1. Evaluation of an Anti-Bullying Program: Student Reports of Knowledge and Confidence to Manage Bullying Doug C. Catherine M. Paul W.

2. Project Ploughshares Puppets for Peace Purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of the anti-bullying program Purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of the anti-bullying program Goals included: Goals included: –student awareness –strategies to manage it –how useful the program was, and if students reported more cases of bullying after the program

3. What is bullying? Defined as repetitive aggression directed at a peer who is unable to defend themselves Defined as repetitive aggression directed at a peer who is unable to defend themselves Directed from one peer against another who cannot stop the aggression Directed from one peer against another who cannot stop the aggression Bullying includes the aggressor, targeted peer, bystander Bullying includes the aggressor, targeted peer, bystander

4. Characteristics of children who are bullied include depression, passiveness, and shyness Characteristics of children who are bullied include depression, passiveness, and shyness This program looks mainly on the students responses to bullying This program looks mainly on the students responses to bullying

5. Puppet Power! The P4 Program uses puppets and a script The P4 Program uses puppets and a script This helps to educated elementary school students about bullying and conflict resolution This helps to educated elementary school students about bullying and conflict resolution 4 Footsteps include ignoring, saying stop, walking away, and getting help 4 Footsteps include ignoring, saying stop, walking away, and getting help The program was developed in hope that students would report a higher frequency of bullying after, since participating with this program, they would become more aware of what bullying actually was The program was developed in hope that students would report a higher frequency of bullying after, since participating with this program, they would become more aware of what bullying actually was

7. Bullying …occurs when a victim is unable to defend him or herself ~Olweus (2001) ~Olweus (2001) Note: 83% of students state bullying occurs when the student is still able to “fight back”

8. How effective is the P4? Will students learn to: Will students learn to: –identify more types of bullying behaviors and more strategies to manage bullying after viewing the puppet show in comparison with their awareness of bullying and strategies before viewing the show?

9. Method Midwestern Canadian city Midwestern Canadian city –Students in grade 3 and 4 Two groups of students Two groups of students –Before and after participating in the P4 program (intervention group) –Before and at the end of a class period (comparison group) All students re-questioned three months afterwards All students re-questioned three months afterwards

10. Measures Measure students’ knowledge about and experiences with bullying Measure students’ knowledge about and experiences with bullying Determine their ability to accurately identify various behaviors of bullying Determine their ability to accurately identify various behaviors of bullying –Direct bullying (ex. Doug hits kids who are afraid) –Indirect bullying (ex. Mike tells untrue stories) –Non-bullying (ex. Sean is running and falls down)

11. Measures (Continued) What type of strategies would you use to stop bullying? What type of strategies would you use to stop bullying? –Ex. I would tell the kid to stop –Ex. I would use humor –Ex. I would hit, kick, or push the kid

12. Three month follow up questionnaire Questionnaire Questionnaire –Has the puppet show changed the way that you think about or deal with bullying? Please tell how.

13. Results Before the P4 program: Before the P4 program: –82% of the intervention group identified aggressive behaviors as forms of bullying –2% classified the non-bullying items as bullying

14. Results (Continued) 52% of students identified positive strategies to protect themselves from bullying 52% of students identified positive strategies to protect themselves from bullying –Asking for help from an adult and saying stop –Few agreed with using aggression –Few reported doing nothing about bullying

15. Results (Continued) How did students’ understanding of bullying and strategies to deal with it change after seeing the puppet show? How did students’ understanding of bullying and strategies to deal with it change after seeing the puppet show? –No significant difference –Roughly the same amount of behaviors identified and strategies endorsed –Note: Interesting result—more boys (n=43) than girls (n=24) reported that they would use humor to cope with bullying (n=124)

16. Results (Continued) How has the puppet show changed the way that you think about or deal with bullying? How has the puppet show changed the way that you think about or deal with bullying? –50%--their thoughts of behaviors changes  Yes, because it told me how to be safer –<33%--felt the show had no impact  Ex. No because I’ve never been bullied

17. Summary of Results These responses suggest that the P4 program increased students’ concern and confidence in managing bullying. These responses suggest that the P4 program increased students’ concern and confidence in managing bullying. NB. Students who had not experienced bullying found the performance to be more helpful than students who had experienced bullying. NB. Students who had not experienced bullying found the performance to be more helpful than students who had experienced bullying.

18. Discussion The findings of the program were NOT what we expected. The findings of the program were NOT what we expected. –Lets somehow make this information useful???

19. Quote from the Discussion “Although the P4 program did not have a significant impact on students’ awareness of bullying and strategies, students indicated they experienced an increase in their confidence to deal with bullying and their feelings of empathy for children who are bullied” (Beran & Shapiro, 2005, 712). “Although the P4 program did not have a significant impact on students’ awareness of bullying and strategies, students indicated they experienced an increase in their confidence to deal with bullying and their feelings of empathy for children who are bullied” (Beran & Shapiro, 2005, 712).

20. Conclusion Because many home, school, and individual factors contribute to bullying, a single short-term strategy such as a puppet show can be useful as only part of a comprehensive, evidence-based, or school- and family-based effort to help students act in a socially responsible manner Because many home, school, and individual factors contribute to bullying, a single short-term strategy such as a puppet show can be useful as only part of a comprehensive, evidence-based, or school- and family-based effort to help students act in a socially responsible manner