Small Group Counseling for Reactive Aggressive AngerFueled Bullying

Small Group Counseling for Reactive Aggressive, Anger-Fueled Bullying Behavior Jim Larson, Ph. D. School Psychology Program Department of Psychology University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, WI 53190 larsonj@uww. edu and The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment

Aggressive Patterns in Students Who Bully - I n Proactive, Cool-Headed Aggression n n goal-oriented aggressive behaviors unprovoked intentions to exert power over others higher peer status, often “popular” overvalued use of aggression underestimates of victim impact

Aggressive Patterns in Students Who Bully - II n Reactive, Anger-Fueled Aggression n n hypervigilant for aggressive cues biased interpretation of ambiguous cues n n n Hostile attributional bias narrow solution generation ability poor emotional understanding/regulation lower peer status high disciplinary contacts

Rarely are there “pure types” n n Most have elements of both Importance of a good assessment Observation and FBA n Self-Reports, e. g. , Multidimensional School Anger Inventory or Children’s Inventory of n Anger n Teacher Screening Scale

Teacher Screening Scale (Adapt. Dodge & Coie, 1987; in HSCWA; Larson, 2002) Never Almost Always 1 2 3 4 When teased, fights back* Blames others in fights* Overreacts angrily to accidents* Uses physical force to dominate** Gets others to gang up on a peer** Threatens and bullies others** *Reactive **Proactive 5

Treatment Implications When Anger is a Key Component Essential Components for Group Treatment n Emotional education and emotional regulation training for generalization n Identifying and Differentiating Feeling States Recognizing Affective Continuums Rehearsal of Techniques for Regulation

Treatment Implications When Anger is a Key Component Essential Components for Group Treatment n Attribution re-training for generalization Challenge Hostile Attributional Biases n Train Cue Recognition Strategies n Use “Alternative Explanations” Practice n

Treatment Implications When Anger is a Key Component Essential Components for Group Treatment n Social problem-solving training for generalization Train Problem-Solving Steps n Rehearse Authentic Scenarios n

Treatment Implications When Anger is a Key Component Essential Components for Group Treatment n Behavioral skills training for generalization Link to Problem-Solving Solutions n Train Assertiveness Skills n

What is meant by TRAINING? It is one thing to know about a skill, but quite another to engage the skill in fast moving moments of stress, ambiguity, and potential danger

What is meant by GENERALIZATION? n Can the youth enact the skill: n n n Across settings? Across individuals? Across multiple trigger events? …and can it be maintained over time?

Implications for Training and Generalization n n Present to student at outset and keep reminding Insight, model, rehearse, feedback, repeat n n Gather multiple collaborators n n New situation, new location, new people Teachers, family, PO’s… Get in for the Long Haul, include Boosters n Nothing happens in six weeks…

Anger Coping Program n n Small group counseling for children 8 -12 Evidenced-based, cognitive-behavioral orientation Highly collaborative with classroom teacher 18 sessions plus boosters

Think First Program n n Small group counseling program for adolescents Research is emerging and promising 18 weeks plus boosters School focus, linked to academics and disciplinary structure

See Also. . . n Skill. Streaming n n Adolescent and child versions Aggression Replacement Training (ART) for adolescents Anger Training n Social Skills Training n Moral Development Training n n Both at www. researchpress. com

Classroom Curriculum n n Second Step Violence Prevention Program Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) I Can Problem-Solve (ICPS) Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning www. CASEL. org

References n Larson, J. (2005). Think First: Addressing n New York: Guilford Press www. guilford. com Larson, J. , & Lochman, J. E. (2002). Helping n n n aggressive behavior in the secondary schools. schoolchildren cope with anger: A cognitivebehavioral intervention. New York: Guilford Press Second Step Violence Prevention Program available at www. cfchildren. com PATHS available at www. channing-bete. com ICPS available at www. researchpress. com