Bullying: Parents do make a difference
¨
Health Topic and Intended Audience
Bullying has been defined as “when a child is exposed, repeatedly and over time,
to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and he or she has
difficulty defending himself or herself” (Olweus, 2011, para 1). The children in middle school and high
school face many difficulties and one of the larger ones is bullying. Multiple cross-section studies have displayed
that victim(s) of bullying have contributed to a large number of children
thinking of suicide (Cooper, Clements, and Holt, 2012). Bullying victims were found to have an
increased incidence of depression, suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts (Cooper,
Clements, and Holt, 2012). Victims of
bullying need help in many instances to make the bullying stop. Learned technique and coping mechanisms are
needed for the success of stopping bullying.
Parents play an important role in this by being part of their children
lives and knowing how to help. Parents
need to know the warning signs and the types of bullying that are out there
today. Empowering children to help
themselves or seek help can save many lives.
¨
Setting
Ideally, this health invention can be used by going to middle
schools and high schools within the area to provide information to those
parents that are seeking it. The class
will be offered two different evenings at a specific school. Setting will be in a classroom that can seat
30 to 40 participants. The presentations
will occur during the evening hours so parents of school aged children will be
able to attend after work. The classroom
will be situated with desks or chair and tables. All desks and tables will be forward facing
to the presentation screen. Lecture hall
or cafeteria is too large of a venue and the presentation area is too large and
information can be easily missed with poor acoustics and technical
difficulties.
¨
Estimated Time
·
Introduction – 2 minutes
·
Pre-assessment – 2 minutes
·
Power Point Presentation – 15 minutes
·
Video – 4 minutes
·
Role Play – 15 minutes
·
Questions – 5 minutes
·
Post Questionnaire – 4 minutes
·
Total time 47 minutes (Listed as 50 to allow for
overages)
·
Materials Needed
§
Projector (for Power Point Presentation)
§
Screen (for Power Point Presentation)
§
Desks (or tables and chairs)
§
Flash drive with presentation
§
Laptop for backup if computer does not read
flash drive
§
60 copies of the brochure as a resource
§
60 pencils (sharpened)
§
50 copies of the questionnaire
§ Guiding
Health Education Theory or Model
The Social Cognitive Theory is what
will fit with this intervention on bullying (Gilbert, Sawyer, & McNeil,
2011).
Environment
The environment the victims face
may be hostile and difficult to deal with on a daily basis. To help this situation, look at changing the
environment or changing the way people work or move through the environment to
better their situation. If the victim is
faced by a bully each and every day, what can the victim to do change that environment
to make the situation more beneficial for themselves? Finding people to be around to witness or
counteract the bullying maybe a possibility or changing a daily routine as to
avoid the bully in a particular place and time each day (schedule change,
different route to school, or parents taking them to school).
Situation
Are there ways to figure out how to
change the situation or avoid the situation.
The victim may surround himself/herself with friends as to not be put in
the situation of being bullied.
Reciprocal determinism
Environmental factors can influence
individuals, but individuals can influence the environment and regulate
behavior. Does the victim allow
everything to control him/her or are they trying to influence factors that will
play situations in their favor. To avoid
the problems with a bully, make a plan ahead of time to walk home with friends.
Self-efficacy
Changing the victim’s confidence to
stand up to a bully and changing their life for the better to the point they
are no longer the victim. This is
definitely the main point is to look at changing and sustaining the behavior of
the victim. “Self-efficacy is a critical
concept in that it serves as the initial motivation to try” (Gilbert, Sawyer,
& McNeil, 2011, p. 63).
Behavioral capacity
The victim will have the knowledge
and skills on how to perform the proper behavior to the success of the situation
change. Developing refusal skills, how
to avoid bad situations, and setting up the correct and positive environment
would be good examples of behavioral capacity.
Expectations
What will life be like if the victim
were to execute the knowledge and skills they have learned? Many would expect to have less stress and the
ability to enjoy life a little more.
Self-control
The victim will be focused to
achieve the goal at hand. The different
with this and self-efficacy is self-efficacy is confidence and self-control is
focus.
Observational learning
The victim can learn the correct or
wrong way of dealing with certain situations by way of observing other people’s
mistakes or successes. The experience of
seeing someone else retaliate seemed to really backfire and escalated the whole
situation into something unthinkable.
The victim will know not to use that certain strategy.
Reinforcements
Gilbert, Sawyer, & McNeil (2011)
describe this as the “Internal and external motivators that increase or
decrease the likelihood of reoccurrence of the behavior” (p. 64). The victims cannot allow themselves to go
back to a place where they are seen as vulnerable and able to be taken
advantage of by a bully. They also
cannot allow a bully to tear them down from their confidence level. Use the knowledge and skills to eliminate the
external factor.
Emotional coping response
This allows the user to properly deal
with any negative response or deal with any anxiety that may arise. This can also recognize barriers that may get
in the way of the success of being bully free.
Some bullies see victims as nothing but victims and want to use their
power on them whenever possible.
Parents of victims need to know
what will help their children if they are the victims of bullying and help
acquire the tools for self-efficacy and using the tools to sustain a bully free
life.
§ Goal
The goal of the programs is to educate
parents about bullying and having parents use the provided tools to interact
with their children to make sure the children are safe.
§
Objectives
§
Objective #1 – Have 75% of the class learn at
least one new warning sign to look for with their child to see if they are
being bullied from post class questionnaire (Cognitive domain)
§
Objective #2 – Have 50% of the class understand
that bullying is a problem in schools and they can have an active role in
helping their children either cope with bullying or prevent bullying. (Affective domain)
§
Objective #3 – The participants will demonstrate
the intervention strategies they can use with their children (Cognitive domain)
§
Process Objective #1 – Have information about
the bullying intervention class posted in the school newsletter that is send
via email or mail to the parents one month prior to the class to ensure that
parents receive newsletter prior to class
§
Process Objective #2 – Have flier distributed
all children in their English class one week prior to the class to bring to
their parents to provide information about the bullying intervention
§ Procedures
Start of the lesson:
1.
Introduction of instructor
§
Name
§
Title
§
Experience
§
Why you are here
§
How you are going to help
2.
Have everyone answer the questionnaire for part one.
(pre presentation evaluation)
§
Front page of the packet, each participant will
answer the questions provided.
3.
Start Power Point Presentation
§
Discuss the points in detail that appear on the
slides for participant clarification
§
Title slide: Support the Kids Involved
§ a.
Listen and focus on the child – Say “learn about what is going with current
situation and make sure the kids know you want to help. The majority of kids trusts their parents the
most even though they may not talk to them the most and feel a sense of
security when they know their parent support them.”
§ b. Assure the child that the bullying is not
their fault – Say “Your child will feel
much better and supported when they feel they are not at fault and brought this
on themselves. Do not push your child by asking “what did you do to deserve
this?” This will more than likely shut them down and close communication”
§ c. Go in knowing that your child may have a hard
time talking about this to anyone. Say “Once again, do not push your child or
force them to tell you. Let them know
they are loved and do not deserve this behavior being put one them. Let them know you are there for them.”
§ d. Be prepared to give advice on what to do – Say “when your kids open up and are ready
for your help, BE PREPARED! We will talk
more about this in a later slide.” (stopbullying.gov, 2012).
§
Title Slide: Avoid these mistakes
(a) Never
tell the child to ignore the bullying – Say “this
can make the situation worse. The bully
will continue to pick on the child until he or she gets a reaction. Tactics may
escalate.”
(b) Don’t
blame the child, ever! Say “even if the
child did something that started this, no one deserves to be bullied. Blaming just makes the child feel like you will
not help them and only criticize them for what has happened. They would rather say nothing to you about
the situation than relive it and have you badger them.”
(c) Don’t
have the child fight back – Say “by
having the child fight, they could get hurt, suspended or expelled. Additionally, this could bring things to a
whole new level. The bully may not back
down and bring more kids to possibly hurt your child.”
(d) Do
not contact the other parents – Say “taking
matters into your own hands can backfire.
Many parents do not want to hear someone blaming their child for
anything. Going to school officials is
the best measure to start dealing with the situation and mediate between
parents” (stopbullying.gov, 2012).
§
Title Slide:
What to do if you are Bullied
a.
When faced with a bully, the child should look at the
bully and tell them to stop in a calm and clear voice. Say “letting the bully know you are finished with it can stop the
behavior in its tracks”
b. Walk
away and stay away. Find an adult that
can help stop the bullying. Say “if the
child is not around, then bullying cannot happen. Getting immediate help can sometimes steer
the bully right off the child.”
c. Talk
to an adult you trust that you are being bullied. A plan can be developed to help the child out. Say “talking
about how it feels and knowing someone else knows what is going on can make the
child feel like they have help and are not alone.”
d. Stay
away from where bullying happens. Say “if
the child does not put themselves in a bullying situation, the likelihood of it
happening decreases dramatically.”
e. Stay
near adults and friends – avoid being alone.
Say “if the bully cannot get you
along, there is a smaller chance the bully will pick on the child. Adults are also viewed as authority figures
and bullies want to avoid getting into trouble.” (stopbullying.gov, 2012).
§
Slide Title:
What else can parents do to help
a. Talk
with your kids everyday – “if children
are not used to talking with their parents on everyday things, they are much
less likely to open up on a troublesome situation, usually because they are
ashamed”
b. Spend
time at school – “bullies are less likely
to act when adults are present. The more
time you can spend at school and be visible, the less likely bullying will
occur.”
c. Be
a good example of kindness and leadership – “kids
generally model after their parents and if they see their parents treating
anyone in an abusive or hurful way, they will perceive this as okay.”
d.
Learn the signs of bullying – “this will give the parent the upper hand on recognizing a problem and
interacting immediately to help.” (stopbullying.gov, 2012).
§
Slide Title:
Types of Bullying
a.
Say – “There are four types of bullying at
typically take place: direct physical bullying, direct verbal bullying,
indirect relational bullying and cyberbullying.
Direct bullying is physical or theft.
Direct verbal is threats, insults and name-calling. Indirect relational bullying is spreading
rumors or leaving people out.
Cyberbullying is the use of social media/networking or other technology
methods to impose physical threats and psychological distress” (Klomek,
Sourander, &
Gould, 2010).
a.
Say “This video
was put together by a 14 year old that has had struggles of her own, but knows help
from parents and people are available.
The video show us the faces of real kids that could not take the
bullying anymore and in some instances, they knew and did not help enough.”
4.
Role Play
§
Have everyone get into pairs. Give the first set of parents the situation
that they found ripped clothes in the trash can outside. Using some of the information given in the
presentation, how would you go about talking about this with your child?
-
Give practice time, then as for volunteers to display
their version of the role play. Praise
the good points and correct any misleading answers. If no volunteers, ask one of the groups you
observed to present.
§
For the second set of parents, provide the scenario
that your child opens up to you about a classmate cyberbullying them on Facebook
and they want your advice and help.
-
Give practice time, then as for volunteers to display
their version of the role play. Praise
the good points and correct any misleading answers. If no volunteers, ask one of the groups you
observed to present
- Evaluation
Questionnaires are given to the
participants of the class to determine if the objectives have been met.
- Anticipated Problem(s) and Solution(s)
1.
Potential problem:
The computer does not read the flash drive. Solution:
Bring laptop as backup to hook into the screen for presentation.
2.
Potential problem:
The room is locked.
Solution: Arrive early to ensure
enough time is allowed if needed to find a principal or maintenance worker that
can open the classroom.
3.
Pencil may break during questionnaire completion. Solution: Have extra pencils ready in case
the situation arises more than once.
References
Cooper, G. D., Clements, P.,
& Holt, K. E. (2012). Examining Childhood Bullying and Adolescent Suicide:
Implications for School Nurses. Journal Of School Nursing (Sage Publications
Inc.), 28(4), 275-283. doi:10.1177/1059840512438617
Gilbert, G. G., Sawyer, R. G., & McNeil, E.
B. (2011). Contextual considerations for behavior
change: intervention method/selection.
S. Goldberg & A. L. Bloom (Eds.), Health education: creating strategies for school and community health
(pp. 47 – 96). Sudbury, MA: Jones and
Bartlett Publishers.
Giunta, R.
(2009). Death to bullies: they
committed suicide. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzQasKcE5ws&feature=relmfu
Klomek A. B., Sourander A., Gould M. (2010). Association of
suicide and bullying in childhood to young adulthood: A review of
cross-sectional and longitudinal research findings. Le
Revue Canadienne de Psychiatrie, 55,
282–288.
Olweus, D. (2011). What is
bullying? Retrieved from http://www.olweus.org/public/bullying.page
Stopbullying.gov. (2012).
Support kids involved. Retrieved
from http://www.stopbullying.gov/respond/support-kids-involved/index.html
Fill out at the beginning of class.
What do you believe about bullying in and out of schools?
Not a problem - Bullying is out of control
1 2 3 4 5
Please fill out this Questionnaire at the end of the session.
Do you believe there are serious problems for victims of
bullying?
Not a problem the
children can There
is a huge problem
deal with it Children
are suicidal
1 2 3 4 5
Bullying Class Questionnaire
1.
What new warning
sign(s) did you learn this evening that you can use to interact with your
child?
2.
A. Prior to this class did you believe bullying was a
problem in and out of schools?
B.
After this class do you believe bullying is a problem and you will take
more of an interest in getting involved to make sure your children are not
bullied. Why?
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