Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T09:48:18.171Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of the Bullying: The Power to Cope Program on Children's Response to Bullying

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 November 2015

Zoe Markopoulos  and
Michael E. Bernard
Zoe Markopoulos*
Affiliation:
The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Michael E. Bernard
Affiliation:
The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
*
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Zoe Markopoulos, The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3010, Australia. Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

This study evaluated the Bullying: The Power to Cope program (Bernard, 2012), which is designed to teach children the ideas espoused in the practice of rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) to employ in response to bullying. Self-report data were collected at pre- and post-test of children's cognitive, behavioural, and emotional coping responses to four written bullying vignettes. At pre-test, children's personal qualities of intrinsic resiliency were also measured. The sample consisted of 139 participants in Melbourne, Australia (n = 80 in the experimental group and n = 59 in the control group), aged from 10 to 14 years. Results indicated children in the experimental group improved in cognitive and emotional coping responses relative to children in the control group. Females showed greater improvement than males in coping responses to bullying as a consequence of the intervention. Entering levels of intrinsic resiliency did not moderate the effects of the intervention program on children's coping responses. The cognitive and emotional coping responses of females to bullying vignettes (pre-test) were significantly more negative and emotionally intense than males. The implications of these findings are discussed, as well as limitations and directions for future research.

Keywords

program evaluationbullyingcoping responseschildrenschools
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Relationships Research , Volume 6 , 2015 , e13
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barrett, P.M. (2007). Fun Friends. The teaching and training manual for group leaders. Brisbane, Australia: Fun Friends Publishing.Google Scholar
Bernard, M.E. (2012). Bullying: The power to cope. Melbourne, Australia: The Bernard Group.Google Scholar
Bernard, M.E., Ellis, A., & Terjesen, M. (2006). Rational-emotive approaches to childhood disorders: History, theory, practice and research. In Ellis, S. & Bernard, M.E. (Eds.), Rational emotive behavioural approaches to childhood disorders: Theory, practice, and research. New York: Springer Science + Business Media.Google Scholar
Brownlee, K., Rawana, J., Franks, J., Harper, J., Bajwa, J., O'Brien, E., & Clarkson, A. (2013). A systematic review of strengths and resilience outcome literature relevant to children and adolescents. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 30, 435–459. doi:10.1007/s10560-013-0301-9 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cleary, S.D. (2000). Adolescent victimisation and associated suicidal and violent behaviours. Adolescence, 35, 671–682.Google Scholar
Craig, W., Harel-Fisch, Y., Fogel-Grinvald, H., Dostaler, S., Hetland, J., Simons-Morton, B., . . . the HBSC Bullying Writing Group. (2009). A cross-national profile of bullying and victimisation among adolescents in 40 countries. International Journal of Public Health, 54, 216–224. doi:10.1007/s00038-009-5413-9 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cross, D., Hall, M., Erceg, E., Pintabona, Y., Hamilton, G., & Roberts, C. (2003). The Friendly Schools project: An empirically grounded school bullying prevention program. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 13, 36–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cross, D., Monks, H.E., Hall, M.R., Shaw, T. M., Pintabona, Y., Erceg, E. L., . . . Lester, L. (2011). Three-year results of the Friendly Schools whole-of-school intervention on children's bullying behaviour. British Educational Research Journal, 37, 1–25. doi:10.1080/01411920903420024 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cross, D., Shaw, T., Hearn, L., Epstein, M., Monks, H., Lester, L., & Thomas, L. (2009). Australian covert bullying prevalence study (ACBPS). Child Health Promotion Research Centre, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia. Retrieved from www.docs.education.gov.au Google Scholar
Earlscourt Child and Family Centre. (2001). SNAP children's group manual. Toronto: Author.Google Scholar
Eisenberg, M., Neumark-Sztainer, D., & Perry, C. (2003). Peer harassment, school connectedness, and academic achievement. Journal of School Health, 73, 311–316.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ellis, A. (1994). Reason and emotion in psychotherapy. Secaucus, NJ: Lyle Stuart and Citadel Press.Google Scholar
Ellis, A., & Bernard, M.E. (2006). Rational emotive behavioural approaches to childhood disorders: Theory, practice, and research. New York: Springer Science + Business Media.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farrow, C.V., & Fox, C.L. (2011). Gender differences in the relationships between bullying at school and unhealthy eating and shape-related attitudes and behaviours. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 81, 409–420. doi:10.1348/000709910X525804 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frey, K.S., Hirchstein, J.L., Snell, J.L., Van Schoiack Edstrom, L., MacKenzie, E.P., & Broderick, C.J. (2005). Reducing playground bullying and supporting beliefs: An experimental trial of the Steps to Respect program. Developmental Psychology, 41, 479–491. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.41.3.479 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frydenberg, E., & Lewis, R. (2000). Teaching coping to adolescents: When and to whom? American Educational Research, 37, 727–745.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hamill, S.K. (2007). Resilience and self-efficacy: The importance of efficacy beliefs and coping mechanisms in resilient adolescents. Colgate University Journal of the Sciences, 35, 115–146.Google Scholar
Hensley, V. (2013). Childhood Bullying: A review and implications for health care professionals. Nursing Clinics of North America, 48, 203–213.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hajzler, D.J., & Bernard, M.E. (1991). A review of rational-emotive education outcome studies. School Psychology Quarterly, 6, 27–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hunter, S.C., Boyle, J.M.E., & Warden, D. (2004). Help seeking amongst child and adolescent victims of peer-aggression and bullying: The influence of school-stage, gender, victimisation, appraisal, and emotion. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 74, 375–390.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kids Help Line. (2009). Bullying, harassment, and physical violence. Retrieved from www.kidshelp.com.au Google Scholar
Knaus, W.J. (1974). Rational emotive education: A manual for elementary school teachers. New York: Institute for Rational Living.Google Scholar
Kochenderfer-Ladd, B. (2004). Peer victimisation: The role of emotions in adaptive and maladaptive coping. Social Development, 13, 329–349.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koegl, C.J., Farrington, D.P., Augimeri, L.K., & Day, D.M. (2008). Evaluation of a targeted cognitive-behavioural program for children with conduct problems — The SNAP Under 12 Outreach Project: Service intensity, age, and gender effects on short- and long-term outcomes. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 13, 419–434. doi:10.1177/1359104508090606 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Machmutow, K., Perren, S., Sticca, F., & Alsaker, F.D. (2012). Peer victimisation and depressive symptoms: Can specific coping strategies buffer the negative impact of cyber victimisation? Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 17, 403–420. doi:10.1080/13632752.2012.704310 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morris, G.B. (1993). A rational-emotive treatment program with conduct disorder and attention-deficit hyperactive disorder adolescents. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, 11, 123–134. doi:10.1016/j.avb.2009.01.004 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Naylor, P., Cowie, H., & Rey, R. (2001). Coping strategies of secondary school children in response to being bullied. Child Psychology and Psychiatry Review, 6, 114–120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school: What we know and what we can do. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.Google Scholar
Pahl, K.M., & Barrett, P.M. (2010). Preventing anxiety and promoting social and emotional strength in preschool children: A universal evaluation of the Fun Friends program. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 3, 14–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prince-Embury, S. (2006). Resiliency scales for children and adolescents: Profiles of personal strengths. San Antonio, TX: Harcourt Assessments.Google Scholar
Prince-Embury, S., & Courville, T. (2008). Measurement invariance of the resiliency scales for children and adolescents with respect to sex and age cohorts. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 23, 26–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Putter, S. (2007). Peer victimisation: The role of self-efficacy in children's coping strategies. Journal of Undergraduate Research, 5, 82–86.Google Scholar
Rigby, K. (1999, June). What harm does bullying do? Paper presented at the Children and Crime: Victims and Offenders Conference, Brisbane, Australia.Google Scholar
Rigby, K. (2007). Bullying in schools: And what to do about it. Melbourne, Australia: Author.Google Scholar
Rigby, K. (2013). Bullying in schools and its relation to parenting and family life. Family Matters, 92, 61–67.Google Scholar
Society for Research in Child Development. (2008). Children who bully also have problems with other relationships. Science Daily. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080325083300.htm Google Scholar
Spence, S.H., Young, A., Toon, C., & Bond, S. (2009). Longitudinal examination of the associations between emotional dysregulation, coping responses to peer provocation, and victimisation in children. Australian Journal of Psychology, 61, 145–155. doi:10.1080/00049530802259076 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tabachnick, G.G., & Fidell, L.S. (2007). Experimental designs using ANOVA. Belmont, CA: Duxbury.Google Scholar