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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Joan Kub, PhD APRN, BC¹, Jessica Roberts WIlliams, MSN MPH², Sarah Joyce, BSN¹, Colleen Thornton, RN BSN², and Nina Fredland, MSN¹. (1) Johns Hopkins University, 525 N. Wolfe, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-974-0327, jkub@son.jhmi.edu, (2) School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, 525 N. Wolfe, Baltimore, MD 21205

Bullying is a significant health issue that impacts individual students and schools (Nansel, Overpeck, Pilla, Ruan, Simmons-Morton, Scheidt, 2001). A student is bullied when he or she is exposed repeatedly to negative actions of one or more other students (Olweus, 1994; Connolly, Pepler, Craig, & Taradash, 2000 ). The purpose of this presentation is to describe a school wide intervention(faculty, parents, students) focused on the prevention of bullying behavior in an urban elementary school. The faculty intervention included two sessions focused on increasing awareness of bullying behaviors and the development of skills needed to respond to bullying behavior. The parental component of the program consisted of the development of educational materials that were sent home upon completion of certain topics in the student curriculum. The student curriculum was an adaptation of the “Steps to Respect” curriculum (8-10 lessons) that was presented to the children in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Posters and media messages throughout the school were also used to promote a violence free environment.

The Olweus Bully/Victim Survey was used in assessing the prevalence of self reported bullying behaviors among 4th, 5th,and 6th graders. The 45 children whose parents provided consent were assessed in the winter of 2006 and again at the end of the school year after the school wide intervention. An evaluation of the program will be presented using data from the two time periods as well as survey results from the teachers. The implications for public health nursing, specifically school nursing will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Define bullying behavior in school children.
• Describe the prevalence of self reported bullying behavior in 45 elementary school children in a parochial school.
• Describe a school wide intervention to address bullying behavior in 4th, 5th and 6th graders.
• Describe the results of the school wide intervention.
• Discuss the role of public health nurses in promoting the mental health of children in our schools.

Keywords: Adult and Child Mental Health, Youth Violence

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation