Small Group Counseling for Reactive Aggressive, Anger-Fueled Bullying Behavior Jim Larson, Ph.D. School Psychology Program Department of Psychology University of Wisconsin – Whitewater Whitewater, WI and The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment

Aggressive Patterns in Students Who Bully - I Proactive, Cool-Headed Aggression Proactive, Cool-Headed Aggression goal-oriented aggressive behaviors goal-oriented aggressive behaviors unprovoked intentions to exert power over others unprovoked intentions to exert power over others higher peer status, often “popular” higher peer status, often “popular” overvalued use of aggression overvalued use of aggression underestimates of victim impact underestimates of victim impact

Aggressive Patterns in Students Who Bully - II Reactive, Anger-Fueled Aggression Reactive, Anger-Fueled Aggression hypervigilant for aggressive cues hypervigilant for aggressive cues biased interpretation of ambiguous cues biased interpretation of ambiguous cues Hostile attributional bias Hostile attributional bias narrow solution generation ability narrow solution generation ability poor emotional understanding/regulation poor emotional understanding/regulation lower peer status lower peer status high disciplinary contacts high disciplinary contacts

Rarely are there “pure types” Most have elements of both Most have elements of both Importance of a good assessment Importance of a good assessment Observation and FBA Observation and FBA Self-Reports, e.g., Multidimensional School Anger Inventory or Children’s Inventory of Anger Self-Reports, e.g., Multidimensional School Anger Inventory or Children’s Inventory of Anger Teacher Screening Scale Teacher Screening Scale

Teacher Screening Scale (Adapt. Dodge & Coie,1987; in HSCWA; Larson, 2002) Never Almost Always When teased, fights back* Blames others in fights* Overreacts angrily to accidents* Uses physical force to dominate** Gets others to gang up on a peer** Threatens and bullies others** *Reactive **Proactive

Treatment Implications When Anger is a Key Component Essential Components for Group Treatment Emotional education and emotional regulation training for generalization Emotional education and emotional regulation training for generalization Identifying and Differentiating Feeling States Identifying and Differentiating Feeling States Recognizing Affective Continuums Recognizing Affective Continuums Rehearsal of Techniques for Regulation Rehearsal of Techniques for Regulation

Treatment Implications When Anger is a Key Component Essential Components for Group Treatment Attribution re-training for generalization Attribution re-training for generalization Challenge Hostile Attributional Biases Challenge Hostile Attributional Biases Train Cue Recognition Strategies Train Cue Recognition Strategies Use “Alternative Explanations” Practice Use “Alternative Explanations” Practice

Treatment Implications When Anger is a Key Component Essential Components for Group Treatment Social problem-solving training for generalization Social problem-solving training for generalization Train Problem-Solving Steps Train Problem-Solving Steps Rehearse Authentic Scenarios Rehearse Authentic Scenarios

Treatment Implications When Anger is a Key Component Essential Components for Group Treatment Behavioral skills training for generalization Behavioral skills training for generalization Link to Problem-Solving Solutions Link to Problem-Solving Solutions Train Assertiveness Skills Train Assertiveness Skills

What is meant by TRAINING? It is one thing to know about a skill, but quite another to engage the skill in fast moving moments of stress, ambiguity, and potential danger

What is meant by GENERALIZATION? Can the youth enact the skill: Can the youth enact the skill: Across settings? Across settings? Across individuals? Across individuals? Across multiple trigger events? Across multiple trigger events? …and can it be maintained over time?

Implications for Training and Generalization Present to student at outset and keep reminding Present to student at outset and keep reminding Insight, model, rehearse, feedback, repeat Insight, model, rehearse, feedback, repeat New situation, new location, new people New situation, new location, new people Gather multiple collaborators Gather multiple collaborators Teachers, family, PO’s… Teachers, family, PO’s… Get in for the Long Haul, include Boosters Get in for the Long Haul, include Boosters Nothing happens in six weeks… Nothing happens in six weeks…

Anger Coping Program Small group counseling for children 8-12 Small group counseling for children 8-12 Evidenced-based, cognitive-behavioral orientation Evidenced-based, cognitive-behavioral orientation Highly collaborative with classroom teacher Highly collaborative with classroom teacher 18 sessions plus boosters 18 sessions plus boosters

Think First Program Small group counseling program for adolescents Small group counseling program for adolescents Research is emerging and promising Research is emerging and promising 18 weeks plus boosters 18 weeks plus boosters School focus, linked to academics and disciplinary structure School focus, linked to academics and disciplinary structure

See Also... SkillStreaming SkillStreaming Adolescent and child versions Adolescent and child versions Aggression Replacement Training (ART) for adolescents Aggression Replacement Training (ART) for adolescents Anger Training Anger Training Social Skills Training Social Skills Training Moral Development Training Moral Development Training Both at Both at

Classroom Curriculum Second Step Violence Prevention Program Second Step Violence Prevention Program Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) I Can Problem-Solve (ICPS) I Can Problem-Solve (ICPS) Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning

References Larson, J. (2005). Think First: Addressing aggressive behavior in the secondary schools. New York: Guilford Press Larson, J. (2005). Think First: Addressing aggressive behavior in the secondary schools. New York: Guilford Press Larson, J., & Lochman, J. E. (2002). Helping schoolchildren cope with anger: A cognitive- behavioral intervention. New York: Guilford Press Larson, J., & Lochman, J. E. (2002). Helping schoolchildren cope with anger: A cognitive- behavioral intervention. New York: Guilford Press Second Step Violence Prevention Program available at Second Step Violence Prevention Program available at PATHS available at PATHS available at ICPS available at ICPS available at