title: Reducing playground bullying and supporting beliefs: an experimental trial of the steps to respect program.
abstract: Six schools were randomly assigned to a multilevel bullying intervention or a control condition. Children in Grades 3-6 (N=1,023) completed pre- and posttest surveys of behaviors and beliefs and were rated by teachers. Observers coded playground behavior of a random subsample (n=544). Hierarchical analyses of changes in playground behavior revealed declines in bullying and argumentative behavior among intervention-group children relative to control-group children, increases in agreeable interactions, and a trend toward reduced destructive bystander behavior. Those in the intervention group reported enhanced bystander responsibility, greater perceived adult responsiveness, and less acceptance of bullying/aggression than those in the control group. Self-reported aggression did not differ between the groups. Implications for future research on the development and prevention of bullying are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. kfrey@cfchildren.org.
authors.forename: Karin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.forename: Miriam K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hirschstein
authors.forename: Jennie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Snell
authors.forename: Leihua Van Schoiack
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Edstrom
authors.forename: Elizabeth P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: MacKenzie
authors.forename: Carole J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Broderick
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression; D000533:Altruism; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003469:Culture; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D010988:Play and Playthings; D016730:Program Development; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires