%0 Journal Article %J Prev Sci %D 2014 %T Engagement matters: lessons from assessing classroom implementation of steps to respect: a bullying prevention program over a one-year period. %A Low, Sabina %A Van Ryzin, Mark J %A Brown, Eric C %A Smith, Brian H %A Haggerty, Kevin P %K Adolescent %K Adolescent Behavior %K Altruism %K Bullying %K Curriculum %K Diffusion of Innovation %K Faculty %K Female %K Humans %K Male %K Outcome Assessment (Health Care) %K Primary Prevention %K Program Evaluation %K Schools %K Students %K United States %K Violence %X

Steps to Respect: A Bullying Prevention Program (STR) relies on a social-ecological model of prevention to increase school staff awareness and responsiveness, foster socially responsible beliefs among students, and teach social-emotional skills to students to reduce bullying behavior. As part of a school-randomized controlled trial of STR, we examined predictors and outcomes associated with classroom curriculum implementation in intervention schools. Data on classroom implementation (adherence and engagement) were collected from a sample of teachers using a weekly on-line Teacher Implementation Checklist system. Pre-post data related to school bullying-related outcomes were collected from 1,424 students and archival school demographic data were obtained from the National Center for Education Statistics. Results of multilevel analyses indicated that higher levels of program engagement were influenced by school-level percentage of students receiving free/reduced lunch, as well as classroom-level climate indicators. Results also suggest that higher levels of program engagement were related to lower levels of school bullying problems, enhanced school climate and attitudes less supportive of bullying. Predictors and outcomes related to program fidelity (i.e., adherence) were largely nonsignificant. Results suggest that student engagement is a key element of program impact, though implementation is influenced by both school-level demographics and classroom contexts.

%B Prev Sci %V 15 %P 165-76 %8 2014 Apr %G eng %N 2 %R 10.1007/s11121-012-0359-1 %0 Journal Article %J J Adolesc Health %D 2013 %T The impact of a middle school program to reduce aggression, victimization, and sexual violence. %A Espelage, Dorothy L %A Low, Sabina %A Polanin, Joshua R %A Brown, Eric C %K Adolescent %K Aggression %K Anger %K Bullying %K Child %K Crime Victims %K Female %K Humans %K Internal-External Control %K Longitudinal Studies %K Male %K Midwestern United States %K Peer Group %K Problem Solving %K Program Evaluation %K School Health Services %K Sex Offenses %K Substance-Related Disorders %X

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of the Second Step: Student Success Through Prevention (SS-SSTP) Middle School Program on reducing youth violence including peer aggression, peer victimization, homophobic name calling, and sexual violence perpetration and victimization among middle school sixth-grade students.

METHODS: The study design was a nested cohort (sixth graders) longitudinal study. We randomly assigned 18 matched pairs of 36 middle schools to the SS-SSTP or control condition. Teachers implemented 15 weekly lessons of the sixth-grade curriculum that focused on social emotional learning skills, including empathy, communication, bully prevention, and problem-solving skills. All sixth graders (n = 3,616) in intervention and control conditions completed self-report measures assessing verbal/relational bullying, physical aggression, homophobic name calling, and sexual violence victimization and perpetration before and after the implementation of the sixth-grade curriculum.

RESULTS: Multilevel analyses revealed significant intervention effects with regard to physical aggression. The adjusted odds ratio indicated that the intervention effect was substantial; individuals in intervention schools were 42% less likely to self-report physical aggression than students in control schools. We found no significant intervention effects for verbal/relational bully perpetration, peer victimization, homophobic teasing, and sexual violence.

CONCLUSIONS: Within a 1-year period, we noted significant reductions in self-reported physical aggression in the intervention schools. Results suggest that SS-SSTP holds promise as an efficacious prevention program to reduce physical aggression in adolescent youth.

%B J Adolesc Health %V 53 %P 180-6 %8 2013 Aug %G eng %N 2 %R 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.02.021