Understanding Girl Bullying and What to Do About It

Strategies to Help Heal the Divide
Jered Kolbert - Duquesne University, USA
Tammy L. Hughes - Duquesne University, USA
Understanding Girl Bullying and What to Do About It
March 2009 | 152 pages | Corwin
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eBook
ISBN: 9781452272917
Available from January 0001
Paperback
ISBN: 9781412964883
Available from January 0001

Description

"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
Sugar Creek Elementary School, Verona, WI

"This is a well-researched book that integrates theory and research with applications."
—Carol Dahir, Associate Professor of Counselor Education
New York Institute of Technology

Break the cycle of social and relational aggression between girls!

Girl bullying—also known as relational aggression—is a very real and pervasive problem in today's schools, and studies indicate that bullying between girls can be more covert than between boys, thus making it more difficult for school professionals to detect and address.

Primarily written for school counselors, this book covers the causes and characteristics of relational and social aggression and outlines methods for assessment, prevention, and intervention. The authors answer questions about what girl bullying is, why it happens, what it looks like, how to measure it, and what educators can do to help girls with these issues. The book provides:

  • School-based interventions to help students learn alternative, healthy ways of managing conflict
  • Sample forms and checklists for documenting and addressing incidents of girl bullying
  • An original 10-session curriculum for small groups
  • Information on classroom dynamics, bullying, and cyberbullying
  • Specific suggestions for working with parents and teachers

Understanding Girl Bullying and What to Do About It helps professionals heal the divide between girls by giving them the tools to work through their problems thoughtfully and constructively.

Contents

List of Tables and Figures

List of Tables and Figures

Acknowledgments

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

Appendix: Handouts for Goodwill Girls Small-Group Curriculum

References

References

Index

Index

Description

"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
Sugar Creek Elementary School, Verona, WI

"This is a well-researched book that integrates theory and research with applications."
—Carol Dahir, Associate Professor of Counselor Education
New York Institute of Technology

Break the cycle of social and relational aggression between girls!

Girl bullying—also known as relational aggression—is a very real and pervasive problem in today's schools, and studies indicate that bullying between girls can be more covert than between boys, thus making it more difficult for school professionals to detect and address.

Primarily written for school counselors, this book covers the causes and characteristics of relational and social aggression and outlines methods for assessment, prevention, and intervention. The authors answer questions about what girl bullying is, why it happens, what it looks like, how to measure it, and what educators can do to help girls with these issues. The book provides:

  • School-based interventions to help students learn alternative, healthy ways of managing conflict
  • Sample forms and checklists for documenting and addressing incidents of girl bullying
  • An original 10-session curriculum for small groups
  • Information on classroom dynamics, bullying, and cyberbullying
  • Specific suggestions for working with parents and teachers

Understanding Girl Bullying and What to Do About It helps professionals heal the divide between girls by giving them the tools to work through their problems thoughtfully and constructively.

Contents

List of Tables and Figures

List of Tables and Figures

Acknowledgments

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

Appendix: Handouts for Goodwill Girls Small-Group Curriculum

References

References

Index

Index

SAGE Publishing Logo

Understanding Girl Bullying and What to Do About It

Strategies to Help Heal the Divide


March 2009 | 152 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 01/02/2026 9781412964883 $37.95
Lifetime 01/02/2026 9781452272917 $35.00

"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
Sugar Creek Elementary School, Verona, WI

"This is a well-researched book that integrates theory and research with applications."
—Carol Dahir, Associate Professor of Counselor Education
New York Institute of Technology

Break the cycle of social and relational aggression between girls!

Girl bullying—also known as relational aggression—is a very real and pervasive problem in today's schools, and studies indicate that bullying between girls can be more covert than between boys, thus making it more difficult for school professionals to detect and address.

Primarily written for school counselors, this book covers the causes and characteristics of relational and social aggression and outlines methods for assessment, prevention, and intervention. The authors answer questions about what girl bullying is, why it happens, what it looks like, how to measure it, and what educators can do to help girls with these issues. The book provides:

  • School-based interventions to help students learn alternative, healthy ways of managing conflict
  • Sample forms and checklists for documenting and addressing incidents of girl bullying
  • An original 10-session curriculum for small groups
  • Information on classroom dynamics, bullying, and cyberbullying
  • Specific suggestions for working with parents and teachers

Understanding Girl Bullying and What to Do About It helps professionals heal the divide between girls by giving them the tools to work through their problems thoughtfully and constructively.


Table Of Contents:

  • 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

Recent Product Reviews:

"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, School Social Work Journal, March 2011, Vol. 35, No. 2
“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, Sugar Creek Elementary School, Verona, WI
“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, The Ohio State University
“This book will unquestionably help counselors do better work.”
Philip Kavanagh, Guidance Director, Lakeland Central School District, Shrub Oak, NY
“This is a well-researched book that integrates theory and research with applications.”
Carol Dahir, Associate Professor of Counselor Education, New York Institute of Technology

Recommendations