Bullying Prevention Program - Student Services / Prevention and ...

As stated above, three variables which can be interpreted as having negative results had to do
with conditions in the schools which either ignored conditions which could lead to bullying, on
one hand, or actively sought to prevent it, on the other. Those questions are: (a) a student’s
willingness to go to teachers if bullied (question 24); (b) how seriously the school staff takes
bullying (question 20); and (c) whether or not the staff is working to prevent bullying (question
21). One interpretation of these findings is that the program erodes the teachers’ and school’s
commitment to counteracting bullying. However, a more reasonable explanation is that after
receiving the program the students in the treatment schools became more aware of conditions in
their schools that allow bullying: a climate they had not noticed before. Having been made aware
of conditions which might give rise to bullying the students do not see corresponding changes in
the climate in their schools.
Logically, these findings indicate the importance of an entire school staff addressing bullying as
a serious issue and the importance of changes to school climate. It appears that combining the
program with a concerted effort to change how staff perceive of bullying, making it clear to the
students that everyone is available and willing to help, will decrease the potential for bullying
even more.
FUTURE EVALUATIONS
The encouraging results of the evaluation of the Wisconsin Bullying Prevention Program make it
important to continue evaluating the program. An important future study would test the
psychometric properties of the survey instruments -- their reliability and validity -- and the
appropriateness of the measurement technique used for 3 rd graders. A more dependable
instrument would more accurately measure changes brought about by the program.
Our evaluation looked at only the basic lessons. A more comprehensive study would compare (a)
the basic program with (b) the basic program plus the booster sessions and the ancillary activities
on social and emotional learning.
86 Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction