Top

Published in:

01-06-2010 | Original Paper

School-Based Mentoring as Selective Prevention for Bullied Children: A Preliminary Test

Authors: L. Christian Elledge, Timothy A. Cavell, Nick T. Ogle, Rebecca A. Newgent

Published in: Journal of Prevention | Issue 3/2010

Abstract

This preliminary study tested the benefits of school-based lunchtime mentoring as a form of selective prevention for bullied children. Participants were 36 elementary school children in grades 4 and 5 who had been identified as bullied (based on child and teacher reports). Children in the Lunch Buddy program (n = 12) were paired with a college student mentor who visited twice each week during the spring semester of an academic year. Also participating were 24 matched-control children; 12 were from the same school as Lunch Buddy children (“Same” controls) and 12 were from a school different from that of Lunch Buddy children (“Different” controls). Results indicated that compared to Different control children, Lunch Buddy children experienced significantly greater reductions in peer reports of peer victimization from fall to spring semesters. Lunch Buddy children and mentors viewed the relationship as positive, and parents and teachers were very satisfied with Lunch Buddy mentoring. We discuss the implications of our findings for both research and practice.

Fifth-grade children at this school did not participate because they (and their teachers) were dealing with the tragic death of a classmate earlier in the year.

Achenbach, T. M. (2001a). Teacher’s report form for ages 6–18. Burlington, VT: Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment.

Achenbach, T. M. (2001b). Child behavior checklist for ages 6–18. Burlington, VT: Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment.

Arora, C. M. J. (1991). The use of victim support groups. In P. K. Smith & D. Thompson (Eds.), Practical approaches to bullying (pp. 59–66). London, UK: Fulton.

Attkisson, C. C., & Greenfield, T. K. (1994). The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 and the Service Satisfaction Questionnaire-30. In M. Maruish (Ed.), Psychological test: Treatment planning and outcome assessment (pp. 223–235). San Francisco, CA: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Bernstein, L., Rappaport, C. D., Olsho, L., Hunt, D., & Levin, M. (2009). Impact evaluation of the U.S. Department of Education’s student mentoring program: Final report. Washington, DC: U. S. Department of Education.

Bierman, K. L. (1986). Process of change during social skills training with preadolescents and its relation to treatment outcome. Child Development, 57, 230–240.CrossRefPubMed

Bierman, K. L., & Furman, W. (1984). The effects of social skills training and peer involvement on the social adjustment of preadolescents. Child Development, 55, 151–162.CrossRefPubMed

Brockenbrough, K. K. (2001). Peer victimization and bullying prevention among middle school students. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences of Engineering, 62(1-B), 538.

Card, N. A., & Hodges, E. V. E. (2008). Peer victimization among schoolchildren: Correlations, causes, consequences, and considerations in assessment and intervention. School Psychology Quarterly, 23(4), 451–461.CrossRef

Card, N. A., Isaacs, J., & Hodges, E. V. E. (2007). Correlates of school victimization: Implications of prevention and intervention. In J. Zins, M. Elias, & C. Maher (Eds.), Bullying, victimization, and peer harassment (pp. 339–366). New York, NY: Haworth Press Inc.

Cavell, T. A., Elledge, L. C., Malcolm, K. T., Faith, M. A., & Hughes, J. N. (2009). Relationship quality and the mentoring of aggressive, high-risk children. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 38(2), 185–198.CrossRefPubMed

Cavell, T. A., & Henrie, J. L. (2010). Deconstructing serendipity: Focus, purpose, and authorship in Lunch Buddy Mentoring. In G. G. Noam, M. J. Karcher, & M. J. Nakkula (Eds.), New directions for youth development: Theory, practice, and research. The structure of mentoring interactions, (in press).

Cavell, T. A., & Hughes, J. N. (2000). Secondary prevention as context for assessing change processes in aggressive children. Journal of School Psychology, 38, 199–236.CrossRef

Cavell, T. A., & Smith, A. (2005). Mentoring children. In D. L. DuBois & M. J. Karcher (Eds.), Handbook of youth mentoring (pp. 160–176). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Ltd.

Chan, J. H. F., Myron, R., & Crawshaw, M. (2005). The efficacy of non-anonymous measures of bullying. School Psychology International, 26(4), 443–458.CrossRef

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.

Coie, J. D., Watt, N. F., West, S. G., Hawkins, D. J., Asarnow, J. R., Markman, H. J., et al. (1993). The science of prevention: A conceptual framework and some directions of a National Research Program. American Psychologist, 48, 1013–1022.CrossRefPubMed

Cole, J. C. M., Cornell, D. G., & Sheras, P. (2006). Identification of school bullies by survey methods. Professional School Counseling, 9, 305–313.

Craig, W., & Pepler, D. (1997). Observations of bullying and victimization in the school yard. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 13(2), 41–59.CrossRef

DeRosier, M. E. (2004). Building relationships and combating bullying: Effectiveness of a school-based social skills group intervention. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 33(1), 196–201.CrossRefPubMed

DeRosier, M. E., & Marcus, S. R. (2005). Building friendships and combating bullying: Effectiveness of S.S.GRIN at one-year follow-up. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34(1), 140–150.CrossRefPubMed

Dortch, T. (2000). The miracles of mentoring: The joy of investing in our future. New York: Doubleday.

DuBois, D. L., Holloway, B. E., Valentine, J. C., & Cooper, H. (2002). Effectiveness of mentoring programs for youth: A meta-analytic review. American Journal of Community Psychology, 30(2), 157–197.CrossRefPubMed

DuBois, D. L., & Karcher, M. J. (2005). Youth mentoring: Theory, research, and practice. In D. L. DuBois & M. J. Karcher (Eds.), Handbook of youth mentoring (pp. 2–11). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Ltd.

Elinoff, M. J. (2006). Friends against bullying: Evaluation of a peer-mentoring program to reduce bullying in schools. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences, 67(2-A), 458.

Espelage, D. L., & Asidao, C. S. (2001). Conversations with middle school students about bullying and victimization: Should we be concerned? In R. A. Geffner, M. Loring, & C. Young (Eds.), Bullying behavior: Current issues, research, and interventions (pp. 49–62). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Maltreatment and Trauma Press/The Haworth Press.

Espelage, D. L., & Swearer, S. M. (2003). Research on school bullying and victimization: What have we learned and where do we go from here? School Psychology Review, 32(2), 365–383.

Estell, D. B., Farmer, T. W., Irvin, M. J., Akos, P., Boudah, D. J., & Crowther, A. (2009). Students with exceptionalities and the peer group context of bullying and victimization in late elementary school. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 18, 136–150.CrossRef

Fekkes, M., Pijpers, F. I. M., Fredriks, M. A., Vogels, T., & Verloove-Vanhorick, P. S. (2006). Do bullied children get ill, or do ill children get bullied? A prospective cohort study on the relationship between bullying and health-related symptoms. Pediatrics, 117(5), 1568–1574.CrossRefPubMed

Fekkes, M., Pijpers, F., & Verloove-Vanhorick, S. (2005). Bulling: Who does what, when and where? Involvement of children, teachers and parents in bullying behavior. Health Education Research, 20(1), 81–91.CrossRefPubMed

Ferguson, C. J. (2009). An effect size primer: A guide for clinicians and researchers. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(5), 532–538.CrossRef

Fox, C. L., & Boulton, M. J. (2003). Evaluating the effectiveness of a social skills training (SST) programme for victims of bullying. Educational Research, 45(3), 231–247.CrossRef

Galloway, D., & Roland, E. (2004). Is the direct approach to reducing bullying always the best? In P. K. Smith, D. Pepler, & K. Rigby (Eds.), Bullying in schools: How successful can interventions be? (pp. 37–53). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.CrossRef

Gazelle, H., & Ladd, G. (2002). Interventions for children victimized by peers. In P. Schewe (Ed.), Preventing violence in relationships: Interventions across the life span (pp. 55–78). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.CrossRef

Gest, S. D., Sesma, A., Masten, A. S., & Tellegen, A. (2006). Childhood peer reputation as a predictor of competence and symptoms 10 years later. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 34, 509–526.CrossRefPubMed

Goldbaum, S., Craig, W., & Pepler, D. (2007). Developmental trajectories of victimization: Identifying risk and protective factors. In J. E. Zins, J. Maurice, & A. Charles (Eds.), Bullying, victimization, and peer harassment: A handbook of prevention and intervention (pp. 143–160). New York, NY: Haworth Press.

Grossman, J. B., & Rhodes, J. E. (2002). The test of time: Predictors and effects of duration in youth mentoring programs. American Journal of Community Psychology, 30, 199–219.CrossRefPubMed

Hanish, L. D., & Guerra, N. G. (2004). Aggressive victims, passive victims, and bullies: Developmental continuity of developmental change? Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 50(1), 17–38.CrossRef

Hawker, D., & Boulton, M. (2000). Twenty years’ research on peer victimization and psychosocial maladjustment: A meta-analytic review of cross-sectional studies. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 41(4), 441–455.CrossRefPubMed

Herrera, C. (1999). School-based mentoring: A first look into its potential. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures.

Herrera, C. (2004). School-based mentoring: A closer look. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures.

Herrera, C. (2007). The BBBS School-Based Mentoring Impact Study: Findings and implications for policy and practice. Paper presented at the Summer Institute on Youth Mentoring, Portland, OR.

Herrera, C., Grossman, J. B., Kauh, T. J., Feldman, A. F., & McMaken, J. (2007). Making a difference in schools: The Big Brothers Big Sisters school-based mentoring impact study. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures.

Herrera, C., Sipe, C. L., & McClanahan, W. S. (2000). Mentoring school-age children: Relationship development in community-based and school-based programs. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures.

Hodges, E. V. E., Malone, M. J., & Perry, D. G. (1997). Individual risk and social risk as interacting determinants of victimization in the peer group. Developmental Psychology, 33, 1032–1039.CrossRefPubMed

Hughes, J. N., Cavell, T. A., & Meehan, B. T. (2001). Preventing substance abuse in aggressive children: Final report of R01-DA10037 submitted to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Hughes, J. N., Cavell, T. A., Meehan, B., Zhang, D., & Collie, C. (2005). Adverse school context moderates the outcomes of two selective intervention programs for aggressive children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 731–736.CrossRefPubMed

Hymel, S. (1986). Interpretations of peer behavior: Affective bias in childhood and adolescence. Child Development, 57, 431–445.CrossRef

Juvonen, J., & Graham, S. (2001). Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized. New York, NY: Guilford.

Juvonen, J., Nishina, A., & Graham, S. (2001). Self-views versus peer perceptions of victim status among early adolescents. In J. Juvonen & S. Graham (Eds.), Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized (pp. 105–124). New York, NY: Guilford.

Karcher, M. J. (2005). The effects of developmental mentoring and high school mentors’ attendance on their younger mentees’ self-esteem, social skills, and connectedness. Psychology in the Schools, 42(1), 65–77.CrossRef

Karcher, M. J. (2008). The study of mentoring in the learning environment (SMILE): A randomized evaluation of the effectiveness of school-based mentoring. Prevention Science, 9, 99–113.CrossRefPubMed

Kazdin, A. (2003). Research design in clinical psychology (4th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Keller, T. E. (2005). The stages and development of mentoring relationships. In D. L. DuBois & M. Karcher (Eds.), Handbook of youth mentoring (pp. 82–99). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Kochenderfer-Ladd, B. J. (2004). Peer victimization: The role of emotions in adaptive and maladaptive coping. Social Development, 13, 329–349.CrossRef

Kochenderfer-Ladd, B., & Wardrop, J. (2001). Chronicity and instability of children’s peer victimization experiences as predictors of loneliness and social satisfaction trajectories. Child Development, 72(1), 134–151.CrossRefPubMed

Kumpulainen, K., Rasanen, E., & Puura, K. (2001). Psychiatric disorders and the use of mental health services among children involved in bullying. Aggressive Behavior, 27(2), 02–110.CrossRef

Ladd, B., & Kochenderfer-Ladd, G. W. (2002). Identifying victims of peer aggression from early to middle childhood: Analysis of cross-informant data for concordance, estimation of relational adjustment, prevalence of victimization, and characteristics of identified victims. Psychological Assessment, 14(1), 74–96.CrossRefPubMed

Ladd, B., & Ladd, G. (2001). Variations in peer victimization: Relations to children’s maladjustment. In J. Juvonen & S. Graham (Eds.), Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized (pp. 25–48). New York: Guilford Press.

Levitt, M. J. (2005). Social relations in childhood and adolescence: The convoy model perspective. Human Development, 48(1), 28–47.CrossRef

Mahdavi, J., & Smith, P. K. (2002). The operation of a bully court and perceptions of its success: A case study. School Psychology International, 23(3), 327–342.CrossRef

Maines, B., & Robinson, G. (1998). The No Blame Approach to bullying. In D. Shorrocks-Taylor (Ed.), Directions in educational psychology (pp. 281–295). Philadelphia, PA: Whurr Publishers.

Malcolm, K. T., & Cavell, T. A. (2006). Can school-based mentoring alter the peer ecology of aggressive children? Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, San Antonio, TX.

Masten, A. S., Morrison, P., & Pellegrini, D. S. (1985). A revised class play method of peer assessment. Developmental Psychology, 21(3), 523–533.CrossRef

Merrell, K. W., Gueldner, B. A., Ross, S. W., & Isava, D. M. (2008). How effective are school bullying intervention programs? A meta-analysis of intervention research. School Psychology Quarterly, 23(1), 26–42.CrossRef

Nation, M. (2007). Empowering the victim: Interventions for children victimized by bullies. In J. E. Zins, M. J. Elias, & C. A. Maher (Eds.), Bullying, victimization, and peer harassment: A handbook of prevention and intervention (pp. 239–255). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.

Nicolaides, S., Toda, Y., & Smith, P. K. (2002). Knowledge and attitudes about school bullying in trainee teachers. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 72(1), 105–118.CrossRefPubMed

Nishina, A., Juvonen, J., & Witkow, M. (2005). Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will make me sick: The consequences of peer harassment. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34, 37–48.CrossRefPubMed

Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school: What we know and what we can do. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell.

Parker, J. G., & Asher, S. R. (1987). Peer relations and later personal adjustment: Are low-accepted children at risk? Psychological Bulletin, 102, 357–389.CrossRefPubMed

Pellegrini, A. D. (2001). Sampling instances of victimization in middle school: A methodological comparison. In J. Juvonen & S. Graham (Eds.), Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized (pp. 125–146). New York, NY: Guilford.

Pellegrini, A. D., & Long, J. D. (2002). A longitudinal study of bullying, dominance, and victimization during the transition from primary school through secondary school. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 20(2), 259–280.CrossRef

Pepler, D. (2006). Bullying interventions: A binocular perspective. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 15(1), 16–20.PubMed

Pepler, D. J., Craig, W. M., Connolly, J. A., Yuile, A., McMaster, L., & Jiang, D. (2006). A developmental perspective on bullying. Aggressive Behavior, 32(4), 376–384.CrossRef

Perry, D. G., Kusel, S. J., & Perry, L. C. (1988). Victims of peer aggression. Developmental Psychology, 24, 807–814.CrossRef

Pikas, A. (1989). A pure concept of mobbing gives the best results for treatment. School Psychology International, 10(2), 95–104.CrossRef

Price, S., & Jones, R. A. (2001). Reflections on anti-bullying peer counseling in a comprehensive school. Educational Psychology in Practice, 17(1), 35–40.CrossRef

Rhodes, J. E. (1994). Older and wiser: Mentoring relationships in childhood and adolescents. Journal of Primary Prevention, 14, 187–196.CrossRef

Rhodes, J. E. (2008). Improving youth mentoring interventions through research-based practice. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41, 35–42.CrossRefPubMed

Rigby, K. (2005). Why do some children bully at school? The contributions of negative attitudes towards victims and the perceived expectations of friends, parents and teachers. School Psychology International, 26(2), 147–161.CrossRef

Rigby, K., & Slee, P. (1999). Suicidal ideation among adolescent school children involvement in bully-victim problems, and perceived social support. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 29(2), 119–130.PubMed

Robinson, G., & Maines, B. (1997). Crying for help: The No Blame approach to bullying. Bristol, UK: Lucky Duck Publishing.

Rodkin, P. C., & Hodges, E. V. E. (2003). Bullies and victims in the peer ecology: Four questions for psychologists and school professionals. School Psychology Review, 32(3), 384–400.

Rosen, P., Milich, R., & Harris, M. (2007). Victims of their own cognitions: Implicit social cognitions, emotional distress, and peer victimization. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 28, 211–226.CrossRef

Salmivalli, C. (1999). Participant role approach to school bullying: Implication for interventions. Journal of Adolescents, 22, 453–459.CrossRef

Salmivalli, C., Kaukiainen, A., & Voeten, M. (2005). Anti-bullying intervention: Implementation and outcome. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 75(3), 465–487.CrossRefPubMed

Salmivalli, C., & Voeten, M. (2004). Connections between attitudes, group norms, and behaviour in bullying situations. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 28(3), 246–458.CrossRef

Shirk, S. R., & Saiz, C. C. (1992). Clinical, empirical, and developmental perspectives on the therapeutic relationship in child psychotherapy. Development and Psychopathology, 4, 713–728.CrossRef

Smith, P., Ananiadou, K., & Cowie, H. (2003). Interventions to reduce school bullying. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 48(9), 591–599.

Smith, P. K., Madsen, K. C., & Moody, J. C. (1999). What causes the age decline in reports of being bullied at school? Towards a developmental analysis of risks of being bullied. Educational Research, 41, 267–285.

Smith, J. D., Schneider, B. H., Smith, P. K., & Ananiadou, K. (2004). The effectiveness of whole-school antibullying programs: A synthesis of evaluation research. School Psychology Review, 33(4), 547–560.

Smith, P. K., Shu, S., & Madsen, K. (2001). Characteristics of victims of school bullying: Developmental changes in coping strategies and skills. In J. Juvonen & S. Graham (Eds.), Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized (pp. 332–351). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Snell, J., MacKenzie, E., & Frey, K. (2002). Bulling prevention in elementary schools: The importance of adult leadership, peer group support, and student social-emotional skills. In M. R. Shinn, H. M. Walker, & G. Stoner (Eds.), Interventions for academic and behavior problems II: Preventive and remedial approaches (pp. 351–372). Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

Stassen Berger, K. (2007). Updating on bullying at school: Science forgotten? Developmental Review, 27(1), 90–126.CrossRef

Stevens, V., Van Oost, P., & de Bourdeaudhuij, I. (2000). The effects of an anti-bullying intervention programme on peers’ attitudes and behaviour. Journal of Adolescence, 23(1), 21–34.CrossRefPubMed

Storch, E. A., & Ledley, D. R. (2005). Peer victimization and psychosocial adjustment in children: Current knowledge and future directions. Clinical Pediatrics, 44(1), 29–38.CrossRefPubMed

Twemlow, S., Fonagy, P., & Sacco, F. (2005). A developmental approach to mentalizing communities: II. The Peaceful Schools experiment. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 69(4), 282–304.CrossRefPubMed

Twemlow, S., Fonagy, P., Sacco, F., Gies, M., Evans, R., & Ewbank, R. (2001). Creating a peaceful school learning environment: A controlled study of an elementary school intervention to reduce violence. American Journal of Psychiatry, 158(5), 808–810.CrossRefPubMed

Unnever, J. D., & Cornell, D. G. (2004). Middle school victims of bullying: Who reports being bullied? Aggressive Behavior, 30(5), 372–388.CrossRef

Whitney, I., & Smith, P. K. (1993). A survey of the nature and extent of bullying in junior/middle and secondary schools. Educational Research, 35(1), 3–25.

Young, S. (1998). The support group approach to bullying in schools. Educational Psychology in Practice, 14(1), 32–39.CrossRef

Young, S., & Holdorf, G. (2003). Using solution focused brief therapy in individual referrals for bullying. Educational Psychology in Practice, 19(4), 271–282.CrossRef

Title: School-Based Mentoring as Selective Prevention for Bullied Children: A Preliminary Test
Authors: L. Christian Elledge
Timothy A. Cavell
Nick T. Ogle
Rebecca A. Newgent
Publication date: 01-06-2010
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Prevention / Issue 3/2010
Print ISSN: 2731-5533
Electronic ISSN: 2731-5541
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-010-0215-7

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

School-Based Mentoring as Selective Prevention for Bullied Children: A Preliminary Test

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 3/2010

Stacked Deck: An Effective, School-Based Program for the Prevention of Problem Gambling

Alcohol, Marijuana, and Tobacco Use Among Canadian Youth: Do We Need More Multi-Substance Prevention Programming?

Community-Based Prevention Programs for Anxiety and Depression in Youth: A Systematic Review

Refusal Skill Ability: An Examination of Adolescent Perceptions of Effectiveness

New Leadership, New Directions, New Format