Understanding Girl Bullying and What to Do About It

Julaine E. Field, PhD, LPC, NCC is the associate dean and an associate professor for the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs College of Education. She has been employed as a counseling practitioner since 1992, which includes working as a school counselor, mental health counselor, college counselor, and in private practice. Currently, she consults with school districts, administrators, teachers, parents and students on bullying interventions and anti-bullying efforts in schools. She has also worked extensively with victims (adults and children) of domestic violence and sexual assault and has conducted crisis response trainings in these areas for educators, counselors, police officers, mental health workers and crisis responders. She has worked as a counselor educator since 2002, teaching a range of graduate courses including crisis counseling, human sexuality, group counseling and courses related to school counseling. Finally, Dr. Field has authored publications on the topics of bullying, relational and social aggression, counselor advocacy and gender identity. She has also presented at international, national, and state conferences on these topics. Jered B. Kolbert is an associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Development at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. Kolbert is a certified school counselor and licensed professional counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania, and he is a national certified counselor (NCC). Kolbert teaches graduate-level courses in counseling, including family counseling, life-span development, school counseling practicum, and a professional orientation course for school counselors. He has also taught at The College of William and Mary in Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University. Kolbert has worked as a school counselor, marriage and family counselor, and substance abuse counselor. He has authored publications in nationally refereed journals on a variety of topics, including evolutionary psychology, bullying, relational aggression, gender identity, and moral development. Kolbert obtained his doctorate in counseling from The College of William and Mary. Laura M. Crothers is an associate professor in the school psychology program in the Department of Counseling, Psychology, and Special Education at Duquesne University. Crothers, who is a New Jersey-, Pennsylvania-, and nationally-certified school psychologist, has been recognized as a national expert in childhood bullying by the National Association of School Psychologists. She teaches the graduate-level consultation seminars in school psychology at Duquesne University, and has taught courses in counseling, development, and educational psychology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Slippery Rock University. Crothers has contributed to the source literature by studying bullying in children and adolescents, and is currently investigating the effects of job stress and locus of control upon teachers' behavior management styles, assisting teachers in managing student behavior problems in the classroom, using guidance curricular techniques to manage female adolescent peer aggression, and bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. In addition to her scholarly writing, Crothers has delivered lectures and conducted presentations regionally, nationally, and internationally. Crothers provides professional reviews of manuscripts for Communique, School Psychology Review, the Trainers' Forum, and the Journal of Research in Rural Education. Tammy L. Hughes is an associate professor at Duquesne University and president of the Division of School Psychology of the American Psychological Association (APA). She is also the co-chair of the School Psychology Leadership Roundtable (SPLR) and is a past-president of Trainers of School Psychologists (TSP). Hughes is an associate editor for Psychology in the Schools and serves on the editorial boards of School Psychology Quarterly and International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. She is the author and coauthor of numerous books, journal articles, chapters, and other publications on child violence, differentiating emotional disturbance and social maladjustment, and understanding the relationship between emotional dysregulation and conduct problems in children. She routinely provides scholarly presentations at national and international conferences and professional sessions for local and state constituents. Her work experience includes assessment, counseling, and consultation services in forensic and juvenile justice settings focusing on parent-school-interagency treatment planning and integrity monitoring. Contact Information: Email: hughest@duq.edu

List of Tables and Figures Acknowledgments About the Authors Introduction 1. Understanding Relational and Social Aggression Definitions of Relational and Social Aggression Cyberbullying Why Use Relational and Social Aggression? Evolutionary Psychology Systemic (Social and Cultural) Influences Social Learning Theory Developmental Perspective What Does It Feel Like to Be in a Relationally and Socially Aggressive Climate? Rules of Engagement Conclusion 2. Measuring Relational and Social Aggression Sociometric Procedures Questionnaires and Surveys Teacher Rating Scales and Reports Parent Reports Student Self-Reports Interview Strategies Focus Groups Observations Ethical Considerations in Assessment Conclusion 3. School-Based Interventions Factors in Selecting Interventions Primary Prevention Programs: Support for Child Development Secondary Intervention Programs: Schoolwide Support Tertiary Prevention Programs: Targeted Interventions for Students Conclusion 4. Strategies for Working With Parents and Teachers Working With Parents of Relationally Aggressive Girls Using Enactments With Parents of Relationally Aggressive Girls Working with Parents of Relationally Victimized Girls Using Enactments with Parents of Relationally Victimized Girls Consulting With Teachers Consulting With Teachers in Working With Girls Who Use Relational Aggression Consulting With Teachers in Helping Relationally Victimized Girls Conclusion 5. Goodwill Girls: A Small-Group Curriculum Using Group Counseling With Victims and Perpetrators The Goodwill Girls Small-Group Curriculum Conclusion Appendix: Handouts for Goodwill Girls Small-Group Curriculum References Index

"A useful tool for school counselors that outlines the root causes of girl bullying. It provides examples of ways to assess relational aggression in schools, as well as possible interventions." -- Jennifer Betters, School Counselor "This book fills a major void in the literature and serves as a great resource for educators, mental health professionals, and parents." -- James L. Moore III, Associate Professor of Counselor Education "This book will unquestionably help counselors do better work." -- Philip Kavanagh, Guidance Director "This is a well-researched book that integrates theory and research with applications." -- Carol Dahir, Associate Professor of Counselor Education "This book provides useful definitions, examples, and suggestions--as well as ready-to-use surveys and small-group curriculum--making it a useful tool for a school social worker. " -- Lynn R. Zakeri, School Counselor