Expect Respect Project: Creating a Positive Elementary School Climate

• NCJ Number: 222373
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 18 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2003 Pages: 1347-1360
• Author(s): Martha G. Meraviglia; Heather Becker; Barri Rosenbluth; Ellen Sanchez; Trina Robertson
• Date Published: November 2003
• Length: 14 pages
• Grant Number(s): US4/CCU614209-01
• Sponsoring Agency: Ctr's for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Expect Respect Project.

Abstract

The results indicated that the Expect Respect Project was successful in increasing student and staff knowledge of sexual harassment. Unfortunately, study findings did not support the hypothesis that the intervention would increase students' knowledge of bullying. This might be related to the design of the survey more than effectiveness of the educational intervention. The intervention increased students' and staff members' awareness of bullying behaviors as evidenced by the significant differences between groups on reports of bullying at school and on the bus. Even though not hypothesized, the intervention improved their abilities to identify the problem. Students and staff reported that bullying occurred more frequently on playgrounds and in cafeterias. Students also identified hallways and buses as sites for bullying where there is often less adult supervision. Schools can reduce the incidence of bullying by providing more adult supervision throughout the campus and guidance for adults on how to respond appropriately to inappropriate behaviors. The most noticeable finding was the difference between students' and staff members' attitudes of what adults would do when confronted with bullying and sexual harassment. Students indicated that adults would tell students to ignore the inappropriate behaviors. The percentage of students who believe that adults would respond in this way increased from beginning to end of the year for students in the intervention and control groups. The percentage of students who thought that adults at school would take other actions, such as telling a bully to stop or giving a bully different punishment, also increased. The survey was completed by 740 fifth-grade students in the fall and spring, and 671 staff members in the fall and 451 staff members in the spring. Tables, references