Second Step E-Newsletter
September 2011
New Steps to Respect Study Finds 33 Percent Less Physical Bullying
Finally, the news we’ve been waiting for: evidence that the Steps to Respect program is effective. On September 23, 2011, the peer-reviewed journal School Psychology Review will release the United States’ first scientifically rigorous randomized control trial of a school-based bullying prevention program to find positive effects on reducing bullying and behaviors linked to bullying.
How We Did It
We got help from the Raynier Institute and Foundation to fund a one-year study, which involved 33 elementary schools in California. Schools were randomly selected to either implement the program immediately or wait a year. A total of 1,296 staff members (think anyone from administrators to bus drivers) and 2,490 students participated. We gave the schools Steps to Respect kits, trained the staff, then pretty much stepped out of the picture (except to remind them to collect data from time to time).
What We Found
After that, researchers from the University of Washington’s Social Development Research Group crunched the numbers (no small feat!) and came up with some amazing results. For example, compared to the control schools, the Steps to Respect schools experienced:
- 33 percent less physical bullying
- 35 percent fewer teachers reporting fighting as a big problem
- 20 percent more staff reporting their schools are promoting a positive environment
In addition, the Steps to Respect schools saw gains in factors related to bullying, such as positive bystander behavior, student climate, and staff climate.
What It Means for You
So what does this mean for bullying prevention in general and you in particular? The main answer is that the Steps to Respect program is now research-based and evidence-based—an important distinction when you’re looking for funding or to get buy-in from administrators, teachers, and your community. The less obvious answer is that, when you’re implementing the program, you can rest assured that it works.
