crawford noted that some of those symptoms can be attributed to typical adolescent behavior, but he added, "When you see a real change in a child's personality or their normal routine, it's a bad sign. ... He encouraged parents to talk with their child first and get them to open up about what's happening. "You need to find out when it is happening, where it is happening and exactly what is going on," he said. When elementary age children are involved, Crawford recommended parents intervene more quickly. "Younger kids have a limited arsenal from which to draw," he said. "They don't necessarily know how to be more assertive." “

In Several States, A Push to Stem Cyber-Bullying “Willard said it is a mistake for school officials not to pay attention to cyber-bullying outside of school because escalating harassment often spills onto campus. Research also shows that such bullying leads to students failing in school, avoiding class and contemplating suicide, she said. As it is, schools may discipline students for actions outside of class if they disrupt the educational process, said Kim Croyle, a West Virginia lawyer who represents several school boards and lectures nationally on cyber-bullying. If, for instance, a student calls in a bomb threat from outside school or threatens another student so badly that they avoid school, the school could take action. “

Kids with ADHD may be more likely to bully“A new study shows that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are almost four times as likely as others to be bullies. And, in an intriguing corollary, the children with ADHD symptoms were almost 10 times as likely as others to have been regular targets of bullies prior to the onset of those symptoms, according to the report in the February issue of the journal Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. … The results underscore the importance of observing how kids with ADHD symptoms interact with their peers, says study co-author Dr. Anders Hjern, a professor in pediatric epidemiology at the University of Uppsala in Stockholm. These kids might be making life miserable for their fellow students. Or it might turn out that the attention problems they’re exhibiting could be related to the stress of being bullied. "You can't learn if you're being bullied, if every day you're frightened of how you're going to be treated," says William Pollack, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “

Sexual Harassment At School -- More Harmful Than Bullying “In the authors’ view, schools’ current focus on preventing bullying, as well as the tendency to regard sexual harassment as a form of bullying rather than an issue in its own right, draws attention away from a serious health issue. They argue that sexual harassment prevention should receive equal attention as a distinct focus, so that schools can continue to provide a healthy environment for children.”

Social Form Of Bullying Linked To Depression, Anxiety In Adults “Spreading rumors and gossiping may not cause bruises or black eyes, but the psychological consequences of this social type of bullying could linger into early adulthood, a new University of Florida study shows.”

ARTICLES:

Bullying: Help your child handle a school bully

How Can I Help Teens Who Are Victims of Cyberbullying? “According to the National Crime Prevention Council, cyberbullying is the use of the Internet, cell phones, or other communication devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person. The prevalence of cyberbullying is difficult to determine; however, an estimated 9% to 34% of adolescents are victims of bullying, and 4% to 21% of adolescents are perpetrators.[1] A study of 177 seventh graders found that approximately 60% of cybervictims are females, while over 52% of cyberbullies are males.[2] The use of technology has increased drastically in the past few years, yet many adults -- parents, teachers, and healthcare providers -- remain unaware that youths are being harassed by their peers through technological devices. Therefore, nurse practitioners (NPs) need to become more aware of this phenomenon and how they can minimize its effects.“

Making Childhood Safe for Children “For Garbarino, improving children's lives means that adults need to take seriously the problem of bullying and aggression, whether physical or verbal, in schools and communities. Tacit acceptance of such behavior as "all part of growing up" is simply no longer acceptable … As with child sexual abuse, he said, Americans are beginning to realize that bullying, harassment and other instances of what is called "emotional violence" is more pervasive than thought, and carries the potential for great harm, including stress-related illnesses, depression and interference with the child's education. "In the past few decades, we have fought to make the workplace a safer environment, emotionally as well as physically," he said. "How can we not do so for schools?" … Above all, said Garbarino, reasserting adult authority beyond the classroom is a necessary step in making schools safer places. "When I visit a school, one of the first places I go to is the boys' bathroom, because what I see there is likely to tell me how serious the school is about creating an overall positive atmosphere. Until adults take charge of the kids' bathrooms, they haven't gotten to the core of the kids' experience in school. "The presence of adults, and their ability to convey rules, is critical. … At this time of their lives, kids need the structure of adult authority to protect them from their own behavior as well as to educate them." “

Making Classrooms Bully-Free Zones: Practical Suggestions for Educators “Bullying is a widespread problem that permeates our society. It occurs not only on school playgrounds, but also throughout society—at the workplace, in the media, and on the Internet. Cohn and Canter (2003, 1) reported, “Bullying is the most common form of violence in our society; between 15 percent and 30 percent of students are bullies or victims.” In schools, bullying negatively impacts school climate as well as the ability of students to learn in a safe and nonthreatening environment. Moreover, bullying is associated with criminal behavior, school dropout, poor psychosocial adjustment, and other problems with long-term negative effects on society (Cohn and Canter 2003). Victims experience feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. … Be proactive. Effective classroom management is only part of the answer to the prevention of bullying. … Closing Thoughts Bullying is a serious problem that exists in all types of schools and among all types of students. It should not be tolerated, because the negative effects are destructive and far-reaching. This study suggests the need for teacher preparation programs, new teacher induction, and professional development initiatives to place greater emphasis on acquiring and practicing effective classroom management strategies. Becoming more proficient in classroom management will help teachers create positive and productive learning environments in which students feel safe and flourish both academically and socially.”

Safe to Learn: Embedding Anti-Bullying Work in Schools

Sexual Harassment a Hurdle for Teen Girls

Student Reports of Bullying Results From the 2001 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (National Center for Education Statistics) “Fourteen percent of students reported being the victims of bullying. In 2001, 14 percent of students ages 12 through 18 reported that they had been bullied at school in the 6 months prior to the interview (appendix B, table 1). About 3 percent reported that they had been bullied only through direct or physical means, almost 7 percent reported being bullied only indirectly through social exclusion or rejection, and approximately 5 percent reported being bullied both directly and indirectly.1 • Sex differences were not detected in most types of bullying. No measurable differences were detected between boys and girls in reports of being bullied, directly or indirectly, in the 6 months prior to the survey (appendix B, table 1). However, differences did emerge between boys and girls who were bullied both directly and indirectly. Specifically, boys were more likely than girls to report being the victims of both direct and indirect bullying (5 percent of boys vs. 4 percent of girls). … • Of those students who reported lower grades, victims of bullying were more likely to report receiving D's and F's than their nonbullied counterparts. Bullied students were more likely to report receiving lower academic grades, or mostly D's and F's, than their nonbullied peers (8 percent vs. 3 percent) (appendix B, table 7). Victims of both forms of bullying were more likely to report mostly D's and F's (12 percent) than those bullied either directly only or indirectly only (7 percent and 6 percent). … Students who are bullied are at higher risk for truancy and subsequent dropout (Carney and Merrell 2001). In the 2001 SCS, bullied students were more likely than nonbullied students to skip school entirely because they thought someone might attack or harm them (4 percent vs. 1 percent) (figure 5 and appendix B, table 5). Bullied students were more likely to skip classes than were nonbullied students (3 percent vs. 0.2 percent). Bullied students were also more likely to skip extracurricular activities compared to nonbullied students (4 percent vs. 1 percent).”

JOURNAL ARTICLES:

A content analysis of school anti-bullying policies: progress and limitations (Educational Psychology in Practice 2008) “Schools in England are legally required to have an anti-bullying policy, but the little research so far suggests that they may lack coverage in important areas. … Overall, schools had about 40% of the items in their policies. Most included improving school climate, a definition of bullying including reference to physical, verbal and relational forms, and a statement regarding contact with parents when bullying incidents occurred. But many schools did not mention other important aspects, and there was low coverage of responsibilities beyond those of teaching staff; following up of incidents; management and use of records; and specific preventative measures such as playground work and peer support.”

A model of achievement and bullying: analyses of the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth data (Educational Research 2008) “These results indicate that children who are bullied at school are likely to obtain low levels of achievement, particularly if they show little conscientiousness and enjoyment of school, and if their parents provide little support for their children's education.”

A Systematic Review of School-Based Interventions to Prevent Bullying (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007)

Being Bullied as an Environmentally Mediated Contributing Factor to Children's Internalizing Problems (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008) “Bullying involves repeated hurtful actions between individuals where an imbalance of power exists.1 These types of social interactions, where it is difficult for the ones being bullied to defend themselves, are frequent among school-aged children. Evidence indicates that the experience of being bullied is associated with elevated anxiety, depression,2-3 social isolation,4 and suicidal thoughts.5 Bullying is of such concern that, for example, in the United Kingdom, a National Anti-Bullying Week has been launched to raise awareness and support school and mental health service efforts to reduce bullying behavior and its consequences. … The present study adds to a growing body of recent research suggesting that childhood victimization has an environmentally mediated effect on mental health outcomes. These studies suggest that childhood victimization experiences, including physical maltreatment,19 sexual abuse,20 and bullying victimization (the present study), constitute environmental risk factors associated with early-onset adjustment problems. Effective intervention and prevention strategies should aim at reducing violence in the environment of young victims to prevent future mental health problems. … Early-onset internalizing problems constitute an important developmental risk for later depression and anxiety disorders.29-30 The identification of early risk factors and a better understanding of how they affect school-aged children are key elements to preventing later mental health problems. Findings from this study suggest that, by reducing bullying behavior in schools and in communities and by designing programs to support victims of bullying, we may be able to decrease rates of childhood internalizing disorders and, possibly, later anxiety and depression disorders.”

Bullying and attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder in 10-year-olds in a Swedish community. (Dev Med Child Neurol. 2007) “This study demonstrates a connection between ADHD and bullying in the peer group at school. Evaluation and treatment strategies for ADHD need to include assessment and effective interventions for bullying. Evaluation of ADHD should be considered in children involved in bullying.”

Bullying and school safety. (J Pediatr. 2008) “RESULTS: Of the 5391 children surveyed, 26% were involved in bullying either as victim, bully, or both (bully-victim). All 3 groups were significantly more likely than bystanders to feel unsafe at school and sad most days. Victims and bully-victims were more likely to say they are "no good." Victims were more likely to feel that they "do not belong" in their school. The odds of being a victim (vs a bystander) were 10% lower for every 1 point increase in grade point average. Bully-victims were more likely to say that it is "not wrong" to take a gun to school. CONCLUSIONS: Associations between involvement in bullying and academic achievement, psychological distress, and the belief that it is not wrong to take a gun to school reinforce the notion that school environment is interrelated with mental health and school success.”

Bullying and the politics of 'telling' (Oxford Review of Education 2007) “Pupils reported a reluctance to tell adults, particularly teachers, about their experiences of bullying, and this tendency increased with age. Only a third of pupils in Year 8 (31%) reported that they would find talking to a teacher about bullying 'quite easy' or 'very easy', compared with just over half of pupils in Year 5 (51%). Pupils' willingness to tell parents also declined over time. However, the likelihood of telling friends remained consistently high. This suggests that telling friends is perceived as a less risky option by both age groups, but pupils become increasing wary of telling parents and teachers as they get older. Reluctance to tell may be attributable to a variety of factors. Adult responses that were perceived as ineffective, insensitive or excessive were highlighted, as was the influence of peer cultures that discourage 'telling tales' to adults, or other help-seeking behaviours.”

Bullying and victimization at school: The role of mothers (British Journal of Educational Psychology 2008) “Overprotective mothering was associated with high degrees of victimization experienced by the child, whereas maternal depressiveness was related to both victimization and bullying behaviour on the part of the child. Conclusions: Parents should be included in the design of intervention plans aiming at the elimination of bullying at school.”

Bullying perspectives among rural youth: a mixed methods approach. (Rural Remote Health. 2008)

Bullying, Depression, and Suicidality in Adolescents. (Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 2007) “Results: Approximately 9% of the sample reported being victimized frequently, and 13% reported bullying others frequently. Frequent exposure to victimization or bullying others was related to high risks of depression, ideation, and suicide attempts compared with adolescents not involved in bullying behavior. Infrequent involvement in bullying behavior also was related to increased risk of depression and suicidality, particularly among girls. The findings indicate that both victims and bullies are at high risk and that the most troubled adolescents are those who are both victims and bullies. Psychopathology was associated with bullying behavior both in and away from school.”

Cross-informant agreement about bullying and victimization among eight-year-olds: whose information best predicts psychiatric caseness 10-15 years later? (Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2008) “CONCLUSION: "Frequent bullying" behaviour of boys is a marker of present and later psychopathology. The education system and school health-care service in mid- childhood are of great importance for the early detection of bullying and prevention of later adverse outcomes. A closer integration of these systems in the context of school should be promoted.”

Cyberbullying among Turkish adolescents. (Cyberpsychol Behav. 2008)

Cyberbullying: Another main type of bullying? (Scand J Psychol. 2008 ) “Four categories of cyberbullying (by text message, email, phone call and picture/video clip) were examined in relation to age and gender, perceived impact, telling others, and perception of adults becoming aware of such bullying. There was a significant incidence of cyberbullying in lower secondary schools, less in sixth-form colleges. Gender differences were few. The impact of cyberbullying was perceived as highly negative for picture/video clip bullying. Cybervictims most often chose to either tell their friends or no one at all about the cyberbullying, so adults may not be aware of cyberbullying, and (apart from picture/video clip bullying) this is how it was perceived by pupils.”

Cyberbullying: its nature and impact in secondary school pupils. (J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2008) “RESULTS: Both studies found cyberbullying less frequent than traditional bullying, but appreciable, and reported more outside of school than inside. Phone call and text message bullying were most prevalent, with instant messaging bullying in the second study; their impact was perceived as comparable to traditional bullying. Mobile phone/video clip bullying, while rarer, was perceived to have more negative impact. Age and gender differences varied between the two studies. Study 1 found that most cyberbullying was done by one or a few students, usually from the same year group. It often just lasted about a week, but sometimes much longer. The second study found that being a cybervictim, but not a cyberbully, correlated with internet use; many cybervictims were traditional 'bully-victims'. Pupils recommended blocking/avoiding messages, and telling someone, as the best coping strategies; but many cybervictims had told nobody about it. CONCLUSIONS: Cyberbullying is an important new kind of bullying, with some different characteristics from traditional bullying. Much happens outside school. Implications for research and practical action are discussed.”

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Curriculum-based Anti-bullying Intervention Program in Greek Primary Schools (Educational Psychology 2007) “The results indicated that the program contributed to a positive reduction in outsider behaviour (children remaining uninvolved and thus silently allowing bullying to continue) and enhanced students' self-efficacy beliefs for both assertion and intervening in bully/victim incidents. However, the long-term effectiveness of the program was limited. These findings have important implications for interventions to tackle the negative effects associated with bullying in schools.”

FCCLA Quilting Project Fights Bullying (ERIC 2007) “Bullying in schools is a topic of serious concern. According to a survey conducted in the United States, approximately 30% of youth in grades 6-10 have reported some involvement in moderate or frequent bullying, and this problem affects about 5.7 million youth.”

How Effective Are School Bullying Intervention Programs? A Meta-Analysis of Intervention Research (School Psychology Quarterly 2008) “The authors conclude that school bullying interventions may produce modest positive outcomes; that they are more likely to influence knowledge, attitudes, and self-perceptions rather than actual bullying behaviors; and that the majority of outcome variables in intervention studies are not meaningfully impacted.”

Is the sustainability of reduction in bullying related to follow-up procedures? (Educational Psychology 2008)

Let's Work It Out: Helping Young Children Address Teasing and Bullying (ERIC 2008) “School is not a friendly, welcoming place for a child who is teased and bullied. A child who is worried about what's going to happen to her or him at school will have trouble concentrating, begin to dislike school, and may want to avoid going altogether. Children who are teased and bullied often develop physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomachaches. Emotionally, they can become sad, withdrawn, anxious, and depressed. In a classroom, teasing and bullying create a climate that makes it hard to teach and even harder to learn. However, by establishing a classroom environment that fosters respect, kindness, and cooperation, and by engaging in a proactive curriculum to prevent teasing and bullying, teachers can make school a friendly, welcoming place for all children.”

Minimizing Bullying Behavior of Middle School Students through Behavioral Intervention and Instruction (ERIC 2008)

Psychiatric conditions associated with bullying. (Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2008)

Responding to Bullying (School Psychology International 2007) “Children who are bullied are often told to `solve the problems themselves'; however, when bullying is repeated over time, it becomes increasingly difficult for victimized children to stop the torment because of their relative lack of power. … The results highlight the importance of adults supporting students. Similarly, it is important to provide children and youth with strategies that are effective, as they are most likely to implement strategies that are only going to increase the victimization over time.”

[School bullying and its association with health and lifestyle among schoolchildren] (Medicina (Kaunas). 2008) “CONCLUSIONS: In Lithuania, school bullying is extremely prevalent and is associated with health disorders, poorer well-being, and problem behavior of schoolchildren. Urgent antibullying efforts, including both research and preventive measures, are needed in order to deal with this social phenomenon.”

Strategies to Prevent and Heal the Mental Anguish Caused by Cyberbullying (ERIC 2008) “Cyberbullying has moved bullying behaviors from the schoolyard to a worldwide audience. This exposure ensures that students receive the greatest humiliation possible both during and after school. Not surprisingly, research indicates that victims (who are often also bullies) suffer from mental health problems and lowered academic achievement (Hall, 2006; Reiff, 2006; Willard, 2007). The purpose of this article is to enlighten teachers, school administrators, and school counselors about this new technological danger, describe warning signs to help recognize both victims and perpetrators, and detail school- and home-based strategies for preventing cyberbullying and healing those affected by the phenomenon.”

Tackling a Problematic Behavior Management Issue: Teachers’ Intervention in Childhood Bullying Problems (Intervention in School and Clinic 2008) “Child disciplinary problems can be stressful for a classroom teacher. Teachers find accommodating behavioral difficulties more challenging and less feasible than making instructional modifications for academic problems (Ritter, 1989). In fact, researchers have suggested the existence of a relationship between disruptive student behavior patterns (e.g., disrespect, poor social skills) and teacher burnout (Hastings & Bham, 2003). When asked about managing problematic student behavior, teachers often respond in one of two ways: It is not much of a concern, because their classroom management strategies are typically effective in resolving student behavioral concerns, or they feel overwhelmed and impotent to address behavioral difficulties that threaten to disrupt the learning process and subsequent academic achievement of students (Discipline Problems Take a Toll, 2004). Those in the latter group often explain that they were not adequately trained to manage students with behavior problems or they believe that teachers who are effective classroom managers are inherently talented in rectifying disciplinary issues demonstrated by children at school. The use of such external attributions or excuses can compromise a teacher’s ability to successfully take responsibility for student behavior and learning in the classroom. Early intervention is critically important in preventing and reducing children’s behavior problems (Dodge, 1993).”

Teacher responses to bullying in relation to moral orientation and seriousness of bullying (British Journal of Educational Psychology 2007) “Conclusions. While teachers' moral orientation does impact upon the kinds of responses to bullying they choose, seriousness of the incident is more important. However, seriousness as perceived by teachers may not be consistent with impact on students. Implications for teacher education and policy are discussed.”

Teaching with Books That Heal (ERIC 2008) “Bullying. Death. Disabilities. Peer acceptance. Cultural differences. Adoption. Sibling rivalry... These are some of the unfortunate realities and personal challenges that children experience and must deal with on a daily basis. Library media specialists are frequently asked to suggest books teachers can use to give children insight into significant life events, such as the death of a family member. This article suggests "Teaching with Books that Heal: Authentic Literature and Literacy Strategies to Help Children Cope with Everyday Problems" (Linworth, 2007) as a book that provides stimulating, pedagogically sound, standards-based lessons for collaboration between elementary librarians and teachers that could be used to smooth troubled classroom relations and events.”

Temperament, ADHD and peer relations among schoolchildren: the mediating role of school bullying. (Aggress Behav. 2008)

The PEACE Pack: an evaluation of interventions to reduce bullying in four Australian primary schools (Educational Research 2007) “Background: The evidence is now quite clear that bullying in schools is an international problem. Bullying is widely regarded as a particularly destructive form of aggression, with harmful physical, social and emotional outcomes for all involved (bullies, victims and bystanders), and with particular risks for children with special needs. The research of the past 25 years confirms its widespread nature where it is most likely in groups from which the potential victim cannot escape--e.g. schools. … Results: The interventions were effective in reducing the level of school bullying in the junior primary and primary schools, although there were variations in the gains achieved across the age range and across the four schools.”

Your 3-Step Plan to Stopping Childhood Bullying (ERIC 2007) “Bullying can happen to any child, especially one who is perceived as "different" or who isn't prepared to respond effectively. Children with disabilities can be especially vulnerable to bullying; in fact, sometimes children are bullied specifically because of their disability. Upon discovering that their child is being bullied, parents often feel bewildered, sad, guilty, angry, or helpless. While it is important to recognize and acknowledge all of these emotions, it will not change the situation. The most effective steps parents can take are to focus on the issue and develop a plan. This article presents a three-step plan to stop childhood bullying. These strategies include: (1) Making sure that the issue is bullying and not routine childhood conflict; (2) helping children learn how to respond more effectively by teaching direct and indirect techniques for dealing with bullies; and (3) working with teachers and administrators to create a safe environment.”

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