Friend in Deed?: Can Adolescent Girls Be Taught to Understand Relational Bullying?

• NCJ Number: 237536
• Journal: Child Abuse Review Volume: 20 Issue: 6 Dated: November-December 2011 Pages: 439-454
• Author(s): Deborah James; Ann Flynn; Maria Lawlor; Pat Courtney; Niamh Murphy; Bernie Henry
• Date Published: December 2011
• Length: 16 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

This study evaluated a school-based program to teach girls about relational bullying.

Abstract

Relational aggression is common among girls. It can be distressing for the victim and may not always be recognized as a form of bullying. This paper evaluates a school-based intervention designed to help girls understand relational bullying. Girls from a single-sex school completed a two-stage evaluation of the intervention. Students showed greater awareness of relational bullying after the intervention and indicated that it would influence them to change their behavior. At follow-up, retention of knowledge was good. Students reported greater self-monitoring of behavior and less exclusivity. While this is encouraging, we cannot conclude that all negative behaviors ceased. Implications and limitations of this study are discussed. (Published Abstract)