CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. School Bullying: What It Is and Why It Hurts
2. The Role of Bullies, Victims, and Witnesses
3. Factors Contributing to Bullying and Violence
4. Screening and Assessment
5. Treatment For Children and Adolescents
6. Prevention and Intervention
7. Legal and Ethical Issues

Supplements
Case Studies
Fact Sheets
References
Resources

The ABCs of Bullying
Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Aggression

Being Alert to Indicators of Psychological and Mental Health Problems

No one should be overzealous in seeing normal variations in students' development and behavior as problems. At the same time, school professionals do not want to ignore possible indicators. The following are meant only to sensitize responsible professionals. They should not be seen as a checklist. If a student shows multiple similarities to the indicators below, a request should be made to the appropriate mental health professional to do further screening/assessment. If they occur frequently and in various of situations and appear rather serious when you compare the behavior with that of other students the same age, the following behaviors may be symptomatic of significant problems.

Emotional Appearance

• Emotions seem excessive, displays little affect, very rapid shifts in emotional state
• Very unhappy, sad, teary, depressed
• Very afraid (fearful indicates a sense of worthlessness)
• Can't seem to control emotions
• Hopelessness/helplessness
• Very anxious, shy

Personal Actions

• Acts in ways that are troublesome or troubling
• Very immature, often doesn't seem to hear
• Frequent outbursts, violent, hurts self or others
• Often angry
• Becomes easily overexcited
• Cruel to animals
• Truancy, school avoidance
• Sleep problems, nightmares
• Trouble learning and performing
• Wetting/soiling at school (regressive behavior)
• Eating problems
• Easily distracted, impulsive
• Lies often, cheats often
• Isolates self from others
• Destroys things
• Substance abuse

Interactions With Others

• Doesn't seem interested in others
• Can't interact appropriately or effectively with others
• Doesn't pay attention
• Refuses to talk
• Cruel and bullying
• Promiscuous
• Highly manipulative
• Excessively reactive and resistant to authority
• Alienates others
• Highly aggressive to others, both physically and sexually
• Has no friends

Indicators of Unusual Thinking

• Has difficulty concentrating; may express very strange thoughts and ideas
• Worries a lot
• Preoccupied with death
• Doesn't stay focused on matters

Adapted from:
Center for Mental Health in Schools
University of California Los Angeles
Resource Aid Packet: Screening and Assessing Students, Indicator and Tools
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu