Target Bullying: Ecologically-Based Prevention and Intervention for Schools Project

1. What We’re All About Our doctoral seminar projects examines how psychosocial difficulties and psychopathology impact healthy student functioning. Three ongoing projects: 1. Target Bullying Longitudinal Research Study 2. Bullying Intervention Study 3. School Experiences Across Cultures: An International Study Doctoral Seminar Format Our doctoral seminar is conducted in a group format, with an emphasis on collaborative, applied research in psychology Currently, co-conducted by Dr. Susan Swearer and Dr. Eric Buhs 5 PhD and several EdS level students comprise our doctoral seminar. Additionally, there are often 2-3 research students who participate. Target Bullying Target Bullying: Ecologically-Based Prevention and Intervention for Schools is a longitudinal program of research examining bullying and victimization in school-aged youth. Goals of the project include an examination of the psychosocial correlates in bullying and victimization and the development of an empirically-based intervention program that is developmentally sensitive. Target Bullying Longitudinal Research Study Recently finished a longitudinal study of middle and high school students in Lincoln and Omaha. Followed the students for their three years in middle school and four years in high school, collecting a battery of measures each year. Types of measures collected: Self-report of depression, anxiety, aggression, locus of control, hopelessness, perception of school climate, bully attitudinal scale, and experiences with bullying. Currently, we have collected one of the largest databases on bullying among school-aged youth in the country. There has been a great deal of work done on bullying in other countries (Canada, Sweden, Japan, etc), but quality bullying research in the United States is relatively new. Bullying Intervention Program Alternative to in-school suspension, currently being implemented in a large middle school. Parents can choose the consequence for bullying behavior for their child: traditional in-school suspension or the bullying intervention. Three hour intervention; one-on-one CBT session with a doctoral student-therapist. Consists of assessment, psychoeducation, evaluation, and follow-up. Target Bullying: Ecologically-Based Prevention and Intervention for Schools ProjectSusan M. Swearer, Ph.D. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln • Assessment: • The Bully Survey – Youth (Swearer, 2001), Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI; Kovacs, 1992), Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC, March, 1997), How I Think Questionnaire (HIT, Barriga et al., 2001), Thoughts About School (TAS, Song & Swearer, 2001), and the Harter Self-Concept Scale (Harter, 1985). • Parental and teacher perceptions of bullying obtained (Bully Survey-Parent Version; Swearer, 2001; Bully Survey-Teacher Version; Swearer, 2001). • Psychoeducation: • PowerPoint Presentation and quiz over presentation • MTV Bullying Video, discussion over the video, and assessment results. • Worksheet Activities (from Bully Busters). • Evaluation: Bullying Intervention treatment report; share with school and parents. • Follow-up: Track office referral data for bullying incidents • School Experiences Across Cultures: An International Study • Our research group is beginning a new chapter in our research. We are joining an international research team to collect data for an international comparison of bullying. • Japan, Australia, Korea. Canada, & United States • We are examining school experiences, peer relationships, and bullying in 9 elementary, middle, and high schools in Lincoln. Currently, we are the only site for the United States. • Students in the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grades will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires that ask about ways students act toward one another, and about their experiences with sadness, loneliness, and anxiety. • Students are asked to complete the questionnaires at three time points: in the fall of 2005, in the spring of 2006, and in the fall of the 2006-2007 school year. • To date (this fall), we have collected data from approximately 1173 students!!! • Not only will this research help us understand international differences in bullying and school experiences, but we will also be able to learn more about students’ social experiences in our own schools. • So Now What? • Now that we have all this cool research, what do we do with it? • Present findings at local, national, and international conferences • Conduct teacher and counselor training in-services and workshops • Present to school children • Publish manuscripts • Write grants • Write dissertations Recent Selected Local and National Presentations Johnsen, L., McCurdy, M., Siebecker, A. & Swearer, S.M. (2006, March). Multi-Informant Ratings of Depressive Symptoms in Middle School Students. Poster presented at the 2006 Annual Convention of the National Association of School Psychologists, Anaheim, CA. Siebecker, A.B., Swearer, S.M., Givens, J.E., & Johnsen, L. (March, 2006). Data-Based Bullying Prevention: Assessment and Intervention. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the National Association of School Psychologists, Anaheim, CA. Swearer, S. M. and Givens, J. E. (March, 2006). Designing an alternative to suspension for middle school bullies. Paper presented at the annual convention of the National Association of School Psychologists, Anaheim, CA. Turner, R. Swearer, S. M., Lieske, J. L., Foreman, K. (March 2006). Bullying Prevention and Intervention: Evaluation of Empirically Validated Practices. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the National Association of School Psychologists, Anaheim, CA. Swearer, S. M. & Buhs, E. S. (March, 2006). Bullying and victimization: Stability of self-, peer-, and teacher-nominations over three years. Paper presented at the biennial meeting for the Society for Research on Adolescence, San Francisco, CA. Givens, J. E., Swearer, S. M., Johnsen, L. A. (November 2005). Social Anxiety Among Relationally and Overtly Victimized Youth. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Washington, D. C. Swearer, S. M., Doll, B., Givens, J. E. (November 2005). Cognitive- behavioral interventions in educational settings: Participants in bullying and coercion. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Washington, D. C.  Love, K. B., Swearer, S. M., Liske, J. L., Siebecker, A. B., Givens, J. School climate, victimization and anxiety in male high school students. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, August 2005, Washington D. C. Siebecker, A. B., Swearer, S. M., Love, K. B., Turner, R., Liske, J. L. Relationship among parent involvement, perceptions of school climate and victimization. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, August 2005, Washington D. C. Song, S.Y., Johnsen, L., Doll, B. & Swearer, S.M. (2005, August). The Peer Ecology and School Bullying Prevention: Differences Across Gender. Posterpresented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.  Swearer, S. M., Turner, R., Givens, J. (2005, August). “You’re so gay:” Reasons for victimization and psychological well-being. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington D. C. Foreman, K., Turner, R., Johnsen, L. & Swearer, S.M. (2005, August). Giftedness among Bullied and Victimized Youth. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C. Buhs, E., Swearer, S. M., Siebecker, A. B., Love, K. B. (2005, March). Comorbidity and longitudinal associations among anxiety, depression, and aggression in adolescence: Anxiety as a mediating process. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Research and Child Development, Atlanta, GA. Lieske, J. L., Swearer, S. M., Love, K. B., Siebecker, A. B., Turner, R. (2005, March). Obesity and bullying: Weighing the issues. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Research and Child Development, Atlanta, GA. Siebecker, A. B., Swearer, S. M., Lieske, J. L. (2005, March).Risky business: Bullying and students with disabilities. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Atlanta, GA. Love, K. B., Swearer, S. M., Lieske, J. L., Bevins, K., & Yates, K. E. (2004, October). Triple threat? An examination of comorbid anxiety and depression along the bully/victim continuum. Poster presented at the Kansas Conference in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Lawrence, KS. Johnsen, L., Givens, J., & Swearer, S.M. (2004, October). Stability of Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study. Poster presented at the annual convention of the Kansas Clinical Child Conference, Lawrence, KS. Lieske, J.L., Swearer, S.M.,& Love, K.B. (2004 October). Comorbidity of major depressive disorder and obsessive- compulsive disorder: Influence of depression on an OCD treatment protocol: A case presentation. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Kansas Conference in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Lawrence KS. Love, K. B., & Lieske, J. (2004, June). Bullying and victimization among young children: Problems and pitfalls for early childhood providers. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Early Childhood Conference; Seward, NE. Song, S. Y., Doll, B., Swearer, S. M., & Johnsen, L. (2004, August). Peer relationships and bullying prevention: Protective peers in elementary school. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, Hawaii. Haye, K. M., Swearer, S. M., Miller, C. M., Siebecker, A. B., Turner, R. (2004, August). Student and Teacher Perceptions: Convergent or Divergent Viewpoints? Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, Hawaii.   Haye, K. M., Miller, C. M., Swearer, S. M., Turner, R. (2004, April). Bullying Among School-Aged Youth: Examining Student and Teacher Perceptions. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Dallas, TX. www.targetbullying.com http://manila.unl.edu/BRNET