Interventions To Decrease Verbal Aggression

Running head: VERBAL AGGRESSION 1
Interventions to Decrease Verbal Aggression &

Promote Resilient School Climate
Paul Vespo
Emily Wylong
Krista Coddington
Marist College 2018

VERBAL AGGRESSION 2
Table of Contents
About the authors………………………………………………………………………………..3
Part I: How Bullying affects different members of the school community…………………..5
Overview……………………………………………………………………………….....6
The Bully……………………………………………………………………………….....8
Bullying in Schools: The Bully……………………………………………….......8
A Bully’s Role in Cyberbullying………………………………………………...11
The Target……………………………………………………………………………....13
The Targeted Student………………………………………………………….....13
The Teacher……………………………………………………………………………..15
Mindful Teachers………………………………………………………………...15
Part II: Intervention Coach Cards………………………………………………………….....19
School Bulling: What should I do differently?…………………………………....……..20
Kahoot! Comments……………………………………………………………………....25
Resilient Writing...……………………………….............................................................31
Mindful Listening and Speaking with “I” Statement Modeling………………………....38
Part III: Useful Websites…………………………………………………………………….....44
Appendix A……………………………………………………………………………………...56
Appendix B……………………………………………………………………………………...67
Appendix C……………………………………………………………………………………...92
Appendix D………………………………………………………………………………….....104
VERBAL AGGRESSION 3
About the Authors
Paul Vespo is currently a second year candidate in the school
psychology graduate program at Marist College in Poughkeepsie,
NY. Prior to starting this program, he earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree in psychology with a minor in sociology from SUNY
Purchase.
During middle and high school, Paul experienced verbal
aggression. One of the students who was verbally bullying Paul
shared a high school math class with him. Interestingly, they discovered that they shared many
commonalities (i.e. sports and music interests). This student eventually apologized to Paul and
stood up for him when he was being verbally bullied by another student. Paul accepted this
student’s apology and learned the importance of forgiveness and empathy. Paul hopes that this
handbook provides school professionals and the general public with knowledge about verbal
aggression and how to engage in preventive/interventive ways to develop a resilient school
climate.
Should you wish to contact Paul regarding any questions or feedback, he can be reached at
paulvespo2016@gmail.com.
VERBAL AGGRESSION 4
Emily Wylong is currently a second year candidate in the school
psychology graduate program at Marist College in Poughkeepsie,
NY. Prior to starting this program, she earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree in psychology with a minor in health science from SUNY
Oswego.
During middle and high school, Emily was severely bullied. She
strongly believes that her teachers did not think she was a target of
bullying because they thought that kids were just being kids. Her
teachers did not promote a positive school or class environment. Emily hopes that this handbook
can educate teachers about verbal aggression and ways to reduce verbal aggression in order to
increase a positive school climate.
Should you wish to contact Emily regarding any questions or feedback, she can be reached at
Emily.Wylong@gmail.com.
VERBAL AGGRESSION 5
Krista Coddington is currently a second year candidate in the
school psychology graduate program at Marist College in
Poughkeepsie, NY. Prior to starting this program, she earned a
Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Marist College.
Throughout middle and high school, Krista witnessed many
incidents of verbal bullying. She was even the target of
aggressive verbal comments due to physical characteristics, such
as her height. Krista hopes that this handbook provides school
psychologists, teachers, students, and parents tools to
appropriately deal with verbal bullying in their schools.
Should you wish to contact Krista regarding any questions or feedback, she can be reached at
KCoddington1994@gmail.com.
VERBAL AGGRESSION 6
Part I:
How Bullying affects different members of the school community

VERBAL AGGRESSION 7
Overview
As verbal aggression can be common in schools across the United States, students,
parents, teachers, and other school staff should recognize and understand its implications.
According to Reitman and Villa (2004), some forms of verbal aggression that are often
considered types of bullying include threats, taunting, and criticism. While some believe that
teasing is a form of bullying, others may argue that teasing is merely a socially acceptable verbal
exchange between students (B. Coloroso, personal communication, April 17, 2018). According
to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP; 2012), bullying is a three-pronged
attack that includes: (a) the use of force or coercion to negatively affect others; (b) involving an
imbalance of social, physical, and/or emotional power; and (c) involving willful and repeated
acts of harm (p.1). While researchers often identify types of bullying as physical, verbal, and
relational, the purpose of this handbook will be to discuss how verbal bullying can impact the
bully, the target, and the teacher. Additionally, this handbook will help identify resources and
interventions aimed at reducing verbal bullying by promoting a resilient school climate.
According to Connor and Davidson (2003), resilient individuals harness personal
qualities that allow them to thrive in the face of adversity. Therefore, the best way for schools to
take preventive/interventive actions is by promoting a resilient school climate. A resilient school
climate consists of positive recognition from school professionals, students, and the community.
When this happens, students may develop positive attitudes, be determined to persevere until
they are successful, and mindfully solve problems even when they are faced with obstacles, such
as verbal bullying (Harvey, 2007).

VERBAL AGGRESSION 8
References
Connor, K. M., & Davidson, J. R. T. (2003). Development of a new resilience scale: The
Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Depression and Anxiety, 18, 76-82.
National Association of School Psychologists. (2012). Bullying prevention and intervention in
schools [Position statement]. Bethesda, MD: Author.
Reitman, D., & Villa, M. (2004). Verbal aggression: Coping strategies for children. Retrieved
from: http://www.naspcenter.org/resourcekit/verbaggression_rk.html
VERBAL AGGRESSION 9
Bullying in Schools: The Bully
Although it is hard to determine the extent to which bullying impacts the school, it is
commonly known that bullying is a major problem across the United States. As such, it is
important to identify the different roles individuals may play in bullying. When thinking of the
word ‘bullying,’ many might automatically think about the bully, who is often the person causing
physical or emotional harm to others.
According to Reitman and Villa (2004), students who bully often rely on verbal, social,
and physical methods of intimidation and harassment. As previously mentioned, they may make
threats, tease or torment, criticize, spread rumors, or resort to name-calling (Green, 2007;
Ockerman, Kramer, & Bruno, 2014). Although bullying can occur in the classroom, research
suggests that as students get older, bullying can become more difficult to identify due to the
bully becoming more cautious about being aggressive around adults. As such, it is likely that the
aggressive student will engage in verbal bullying, as well as other forms of bullying, in
unsupervised areas (Green, 2007).
If a student is engaging in these maladaptive behaviors, it is important to take appropriate
actions as an effort to stop verbal bullying. When dealing with these behaviors in schools, it is
imperative that school officials take appropriate steps toward active problem solving. This
could include assigning consequences to those who bully (Green, 2007). Although this action is
an important step in an attempt to diminish maladaptive behavior(s), one could argue that it is
also important to simultaneously teach students more appropriate, or adaptive, ways to deal with
their verbal aggression. While these replacement behaviors can be beneficial to the creation of a
positive school climate, they may also help the student become a well-adjusted adult, since they
VERBAL AGGRESSION 10
are at an increased risk of alcohol abuse, delinquency, and becoming involved in crimes (as cited
in Veenstra, Lindenberg, Oldehinkel. De Winter, Verhulst, & Ormel, 2005).

References
Green, G. (2007). Bullying: A Concern for Survival. Education, 128(2), 333-336.
Ockerman, M. S., Kramer, C., & Bruno, M. (2014). From the School Yard to Cyber Space: A
Pilot Study of Bullying Behaviors among Middle School Students. RMLE Online:
Research In Middle Level Education, 37(6).
Reitman, D., & Villa, M. (2004). Verbal aggression: Coping strategies for children. Retrieved
from: http://www.naspcenter.org/resourcekit/verbaggression_rk.html
Veenstra, R., Lindenberg, S., Oldehinkel, A. J., De Winter, A. F., Verhulst, F. C., & Ormel, J.
(2005). Bullying and victimization in elementary schools: A comparison of bullies,
victims, bully/victims, and uninvolved preadolescents. Developmental
Psychology, 41(4), 672-682.

A Bully’s Role in Cyberbullying
Although bulling can be a major problem in school, the abundance of technology has
made it easier to bully others through the internet (Ockerman, Kramer, & Bruno, 2014).
Cyberbullying, while it can be similar to bullying that can be seen in school, is different as it
allows the bully to be anonymous (Norar, Padgett, & Roden, 2013). As students have access to
multiple devices, they have the ability to learn how to navigate social media platforms that their
parents might not be aware of. As students have the access and knowledge to these sites and
commonly use them to bully others, it is important for parents, teachers, and other school
personnel to learn about how cyberbullying can impact the school climate.
As with face-to-face bullying, there are many long-term implications for students who
engage in cyberbullying behaviors. Students who engage in these aggressive behaviors may
exhibit higher levels of antisocial, violent and/or criminal behavior into adulthood (as cited in
Notar, Padgett, & Roden, 2013). Similarly, because these maladaptive behaviors have the
potential to be long-term, as well as negatively impact other students, teacher, and other school
personnel, it is important to educate students on effects of cyberbullying on those around them.
Since cyberbullying, for the most part, takes place outside of school, it can be difficult for
schools to intervene. Notar, Padgett, and Roden (2013) suggest that schools should take
preventive measures to teach students that bullying is harmful and can cause long term harm to
others, especially targets.

References
Notar, C. E., Padgett, S., & Roden, J. (2013). Cyberbullying: Resources for Intervention and
Prevention. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 1(3), 133-145.
Ockerman, M. S., Kramer, C., & Bruno, M. (2014). From the School Yard to Cyber Space: A
Pilot Study of Bullying Behaviors among Middle School Students. RMLE Online:
Research In Middle Level Education, 37(6).

The Targeted Student
As verbal aggression is one of the most commonly used methods of bullying, school
professionals must recognize that targets of bullying may become emotionally scarred, develop
substance use problems, and become bullies themselves. Extensive research has shown that
there are brain-behavior relationships that may negatively impact targeted students. Similar to
bullies, these issues can manifest into adulthood, if not resolved (H. Minkowitz, personal
communication, April 17, 2018). As such, schools play a critical role in an effort to identify
targeted students by utilizing bullying prevention/intervention programs to increase resilience (T.
Thelen, personal communication, April 19, 2018).
While these programs are needed, it may be difficult to fully understand the extent of
verbal bullying. Regarding the prevalence of verbal aggression, there appears to be controversy
since some researchers argue that there is a significant increase whereas some believe
otherwise. There may be an underrepresentation of verbally bullied students since they may not
feel comfortable reporting it. The political climate may also influence statistical findings
because each presidential administration may have different perspectives about addressing
bullying. Nevertheless, this issue still persists and must be addressed (Stopbullying.gov, 2018;
H. Minkowitz, personal communication, April 17, 2018).
Teachers have the power to follow the aforementioned practices in their classrooms by
accepting Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS). They can also have an open dialogue
about bullying. Therefore, when students receive this type of resilience training, they may think
twice before bullying or allowing their feelings define who they are as human beings (T. Thelen,
personal communication, April 19, 2018; Stopbullying.gov, 2018).
.
References
Stopbullying.gov. (2018). Facts about bullying. Retrieved from
https://www.stopbullying.gov/media/facts/index.html#stats
Mindful Teachers
Due to high demands that are placed on teachers, it is often difficult to shape students’
minds. Research suggests that teacher stress negatively influences a student’s academic and/or
social and emotional success, as well as the overall school climate (Reiser, Murphy & McCarthy,
2016; Rupprecht, Paulus & Walach, 2016). According to Reiser and colleagues (2016), there are
many factors that can increase a teacher’s level of stress, such as personal home life, working
relationships with other staff, negative school climate, parental conflict, meetings, paperwork,
classroom management, class size, student behavior, and a lack of administrative support.
Additional teacher roles vary and depend upon the school level. Teachers support
students in need and unmotivated students, make decisions every second of the day, may not
have time to eat lunch or engage in self-care, and often feel responsible when students are not
successful (Jennings et al., 2017). When teachers do not have adaptive coping strategies,
resources or other necessary skills to deal with the above stressors, unmanaged stress may lead to
job dissatisfaction and even burn out. Although there is public knowledge of increased rates of
teacher stress, there has been minimal research regarding ways to reduce it, in an attempt to
promote a positive school climate (Frank, Jennings & Greenberg, 2016).
Today, stress has increased due to the new and high demands of teachers, such as the
Common Core standards and other new education regulations. The scientific community has
investigated the relationships between school and teacher stress. Based on a research study that
was conducted on a social and emotional program about teacher stress, the results suggest that
the prevalence of stress has increased. Similarly, another study with a sample of 1,000 American
K-12 public school teachers shows that 59% reported experiencing a great deal of stress at work.
This percentage can be compared to the 35% of teachers who reported to be stressed in 1985.
Additionally, these teachers reported that their job satisfaction decreased from 62% in 2008 to
39% in 2012 (Jennings, Frank, Doyle, S., Rasheed, DeWeese, Cham, Heining, Brown, Davis,
DeMauro, & Greenberg, 2017). Worthy of note, only a small sample of teachers reported these
factors.
As teachers are dealing with their everyday roles as educators, there are factors that can
negatively impact the school or classroom climate. Student verbal aggression or verbal bullying
can change the dynamics of the classroom. When students are using any form of verbal
aggression in the classroom or in school, teacher stress may increase. Often times, when a
student uses a verbal aggression, a teacher is already stressed out. A verbal aggression by a
student may be another strong factor that correlates to teachers lashing out or burning out.
When teachers are able to manage their everyday stressors and effectively regulate their
emotions, they are more likely to demonstrate resilience and enjoy being educators (Rupprecht,
Paulus & Walach, 2017). One way to reduce teacher stress and enhance teacher resilience is the
practice of mindfulness. According to Reiser, Murphy, and McCarthy (2016), mindfulness is a
Buddhist philosophy that requires an individual to pay attention to the present moment by being
aware of their surroundings and not being judgmental of themself or others. When one engages
in mindful activities, they become more aware of their emotions through self-regulation. Reiser
and colleagues (2016) describe self-regulation as a way for teachers to manage their emotions in
a school setting. When teachers have high self-regulation, they are more resilient to the high
demands of the teaching profession. Additionally, teacher self-efficacy is the belief that he or
she can handle a difficult situation, as well as increase their emotion regulation.
When teachers engage in mindfulness activities, they become aware of their emotions
during conflict. When teachers lash out, they may say to “stop it” or “leave the room now”
(Frank, Jennings & Greenberg, 2016). These responses are not mindful and may be perceived
negatively by students. Students may continue to engage in the verbal aggression and/or try to
increase their aggression. Mindful listening is the ability to focus on the student and truly listen
to what the student is saying. During this phase, teachers notice their emotions, their body
language, and ignore any judgments or distractions that may occur in their external environment.
Teachers also become aware of their students non-verbal behaviors and tone. When the teacher
is aware of themselves and others, they can engage in mindful speaking. Although teachers
cannot stop students from fully engaging in verbal aggression, they can redirect students and
help decrease their maladaptive behavior. Teachers may benefit by becoming aware of their own
comments. This can be accomplished by using “I” statements, which can indirectly teach
students that there are better ways to express their thoughts during conflicts.
References
Frank, J. L., Jennings, P. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2016). Validation of the mindfulness in
teaching scale. Mindfulness, 7(1), 155-163.
Jennings, P. A., Brown, J. L., Frank, J. L., Doyle, S., Oh, Y., Davis, R., Greenberg, M. T.
(2017). Impacts of the CARE for teachers program on teachers’ social and emotional
competence and classroom interactions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(7),
1010-1028.
Reiser, J.E., Murphy, S.L., & McCarthy, C.J. (2016). Stress prevention and mindfulness: A
psychoeducational and support group for teachers. Journal for Specialists in Group
Work, 41(2), 117-139.
Rupprecht, S., Paulus, P., & Walach, H. (2017). Mind the Teachers! The Impact of Mindfulness
Training on Self-Regulation and Classroom Performance in a Sample of German School
Teachers. European Journal of Educational Research, 6(4), 565-581.

Part II:
Intervention Coach Cards

School Bullying: What should I do differently?
(Coach Card/Intervention Kit)
Appropriate Grade Level: 6th-8th grade
Instructional Size: This intervention is intended to be implemented individually.
Target Skill: Decrease the number of times a student exhibits verbal aggressions/verbal
bullying, increase the amount of positive comments made to peers, and increase the number of
times they utilize adaptive coping skills.
Duration and Frequency: This intervention should be implemented two times per week for 20
minutes. This intervention should be implemented for 6 weeks.
Materials:
• Pen/Pencil
• “Appropriate Ways to Deal with Emotions” worksheet (Appendix A.1)
• In-School Bullying Scenarios (Appendix A.2)
• “What should I do differently?” worksheet (Appendix A.3)
• Level of Attainment Scale (Appendix A.4)
• Level of Attainment Data Collection (Appendix A.5)
Brief Description:
This intervention should be utilized to teach students adaptive coping strategies in an effort to
decrease the number of times a student exhibits verbal aggression/verbal bullying and increase
the number of times they make positive comments to peers. The idea is that students’
inappropriate behaviors will persist, unless they are taught to identify their emotional trigger,
identify what they would normally do in a social situation, identify what they could do instead
(i.e. utilize an adaptive coping strategy), and identify a healthy outcome if they use an adaptive
coping strategy (Alvord & Grados, 2005; Alvord & Rich, 2012). The purpose of the in-school
bullying scenarios is to help the student identify the appropriate steps, before acting in a
maladaptive way in real-life social situations.
Directions for Data Collection:
• Baseline data:
o The school psychologist should work collaboratively with teachers, parents, and other
essential school personnel to operationally define target behavior.
o The teacher uses an appropriate observation technique to observe the student in
his/her class(es).
o The teacher should mark the appropriate level of attainment on the level of attainment
data collection worksheet (after levels are identified).
• Progress monitoring:
o The teacher should complete the Goal Attainment Scale (GAS) worksheet.
 Based on behavioral baseline data, work collaboratively to determine
appropriate levels of attainment.
• Goal attainment levels:
o 2: Much more than expected
o 1: Somewhat more than expected
o 0: Expected level of performance (Baseline)
o -1: Somewhat less than expected
o -2: Much less than expected
o The teacher needs to complete the GAS worksheet two times per week based on the
student’s behavior that day.

Directions for Intervention Implementation:
• Session 1
• Build/maintain rapport with the student.
• Discuss limits of confidentiality.
• Have a discussion with the student about verbal bullying (i.e. what it means and
what it can look like in the classroom, if they have experienced being bullied or
have bullied someone, verbally).
• Work with the students to complete the “Appropriate ways to deal with my
emotions” worksheet. This will eventually help them in later sessions to identify
adaptive coping strategies in school bullying scenarios.
• Sessions 2-13
• Introduce the student(s) to the activity (i.e., student(s) will either read or role play
the scenario and then complete the “What should I do differently?” worksheet).
• Choose one scenario per session.
• Instruct student to either read the scenario aloud or role-play it together.
• Instruct the student to complete the “What should I do differently?” worksheet
based on the scenario they just read or role-played.
o Identify the emotional trigger.
o Identify what their normal response would be in that situation.
o Identify something they could do differently in that situation (i.e., identify
an adaptive coping skill as well as something they could do differently in
the given situation).
o Identify what the outcome would be if they acted in a different way.

Family-School Collaboration: In an attempt to establish family-school collaboration, it is
important to allow parents/legal guardians to be a part of goal setting for their child (Parsons,
2005). To collect more data on the progress of the student’s behavior, parents could also be
taught how to complete data collection for GAS at home.

References
Alvord, M. K., & Grados, J. J. (2005). Enhancing resilience in children: A proactive approach.
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(3), 238
Alvord, M. K., & Rich, B. A. (2012). Resilience Builder groups for youth: Practice and research
in a private clinical setting. Independent Practitioner, 32, 18–20.
Parsons, L. (2005). Bullied teacher, bullied student: How to recognize the bullying culture in
your school and what to do about it. Markham, ON: Pembroke Publishers.
Kahoot! Comments
(Coach Card/Intervention Kit)
Instructional Size: Whole-Class Instruction, Small Groups
Target Skill: Teach students to identify if cyber-comments are negative or neutral as well as
teach them how to reframe their thinking, to make more positive comments. Additionally,
students are able to stop before they post a comment, think about what they are trying to say, and
only post an online comment if it is not intended to offend another student.
Duration and Frequency: Implement the intervention two times per week for 10-15 minutes for
6 weeks. Important to note, this intervention can be incorporated into a school’s bullying
prevention program (H. Minkowitz, personal communication, April 17, 2018; B. Coloroso,
personal communication, April 17, 2018; T. Thelen, personal communication, April 19,
2018).
Materials:
• Online Media Questionnaire (Appendix B.1)
• Kahoot! Comments Outline (Appendix B.2)
• Cyberbullying: What Should I Say worksheet (Appendix B.4)
• Data Collection Worksheet (Appendix B.5)
• Treatment Integrity Checklist (Appendix B.6)
• Kahoot! Comments Contract (Appendix B.7)
• Technology for all students - cell phones, Chromebooks, computer lab
Brief Description: As technology is an important feature in today’s society, cyberbullying has
become more prevalent (Cantone, Piras, Vellante, Preti, Danielsdottir, D’Aloja, et. al., 2015). As
such, it is important to teach students a way to be a positive member of the online community.
As cyberbullying can negatively impact all members of a school community, Kahoot! Comments
can be utilized as an attempt to prevent cyberbullying. Kahoot! Comments should be
implemented to teach students how to reframe their thoughts before writing negative
comments/posts about their classmates, or other members of the community on social media
platforms.
It is important to note that school districts with limited technology may not be able to implement
this intervention in its recommended format. However, school districts may modify this
intervention by printing the pictures and comments and giving students physical copies.
Additionally, this intervention may not be effective for students with certain disabilities (i.e.
visual disabilities). The educational support team/instructional support team should work
collaboratively when deciding how this intervention should be implemented in their
school/classroom.
Directions for Data Collection:
Baseline Data:
1. Students should be given the Online Media Questionnaire 3-5 times before intervention
implementation (Connor & Davidson, 2003).
• The scores for the questionnaire will be generated based on a four-point scale:
o 1 = 1 point
o 2 = 2 points
o 3 = 3 points
o 4 = 4 points
• The teacher will need to add up all points (highest score equals 40; lowest score equals
10).
o A higher score suggests that students may participate in cyberbullying more
frequently than their peers.
o A lower score suggests that students may participate in cyberbullying less
frequently than their peers.
Progress Monitoring:
• After each session, students will need to complete the Online Media Questionnaire (see
above for scoring criteria).
• Include scores obtained from the Online Media Questionnaire on the Data Collection
Worksheet.
Directions for Intervention Implementation:
• The school psychologist should create the intervention quizzes and store them on a
shared Kahoot! account with the teacher, who will be conducting this intervention.
o The Kahoot! account should contain 12 quizzes, with two picture/comments in
each quiz.
• The teacher should obtain the Kahoot! account or have the school psychologist share the
Kahoot! quizzes if the teacher already has an account.
• The school psychologist can demonstrate the intervention with the teacher.
• When the teacher feels comfortable implementing the intervention, he/she can access
Kahoot! Quizzes while simultaneously asking students to open up the Kahoot! page on
either their cell phones or Chromebooks.
• Have students create a nickname unique to them, but will also keep their identity
anonymous.
• Ask students to enter the Kahoot! game code located on the top of the teacher’s
computer.
• Introduce the activity to the students.
o To do this, the teacher should say, “I want you to pretend you are going to make
the following comments on these pictures, but before you are going to post the
comment, I want you to STOP and ask yourself, is the following comment going
to negatively impact another person?”
o Instruct students that they should identify the nature of the comment (positive,
negative, or neutral) by clicking the button that corresponds to the answer they see
on the board.
• When a comment is neutral or negative, instruct the students to THINK about their
comment and make it positive.
o Introduce the students to the “Things I should say” worksheet. Students should
write the negative comment in the left hand column and a positive comment in the
right hand column.
o Facilitate a discussion with the students by asking them to share their positive
comment with the group.
• Proceed to the next question. If the comment is negative, please repeat step 7.
Family-School Collaboration:
Based on district policy, parental consent may need to be obtained. Additionally, if this
intervention is implemented individually, parental consent should also be obtained. As there
may be some topics in the intervention that are highly sensitive and may trigger students who are
a target of bullying. Obtaining parental consent is also a way to communicate with parents on
what their children are learning in school. As students ask their parents to sign the form, parents
can engage in discussions with their children on cyberbullying. Parents can ask their children
what social media sites they use, ask about their online friends, if they are being safe, etc.
According to Coloroso (2008) parents can teach them to think twice before clicking the send
button, as well as refuse to participate in cyberbullying. Children who speak to their parents and
establish trust are less likely to get in trouble in their school, the community, or on the internet.
School psychologists can develop a “parent’s night out” as a way to educate them about
cyberbullying. This intervention can also be used as an activity with the parents.
References
Cantone, E., Piras, A. P., Vellante, M., Preti, A., Danielsdottir, S., D'Aloja, E., et al. (2015).
Interventions on bullying and cyberbullying in schools: A systematic review. Clinical
Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health, 11, 58-76.
Coloroso, B. (2008). The bully, the bullied, and the bystander: From preschool to high school-
How parents and teachers can help break the cycle of violence. Harper Collins
Resilient Writing
Instructional Size: Individual Instruction
Target: Build and develop resilience for students who are being bullied with verbal aggression
Duration & Frequency: Teachers should implement this intervention two times per week for 30
to 45 minutes for 6 to 8 weeks (time can be altered based on educational support team’s
discretion).
Brief Description: In the United States, many students are bullied by their peers. According to
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), bullying can best be understood as
unwanted, aggressive behavior by students (Stopbullying.gov, 2018). Verbal aggression is a
commonly used victimization method by bullies, which involves the usage of offensive
comments (i.e. racially and sexually offensive comments). These behaviors serve a purpose for
bullies, which is to fulfill the misguided social goal of controlling and manipulating others
through language (Robison, 2010; Wolfgang & Glickman, 1986). When students are being
exposed to verbal aggression, they may also fight back with their words. Consequently, this
turns into a vicious cycle of verbal aggression (Hamilton, 2012; Thelen, 2018). One way to
break this vicious cycle, as well as help targeted students develop resilience, is for them to have
reliable protective factors. Extensive research has shown that bullied students who have positive
relationships with their teachers and adaptive coping strategies report feeling a reduction of the
negative effects from being bullied (i.e. anxiety and depression) (Stopbullying.gov,
2018). Based on this information, Resilient Writing is a healing intervention based on evidence-
based practices. This can help students who are being verbally bullied learn how to value their
self-worth, their potential, and their purpose in life.
Important Disclaimer: This intervention may not be appropriate for every bullied student. For
example, this intervention may not work for students with writing disabilities. Therefore, before
implementing this intervention, teachers must communicate with their educational support team
(EST) to ensure that they are following their school district’s guidelines, to thoroughly
understand the student, and that this student is not a threat to himself/herself or others. Since
middle and high school students have multiple teachers, this intervention should be conducted by
one teacher that the student who is being bullied feels comfortable with. By doing this, teachers
will be able to effectively collect baseline/intervention data. If this intervention is used, the
teacher should communicate with the EST and student’s parent/legal guardian throughout the
intervention so that everyone involved is aware of this student’s social, emotional, and
behavioral wellbeing. Assent by the student and consent by his or her parent/legal guardian
should also be gathered prior to the implementation of this intervention (see Appendix C.1). This
intervention should not be solely used to help students who are bullied. All school professionals
have an ethical and legal obligation in making sure that their school districts take preventive
approaches against bullying.
Location: This intervention can be implemented in any classroom. However, teachers should
meet with students individually to ensure privacy and confidentiality. The teacher can meet with
the student during a free period. This day/time should be written in the contract. If the teacher is
absent, then he or she can arrange another day/time to meet with the student. This should also be
documented.
Materials:
• Chairs (Comfortable Seating)
• Table
• Pencils, Pens, Dry-Erase Markers
• Whiteboard
• Writing Journal
• Water, Snack, and/or Gum
Progress Monitoring: Before using this intervention, teachers need to collect 3-5 baseline data
points by asking students to complete the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale - Resilient Writing
(CD-RISC - RW) twice per week for 1-2 weeks prior to the intervention (Vespo,2018). Teachers
can collect intervention data by administering this survey two times per week during the last 5-
10 minutes of the session for 6 to 8 weeks. The CD-RISC - RW is a modified version of the CD-
RISC, which is designed to help school professionals better understand students’ resilience when
exposed to verbal aggression (see Appendix C.2). A scoring template is also provided (see
Appendix C.3). The CD-RISC is a strong evidence-based assessment tool that has been normed
on children, adolescents, and adults from diverse backgrounds in the United States and other
countries. Connor & Davidson (2003) created this tool to help the general public better
understand human resilience and risk factors. Teachers should also complete the treatment
integrity checklist at the end of each week to ensure that they are implementing this intervention
appropriately (see Appendix C.4).
Directions:
1. Phase 1 - Developing & Maintaining Rapport (Continuous): Many bullied students find it
difficult to trust people because others may not stand up for them. As a result, they may
feel alone and that nobody will help them. These students may feel compelled to work
with teachers that they trust (Wright, 2004). Common characteristics of trusted teachers
include patience, empathy, and honesty. The trusted teacher should get to know the
student and be genuinely interested in his or her academic/emotional well-being. While
developing rapport is important, maintaining rapport is also needed so that the student
feels supported by the teacher. During the first session, the teacher needs to discuss the
parameters of confidentiality since the student may disclose information that must be
immediately reported (i.e. suicidal thoughts or threats to himself/herself or others). Step
1 should be an ongoing process throughout the intervention.
2. Phase 2 - Resilient Writing (Sessions 2-16, 30-45 minutes): When students are bullied for
a long period of time, they may believe that they deserve negative
comments. Consequently, they may feel hopeless and that they will not succeed in life.
Teachers can help bullied students discover their purpose and to appreciate their unique
contribution in life (H. Minkowitz, personal communication, April 17, 2018; Thelen,
2018). This can be accomplished with resilient writing. This coping strategy helps
targeted students identify their strengths and positively manage their emotions when
faced with verbal aggression (S. Graham, personal communication, April 18, 2018).
Writing can be a healthy outlet for bullied students since they are able to express their
emotions in a safe space (Dowell, Burgess, & Cavanaugh, 2009). Many studies have
shown that writing about problems and solutions strongly correlates with high levels of
self-reported resilience (Tugade & Fredrickson, 2004; Pennebaker, Kiecolt-Glaser, &
Glaser, 1988). Teachers should give their students writing journals and allow them to
customize them (i.e. decorate them). This helps students develop a sense of ownership
and responsibility. During each session, the teacher should introduce the writing prompt
to the student and ask them to provide a written response for 15 minutes (see Appendix
C.5). Worthy of note, teachers can use resilience writing prompts that they already have
or if their school district has their own. However, they should verify with the school
psychologist that their writing prompts are appropriate for this intervention. If the
student says “I don’t know what to write about”, tell them to take a moment to think
about it. In addition, the teacher should explain that there is no right or wrong way of
doing this. As the student is writing, the teacher may answer any questions and provide
moral support. During the first few sessions, the teacher may experience resistance from
the student. If the student refuses to do the intervention, then the teacher should not force
the student to participate and record that in the intervention data sheet (see Appendix
C.6). After the student responds to the question, the teacher should have a discussion
about the resilience topic for 15 minutes. While doing this, the teacher should talk about
healthy resilient behaviors that were mentioned in the student’s writing. If the student
does not write about resilient behaviors, then the teacher may help the student brainstorm
ideas. The student should write their ideas in the journal so that he or she can review
them next time. Finally, the teacher should allow the student to complete the CD-RISC -
RW during the last 5-10 minutes of the session. The teacher should hold onto the
student’s journal and place it in a secure area.

References
Alvord, M. K., & Grados, J. J. (2005). Enhancing resilience in children: A proactive approach.
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(3), 238.
Connor, K. M., & Davidson, J. R. T. (2003). Development of a new resilience scale: The
Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Depression and Anxiety, 18, 76-82.
Dowell, E. B., Burgess, A. W., & Cavanaugh, D. J. (2009). Clustering of internet risk behaviors
in a middle school student population. Journal of School Health, 79(11), 547–553.
Hamilton, M. A. (2012). Verbal aggression: Understanding the psychological antecedents and
social consequences. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 31(1), 5-12. doi:
10.1177/0261927X11425032
Pennebaker, J. W., Kiecolt-Glaser, J., & Glaser, R. (1988). Disclosure of traumas and immune
function: Health implications for psychotherapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology, 56, 239–245.
Robison, K. (2010). Bullies and victims: A primer for parents. Helping Children at Home and
School, 3, 1-3.
Stopbullying.gov. (2018). Facts about bullying. Retrieved from
https://www.stopbullying.gov/media/facts/index.html#stats
Thelen, T. (2018). Victimproof. Retrieved from https://victimproof.org/
Tugade, M. M., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). Resilient individuals use positive emotions to
bounce back from negative emotional experiences. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 86(2), 320–333.

Wolfgang, C. H., & Glickman, C. D. (1986). Solving discipline problems: Strategies for
classroom teachers. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, Inc.
Wright, J. (2004). Preventing classroom bullying: What teachers can do. Retrieved from
http://somvweb.som.umaryland.edu/Fileshare/SchoolMentalHealth/Resources/Educ/Bull
yingWhatTeachersCanDo.pdf
Mindful Listening and Speaking with “I” Statement Modeling
Appropriate Grade Level: K-12 teachers and other school staff (cafeteria staff, janitors,
paraprofessionals, bus drivers, secretaries, school nurse, substitutes, security).
Instructional Size: For any teacher(s) or staff member(s) who have students that engage in
verbal aggressions. This can also be implemented during individual or group counseling, as
needed.
Target Skill: Staff members will learn to listen to their students and be mindful when speaking
to students who demonstrate verbal aggressions.
Duration and Frequency: This intervention should be completed at least two times per week
for 6-8 weeks. As teachers and staff members practice this intervention, the duration will
decrease as the steps become more automatic. Therefore, there is flexibility for how long this
intervention can take place.
Materials:
• Mindful Listening Reminder Sheet (Appendix D.1)
• THINK sheet (Appendix D.2)
• “I” Statement sheet (Appendix D.3)
• Teacher Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (Appendix D.4)
Brief Description: The high demands of being an educator can be stressful, especially when
teachers do not have coping skills. Mindfulness is a technique that can be used by teachers to
become more attentive to their own emotions and actions, as well as their students. Staff
members should practice these skills independent of each other, then practice using them
together. There are many outside programs and resources that can teach these three mindful
techniques. It is important to note that this intervention does not necessarily have a script. The
steps that are provided are based on a self-talk method rather than hearing a mindful script. The
staff member will go through the steps in their mind and alter their physical appearance or
comments based on becoming more aware of the current situation. One goal of this intervention
is to have teachers become mindfully aware, which can influence how they respond to students.
A teacher’s response can influence the student positively or negatively. Another goal is to have
teachers THINK before they speak. Often times, teachers will automatically respond to a
student’s verbal aggression without being mindful of how the comments may be perceived by the
student. Sometimes, teachers’ comments can be perceived as demanding. The materials of this
intervention can be included in: (a) the school’s homework planner; (b) note cards taped to a
student’s desk; (c) be formed as a classroom poster; or (d) be provided as a worksheet. Although
this intervention is directly linked to teachers, it is indirectly teaching students to use mindful
strategies when engaging in verbal aggressions. The aspects of this intervention can be used
along with any of the interventions provided in this handbook.
Progress Monitoring: Prior to implementing this intervention, it is important to collect baseline
data on the teacher’s level of mindful awareness. Baseline data should be collected 3-5 times
over the course of 1-2 weeks prior to implementing the intervention using a 15-item rating scale.
The rating scale was developed based on evidence-based rating scales and peer reviewed journal
articles. The rating scale was specifically developed based on the Mindful Attention Awareness
Scale (MAAS) developed by Kirk W. Brown and Richard M. Ryan. The MAAS is a 15-item
scale that assesses a person’s dispositional mindfulness. Dispositional mindfulness is when

someone is attending to the present moment. The scale was also based on Jennifer L. Frank,
Patricia A. Jennings, and Mark T. Greenberg’s Mindfulness in Teaching Scale, which was based
on the original MAAS scale. Teachers should practice the intervention after baseline is
completed.
In order to determine the effectiveness of this intervention, it is important to conduct
progress monitoring on the teacher’s level of mindful awareness. The goals for the student will
be based on scores from baseline data. The intervention will take place during any verbal
aggression that the teacher observes the student engaging in. Afterwards, the teacher will
complete the 15-item rating scale. This scale is the same as the scale used for baseline data.
Regarding scoring, simply compute a mean of the 15 items. Higher scores reflect higher levels
of dispositional mindfulness. Progress monitoring data should be completed at least two times a
week for six to eight weeks; however, progress monitoring can be completed on a more frequent
basis.
Note: Before implementing this intervention, staff should have an understanding of these skills;
teachers should not use mindful listening, speaking, or the use of “I” statements for the first time
when implementing them with students.
Directions:
* If the student handled the “disagreement” on their own, a teacher may not need to fully
intervene.
• During the student’s verbal aggression start with mindful listening and be aware of the
student(s) and yourself. Bring your complete attention to the student(s) you are with.
o As the teacher, ask yourself…
1. Am I tuning out other distractions?

2. Am I focused on the student(s) who is making the verbal aggression?
• Notice everything you can about the student(s) and their emotional state.
o As the teacher, ask yourself…
1. What does their facial expressions and body language tell you? (i .e. arms
crossed or waving, face is red, eyes wide open)
2. What are the qualities of their breath? (i.e. how fast are they breathing?)
3. What are the qualities of their voice? (i.e. are they loud?, screaming?,
crying?)
• Now turn your attention to your own face; your own body; your own breath.
o As the teacher, ask yourself….
1. Identify and name how you are feeling to yourself?
2. Think about what made you feel like this?
3. How am I appearing on the outside? (i.e. arms crossed, angry face,
hands on hips)
4. Can I adjust my body to look more positive and open? (i.e. hands to the
side, eye contact)
5. Can I breathe more calmly if not already?
6. Am I really listening to the student or am I just waiting for the student to
stop talking?
*Ask yourself what type of verbal aggression is the student presenting? (i.e. name calling,
teasing, insults, profanity, gossip, threats, shouting, cyberbullying). Your student may be
presenting a type of verbal aggression that may not be listed.

*After you are fully aware of the student(s) and your physical and emotional state, take a few
seconds to process what the student shared with you during the verbal aggression.
• This is the start of mindful speaking with “I” statement modeling.
o Take two deep breath after you processed what the student said and before you
respond
o Breathe in (hold for three seconds) then breath out (release for three seconds)
o After you take your deep breaths, use the acronym THINK when forming any
responses to the student(s):
1. True: Is what I want to say true?
2. Helpful: is what I want to say helpful?
3. I: Am I the best one to say it?
4. N: Is it necessary to say it now?
5. K: Is it kind to this student and others around me?
o After you THINK, say an “I” statement to the student(s).
 I feel__(emotion)___
 when __(event)__
 because __(thought about event)__
*Example of an “I” Statement: I feel sad when you yell out comments about other people
because it hurts other student’s feelings.
• Finally, continue to use mindful listening and speaking during the duration of the verbally
aggressive situation.
References
Biegel, M. G. (2009). The stress reduction workbook for teens: Mindfulness skills to help you
deal with stress. Oakland, CA: Instant Help Books A Division of New Harbinger
Publications Inc.
Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: mindfulness and its role in
psychological well-being. Journal of personality and social psychology, 84(4),
822.
Frank, J. L., Jennings, P. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2016). Validation of the mindfulness in
teaching scale. Mindfulness, 7(1), 155-163.
Brown, W. K., & Ryan, M. R. (2018). Mindful attention awareness scale. Retrieved from
https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/resources/questionnaires-researchers/mindful-attention-
awareness-scale
Swearer, S. M., & Cary, P. T. (2003). Perceptions and attitudes toward bullying in middle school
youth: A developmental examination across the bully/victim continuum. Journal
of Applied School Psychology, 19, 63–79.
Swearer, S. M., Turner, R. K., Givens, J. E., & Pollack, W. S. (2008). “You’re so gay!”: Do
different forms of bullying matter for adolescent males? School Psychology Review, 37,
160–173.
Willard, C. (2014). Mindfulness for teen anxiety: A workbook for overcoming anxiety at home,
at school & everywhere else. Oakland, CA: Instant Help Books an Imprint of New
Harbinger Publications Inc.

Part III:
Websites
University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development (CEHD)
Website: https://cehdvision2020.umn.edu
Overview: The Improving Lives CEHD campaign at the University of Minnesota has created a
website that includes 340 articles/blogs. There are many categories to choose from such as early
childhood development, health and resilience, Autism, special education, teacher preparation
development and much more. One article that addresses verbal aggression and resilience is an
article published in 2016 called “Dealing with Hostile and Aggressive Behavior in Students”.
This article is a great resource for teachers and parents as it provides an overview on hostile and
aggressive behaviors, reasons for the behaviors and provides suggestions for parents or teachers
dealing with these types of students. The article goes into detail about three types of hostile-
aggressive behavior in students, which are verbal aggression, physical aggression and vandalism.
The article describes verbal aggression as defiance, continuous arguing, swearing, bossing
around, sarcasm as well as teasing. Several theories as to why students behave this way are
described as modeling, peer reinforcing, lack of social skills, and low self-esteem. Student
defensiveness is also described when the student verbally lashes out of peers or the teacher.
Worthy of note, this article explains how teachers may burn out or become angry based on a
student’s verbal aggression. The teacher may also respond to the student in a harsh way, which
triggers the student even more. Additionally, there are many related articles about a student’s
social and emotional development as well as school climate and other evidence based
interventions.
National Centre Against Bullying
Website: https://www.ncab.org.au/bullying-advice/
Overview: The National Centre Against Bullying (NCAB) is an Australian website that focuses
on bullying and ways to create safe schools and online environments. Even though this site is
not based in the United States, there are many resources on the website that can be useful for all
cultures. Within the site, readers will find bullying advice for students, parents, and
schools. Parents can learn a definition of bullying, the signs and symptoms of bullying, how to
stop bullying, how students are affected from bullying, and mental health disorders that co-occur
with bullying. Schools can obtain resources on bullying, such as the signs, how to speak to
parents about the topic, how to provide safe environments and more. Additionally, students will
learn about the signs, how to seek help, understand if they themselves are victims, how to handle
bullies and how to help friends who are victims. There are also multiple online articles and
videos that can be useful for parents, students and teachers.

Bullying. No Way!
Website: https://bullyingnoway.gov.au
Overview: The Bullying. No Way! website, created for Australian schools, is managed by the
Safe and Supportive School Communities Working Group. This website provides helpful
information and ideas about bullying and cyber-bullying for educators, school leaders, parents
and caregivers, the community, teens, and kids. From this website, those accessing it will be
able to gain a better understanding of what bullying is and warning signs, how to respond to and
prevent bullying, and appropriate ways to teach students about bullying. If bullying is a concern
in your school, this website provides lesson plans and supporting materials from the National
Day of Action Pages. The following links include: a) Launchpad: Your school's resources to
talking and teaching about bullying; b) Bullying is NEVER OK! Discussion starter; c) Our
special superpower classroom discussion starter; d) Talking about bullying classroom discussion
starters; e) Being reasonable and ethical online lesson plans; f) Ideas for a safe and supportive
school community lesson plans; g) Active bystanders lesson plans; h) Perspectives on bullying
activity and; i) The Allen Adventure lesson plans. Specifically for children, this website
provides access to games and apps that may be helpful to teach children about bullying. On the
website, children have the ability to create an avatar and play with interactive animations. With
the help of parents, students can download the app, "take a stand together," to access this
information on mobile devices, as well.

National School Climate Center
Website: https://www.schoolclimate.org/
Overview: As creating a positive school climate is important to preventing bullying in school,
the National School Climate Center (NSCC) is a great resource for school personnel. When
accessing this website, individuals can learn more about the Comprehensive School Climate
Inventory (CSCI), which is a nationally-recognized school climate survey. This survey provides
an in-depth profile of areas of strength and areas for improvement. Although this may be a good
way to obtain information about the school climate, it is important to note that base package
pricing, for this inventory, is determined on a sliding scale based on student enrollment; paper
surveys have an additional cost to cover printing and scanning fees. This website also provides
information regarding the Empowering Youth Engaging School (EYES) initiative, which
supports school leaders in effectively addressing bias, bullying, and other hurtful behaviors in
schools. Within this section, individuals can obtain more information about Professional
Development: Build Capacity and Increase Impact (Customized Support), Breaking the Bully-
Victim-Bystander Cycle Tool Kit (Low Cost, Self-Paced), and BullyBust: Promoting a
Community of Upstanders (Free).

BullyBust: Promoting a community of upstanders
Website: https://bullybust.org/
Overview: Information from this resource is adapted from the National School Climate Center's
(NSCC) Breaking the Bully-Victim-Bystander Cycle Toolkit and is a great tool for students,
parents, and educators. The purpose of BullyBust is to assist individuals in becoming
"upstanders." Upstanders are those who stand up to bullying and become part of the solution to
end harassment, teasing, and violence in school, which can be harmful to student
development. For students, this website is useful to define bullying, explaining the different
types of bullying, and explaining what an upstander is. For parents, this website is a great tool to
identify ways to help their children who may be experiencing bullying. This website is also a
great tool for educators as it provides an overview of ways to work towards creating a safe,
supportive, and engaging school climate. Under the educator section, individuals have the
opportunity to join the BullyBust Partner School Program to download free resources, which
include the Upstander Alliance Student Kit, the Upstander Alliance Moderator Kit, the WICKED
Stand up to Bullying Student Kit, and the WICKED stand up to Bullying Teacher Kit. The
Upstander Alliance Kits are useful as they help students and moderators to begin their own
school-based Upstander Alliance teams within their school. The WICKED Stand up to Bullying
kits utilize the story of the Broadway musical WICKED to help them explore the way(s) in
which bullying can impact everyone, as well as show how students can stand up against bullying.
The teacher toolkit aligns with the student supplement and empowers educators to explore and
promote powerful "upstander" themes, such as acceptance, friendship, and empathy. This
website also provides additional resources for dealing with bullying in both the school and at
home.
GoStrengths!: Social & Emotional Learning Program
Website: https://www.gostrengths.com/
Overview: GoStrengths! is an online resource that can be accessed by school professionals and
the general public. More specifically, it is an evidence-based program that teaches students eight
core skills including goal setting, problem-solving, resilience, optimistic thinking, character
strength development, emotional intelligence, social connections, and self-confidence. Students
ages 8-18 could benefit from this program by learning how to manage their emotions, as well as
developing healthy relationships with their peers, and effectively dealing with adversity. There
are ten modules with over 150 animations that students can view in class and at home. Students
can familiarize themselves with the characters in the videos since they are shown throughout the
modules. In school, teachers can incorporate this program into their curriculum since there are
lesson plans, interactive games for the modules, and worksheets. The creators of GoStrengths!
recommend that teachers use 25 minutes to cover one module for ten weeks. Teachers can use
their own discretion as to which video they feel is appropriate for their students to view at a
particular time. In addition, students can access any of the material at home since this program is
mobile friendly. Pricing for this program ranges from $197-$997 per year for school districts.
Worthy of note, some videos can be found on YouTube for free.

Victmproof
Website: https://victimproof.org/
Overview: Tom Thelen is one of the top anti-bullying speakers in the United States. He has
done presentations at over five hundred schools and conferences about bullying. His message to
students is that they need to learn to take responsibility for their choices and have the ability to
make a positive difference in their community. Once bullied himself, he explains how he held a
victim mindset and eventually became a bully. In order to end this vicious cycle, he developed
the philosophy that those who are bullied should not perceive themselves as victims, but rather as
victors who have potential to succeed in life. Therefore, he believes that the best way to deal
with bullying is for the bullied individuals to discover their own self-worth. In addition, he
believes that school districts can promote resilience by having open dialogues and celebrating
each student’s uniqueness. On this website, Tom provides students, school professionals, and
the general public with free videos that can be accessed on his YouTube channel. He also has a
growing evidence-based program called the Victimproof Anti-Bullying Program. This program
is a social and emotional learning program that teaches students for all ages to take ownership of
their choices and how to create a positive environment in their schools. This program can be
used with Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS), Positive Behavior Interventions and
Supports (PBIS), and the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. Pricing for this program ranges
from $19-$199 per month for school districts.

Dr. Eric Thomas
Websites: https://etinspires.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/etthehiphoppreacher
Overview: Dr. Eric Thomas, Ph.D. otherwise known as “ET the Hip-Hop Preacher”, is a
motivational speaker, author, and minister. Growing up, he faced difficult obstacles, but
managed to overcome them by using education as his positive outlet. He went from having a
GED to a Ph.D. in Education Administration. Eric is one of the most successful motivational
speakers in the United States and speaks to middle and high school students. In his speeches, he
strongly talks about resilience and that each and every person has a purpose in life. He explains
the importance of promoting a positive school climate by teaching students that they need to do
well in school, be kind to one another, and respect their friends and family. He continues to
inspire students to pursue their dreams, regardless of their past and where they come from. On
his personal website, Eric provides school professionals and students with an eLearning platform
called “Breathe University - School Days Empowerment Series”. This program has over 451
videos with online instruction, live events, and resources from Eric and his team of motivational
speakers about being a good student and person. This program can be used with MTSS, PBIS,
and other bullying prevention/intervention frameworks. Pricing for this program is $30.00 per
month with one renewal fee of another $30.00. He also frequently posts free videos on his
YouTube channel and material on his personal website.

Heroic Imagination Project
Website: https://www.heroicimagination.org/
Overview: Dr. Philip Zimbardo is a well-known social psychologist who founded the “Heroic
Imagination Project (HIP)”. HIP is a growing evidence-based program with studies done in the
United States and other European countries. HIP’s mission is to inspire other students to stand
up and take heroic actions in their communities. They provide the general public with extensive
research about ways to change negative situations by creating positive changes. More
specifically, there are free videos/podcasts that teach students how to prevent/intervene with
bullying and the power of kindness. There are also trainings and workshops that children,
adolescents, and adults can take to learn how to be everyday heroes. Participants in this program
learn how to combat the bystander effect and verbal aggression, as well as the socio-
psychological effects of bullying. Pricing for this program ranges from $100-$250 for each
participant. However, HIP is currently forming partnerships with corporations so that they can
provide more free trainings for the general public. School professionals can receive free
materials that can be used with their lesson plans if they have a trial membership.
Appendix A:
School Bullying: What should I do different? (Role-Playing Scenarios; Intervention Kit)

Appendix A.1
Name: _______________________________
Appropriate Ways to Deal with Emotions

Appendix A.2
In-School Bullying Scenarios
You are a male student who is in the locker room changing for gym. You noticed a male student is wearing nail
polish. Your friend says “it’s nothing it’s just war paint”. You push him against the lockers and threaten to beat him
up for wearing nail polish. You back off but continue to argue with him. You call him derogatory names.
Cheryl, Candace, and Alicia are friends and in 7th grade. Cheryl and Alicia live in a trailer park with their families. All
three girls ride the school bus home in the afternoon. Amanda and Sarah, both 8th graders, also ride the same bus
in the afternoon. During the fall, Amanda and Sarah start repeatedly calling Cheryl and Alicia “White trailer trash”
and make fun of their clothes and belongings. One day, Candace, frustrated with the on-going treatment of her
friends, shouts at Amanda and Sarah, “Why don’t you two stupid snobs shut up and leave Cheryl and Alicia alone!”
Amanda gets up and threatens to hit Candace and says, “You shut up! You’re just a stupid 7th grader. Why do you
hang out with those two trailer trash idiots anyway?” Several students and the bus driver witness this interaction.
Rebecca Rabinowitz is Jewish and in the 6th grade. In October she missed a few days of school while her family
observed Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. When Rebecca returned to school after Yom Kippur she was teased by
some of her classmates while walking home from school. Her classmates made comments about how Jews get
special treatment at school and about how Jews always have a lot of money. When Rebecca gets home, she is in
tears and tells her mother what happened. Mrs. Rabinowitz calls the school immediately and tells Rebecca’s
homeroom teacher what happened.
Edgar is in 4th grade and is much taller and heavier than most of his peers. However, because he has a tremendous
sense of humor, he is very popular and well-liked by most of his peers. One day during recess, during a game of
dodgeball, Edgar trips on the ball and falls down. Steven, a 5th grader, yells, “Look at the beached whale on the
playground!” and Steven and the other 5th graders with him laugh. Edgar turns red but picks himself up and starts
to get ready to play again. Several of Edgar’s friends get angry and tell Steven and his friends to “shut up.” A
shouting match ensues until a teacher comes over to break it up.
Kendra and Alexander are 8th graders who have been best friends since pre-school. One day during lunch, Alexander
says to Kendra, “I know why you like chocolate milk so much!” Kendra asks, “Why?” and Alexander responds,
“Because it keeps your skin brown!” Kendra looks at Alexander quizzically and says, “No it doesn’t!” Alexander says
nothing and the two go on eating their lunch together. The next day Kendra’s mother calls the school outraged
about what Alexander said to Kendra at lunch the day before.
Angela is a star track and soccer athlete at Jonestown Middle School. She grew up with three brothers and has
always been very active in athletics since childhood. Angela has a very short haircut (because she got tired of dealing
with washing her long hair every day after sports when she was younger). She dresses casually, usually in jeans and
t-shirts and she never wears dresses or make-up. Angela has many friends, both male and female, and is somewhat
popular in school because she is such a good athlete. Nonetheless, while in the hallways at school, Angela
sometimes hears comments made by other female students referring to Angela as a “lesbo,” “dyke,” or “boy”
because she has a “butch” haircut and never wears dresses. Angela usually ignored these comments until one day, a
cheerleader made a loud comment in the cafeteria about Angela being a “boy” playing on the girls’ soccer team.
Furious, Angela walked up to the girl, threatened to punch her, and called her a “cross-dressing boy in a skirt with
pom-poms.”
You've been teasing one of your friends because he or she is really bad at reading and writing and you noticed
he/she has started to sit alone.
A few of the school jocks are standing in a hallways joking when they spot a smaller classmate struggling to carry his
school books. One of the jocks stick his foot out and deliberately trips the smaller boy and they all laugh and call the
boy names, like “clumsy” and “dork.”
Andy is a 7th grade student who is of African American decent. He moved to the district in November of the current
school year. During gym class, another 7th grader named Monica and her boyfriend Travis walked up to Andy. Since
Andy is overweight, his chest is feminine like. Monica raised her voice at Andy and said “Get a bra black boy. Go take
a shower. I can smell your dreadlocks a mile away”. As the rest of class started laughing, Andy ran out of the gym
since he did not want anyone to see him cry. When Andy got home, he told his mother he wants to drop out.
Sara wanted to try out for the middle school dance team. She has been practicing her routine with her older sister
for months. Sara is a little overweight but never felt discouraged to try out for the team. During tryouts she told the
captain that she is so excited. As Sara was dancing, the team was whispering to each other while looking at Sara and
laughing. Sara did not notice and kept dancing. When her routine was over, Sara said “what did you girls think?” The
team captain stood up and said “Maybe next time Sara. However it might be better if you lost weight. Stop eating
burgers and ice cream and go to the gym. No one needs to see you jiggle as you dance”. Sara went home and
sobbed. Later that night, Sara’s mother found her forcing herself to throw up in the bathroom. The next day, the
team captain started telling the school that “jiggle girl” tried to be a part of the dance team.
Alyssa and Lauren are two 8th grade cheerleaders who have been best friends since the third grade. They decided
that the new girl Maria was weird and ugly. They always texted negative comments about her after school and
wrote negative comments in the schools bathroom stalls. Maria has a hearing impairment. She has been completely
deaf since the age of 4. Alyssa and Lauren like to walk directly behind Maria and talk about her. Sometimes they
scream, “freak, loser, go back to Mexico” knowing that Maria cannot hear them. Lauren learned how to say “freak”
in sign language. A few days later some students were saying “freak” in sign language. She went to the school
psychologist since she started to have a panic attack when she saw everyone in the hallway.
Your best friend received his Ashes on Ash Wednesday. You call him a “dirt face” and a “poor boy”. He tells you to
stop but you keep on calling him those names. You then post on social media that he is dirty and needs a bath. The
next day you put liquid soap in his locker and all over his backpack. You start to laugh and pointed at him when he
opened his locker.
Appendix A.3
Name: _________________________ Date: _____________
Session #: ______________________
What should I do differently?

Directions: Complete the following based on the particular scenario you just read/acted out.
Emotional Trigger
What would my response normally
be in this situation?
What is something different I
could do in this situation?
What would be the outcome if I
acted in a different way?

Appendix A.4
Level of Attainment Scale
Student: __________________________ Date of Birth: ___________
Today’s Date: _____________________ Grade: ___ Gender: M () F ( )
Teacher: __________________________ School: __Marist Middle School__
Level of Attainment Goal 1: Verbal Goal 2: Positive Goal 3: Adaptive

Aggressions Comments Coping Skills
-2
-1
+1
+2
Target Behavior(s): ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
Operational Definition(s): ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Appendix A.5
Level of Attainment Data Collection
Student Name: __________________________________
Rater Name: ____________________________________
Session Level of Level of Level of Comments
Attainment- Attainment- Attainment-
Verbal Positive Behaviors Adaptive
Aggression Coping Skills
Baseline Data
B1
B2
B3
Intervention Data
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
S11
S12
Appendix A.6
School Bullying: What should I do differently?: Treatment Integrity Checklist
Teacher: __________________________________ Date: ___________________
Student: ___________________
Treatment Integrity Standard Yes No N/A Comments
Baseline Data Collection: I collected 3 baseline data points

based on observations of the student in the classroom.
Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS): This was established

collaboratively between the teacher, parents, and
educational/instructional support team.
Sessions: All sessions were correctly followed. Similarly, all

worksheets were completed by the student.
Intervention Data Collection: I collected 12 intervention data

points based on the level of attainment on the GAS level of
attainment worksheet.
Materials: All required materials were provided to the student.

Appendix A.7
Sample Level of Attainment Scale
Student: __Naji_____________ Date of Birth: ___________
Today’s Date: __04/20/18_________ Grade: __6__ Gender: M (X) F ( )
Teacher: _____Mrs. Spring_____ School: __Marist Middle School__
Level of Attainment Goal 1: Verbal Goal 2: Positive Goal 3: Adaptive

Aggressions Comments Coping Skills
-2 Naji displays 0-5 Naji makes 0 positive Naji does not use
verbal aggressions in comments to peers adaptive coping skills
math class. during math class. during math class.
-1 Naji displays 6-11 Naji makes 1 positive Naji uses adaptive
verbal aggressions in comments to peers coping skills 1 time
math class. during math class. during math class.
0 Naji displays Naji makes 2-3 Naji uses adaptive
12-17 verbal positive comments to coping skills 2 times
aggressions in math peers during math during math class.
class. class.
+1 Naji displays Naji makes 4-5 Naji uses adaptive
18-23 verbal positive comments to coping skills 3 times
aggressions in math peers during math during math class.
class. class.
+2 Naji displays 24+ Naji makes 6+ Naji uses adaptive
verbal aggressions in positive comments to coping skills 4+ times
math class. peers during math during math class.
class.
Target Behavior: Increase positive comments to peers

Operational Definition: Naji makes any verbal and audible comment that promotes the positive
well-being of others and/or self.
Appendix A.8
Sample Level of Attainment Data Collection
Student Name: _______Naji___________________________
Rater Name: _________Mrs. Spring___________________________
Session Level of Level of Level of Comments

Attainment- Attainment- Attainment-
Verbal Positive Behaviors Adaptive
Aggression Coping Skills
Baseline Data
B1 - 0 - 2 positive comments
B2 - -1 - 1 positive comment
about peers shirt
B3 - 0 - 3 positive comments
Intervention Data
S1 - 0 -
S2 - -1 -
S3 - -1 -
S4 - 0 -
S5 - 0 -
S6 - -1 -
S7 - -2 -
S8 - 1 -
S9 - 1 -
S10 - 2 -
S11 - 2 -
S12 - 2 -
Appendix A.9
Sample Graph (Positive Comments)
Positive Comments
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
GAS
0
-0.5
-1
-1.5
-2
-2.5
Sessions
Baseline Intervention Linear (Intervention)

Appendix B:
Kahoot! Comments (Intervention Kit)

Appendix B.1
ONLINE MEDIA QUESTIONNAIRE

ID #:
Grade:
Date:
Please write your school ID # or include a number you will remember.
Read each question below and choose the response based on your experiences.
Within the past few days….
1. I have posted something online about someone else to make others laugh...
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
2. I have sent someone a text message or online post to make them angry...
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
3. I have sent someone a text message or online post to make fun of them…
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
4. I made cruel online comments about other students…

o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
5. I have sent online messages or texts about physically hurting them…

o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
6. I said mean things online about other students and called them names...
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
7. I told lies and stories online about other students to make them look bad…
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
8. Before sending a text or an online comment I changed the way I said it in order for
it to sound more positive…
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
9. I have started an online rumor or participated in the online rumor…

o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
10. I took a picture of someone and posted it online without their permission…
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
Appendix B.2
Kahoot! Comments Outline:
Session 1: Cyberbullying Quiz 1
1. “You’re such a band geek. Get a life.” **
2. “You guys look like you’re having fun! Wish I was there”
1. “Nice makeup, princess.”**
2. “Why is your hair so long?”*
1. “You guys are f***ing ugly.”**
2. “Love your new haircut!”
1. “WTF”*
2. "Ew...look at that ugly a*s mole on your face."**
1. “You won the game last night! Great job!”
2. “Put the burrito down…fatty”**
1. "I'm going to knock you out at school tomorrow. Stop acting like you're tough"**
2. "Cutest couple? #amiright"
1. "You're so ugly...nobody at school likes you."**
2. "Lauren, why are you so tall?"*
1. "You should cover your whole face."**
2. "I saw you with Jessica last night... ;)"*
1. “GAY”**
2. “#Losers”*

1. “Flowers aren’t going to make you smell better.”**
2. "Those eyebrow tho"*
1. “Bozo and Lenette”
2. "#squadgoals"
1. "How's the hangover"**
2. "Congrats! Let's go on a road trip!!"
*=Neutral; Use the “Cyberbullying: What should I say?” worksheet, if necessary.
**=Negative; instruct students to use the “Cyberbullying: What should I say?” worksheet.
Appendix B.3
Cyberbullying Quiz 1
Quiz 1.1
Quiz 1.2
Quiz 2.1
Quiz 2.2
Quiz 3.1
Quiz 3.2
Quiz 4.1
Quiz 4.2
Quiz 5.1
Quiz 5.2
Quiz 6.1
Quiz 6.2
Quiz 7.1
Quiz 7.2
Quiz 8.1
Quiz 8.2
Quiz 9.1
Quiz 9.2
Quiz 10.1
Quiz 10.2
Quiz 11.1
Quiz 11.2
Quiz 12.1
Quiz 12.2
*These photos are provided courtesy of flickr.com. These photos are provided as examples
for teaching purposes only. These comments were created by the authors of this handbook.
Appendix B.4
Name: __________________________ Date: _________________
Session Number: __________________
Cyberbullying: What should I say?

Directions: For each neutral or negative comment, please provide the original comment in the
first column, labeled “What I Said.” Next, please reframe the original comment that promotes
positivity and kindness. Remember, stop before you post a comment, think about what you are
trying to say, and only post an online comment if it is not intended to offend another a student.
What I Said: What I Should Say:

Appendix B.5
Data Collection Worksheet
Student Name: ______________________ Teacher Name: ______________________
Session Number Cyberbullying Score Comments
Baseline Data
Intervention Data
Appendix B.6
Treatment Integrity Checklist
Teacher Name: __________________________ Date: _________________
Participating Students: __________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Baseline Data Collection: The teacher collected 3 baseline

data points based on how the students rated their
acknowledgement/participation in cyberbullying on the Online
Media Questionnaire.
During the Intervention: All steps are being correctly

followed.
Intervention Data Collection: The teacher collected 12

intervention data points based on how the student rated their
acknowledgement/participation in cyberbullying on the Online
Media Questionnaire.
Materials: All required materials are being used throughout the

intervention.
Appendix B.7
Kahoot! Comments: Contract
Throughout the United States, cyberbullying continues to be a problem. (Name of school/school

district’s) mission is to (insert school/school district’s mission). In order to fulfill our mission,
we want to promote a safe and caring environment for our students. Therefore, Kahoot!
Comments is a bullying intervention/preventive initiative to help students reframe their thoughts
about their peers. The purpose of this activity is to also minimize the prevalence of
cyberbullying in our schools.
Please read the following agreements:
Student Agreement:
• I will participate in this activity.

• I understand that this activity is to help me become a productive member of the online
community.
Parent Agreement:
• I will allow my child to participate in this activity.

• I understand that this activity is to help my child become a productive member of the
online community.
• If I have any questions, I will contact my child’s teacher and the school psychologist.
I have read the above guidelines. My signature below acknowledges my agreement for my child
to participate in this activity.
Signature of Student _______________________________ Date: __________________
Signature of Parent/Legal Guardian: ______________________ Date: __________________

Appendix B.8
Sample Baseline and Intervention Data with Graph
ONLINE MEDIA QUESTIONNAIRE

ID#: 678943
Grade: 8
Date: 4/20/2018
Please write your school ID # or include a number you will remember.
Read each question below and choose the response based on your experiences.
Within the past few days….
1. I have posted something online about someone else to make others laugh... 4
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
2. I have sent someone a text message or online post to make them angry... 3
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
3. I have sent someone a text message or online post to make fun of them… 2
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
4. I made cruel online comments about other students… 4

o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
5. I have sent online messages or texts about physically hurting them…2

o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
6. I said mean things online about other students and called them names... 4
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
7. I told lies and stories online about other students to make them look bad… 3
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
8. Before sending a text or an online comment I changed the way I said it in order
for it to sound more positive… 4
o Always
o Sometimes
o Rarely
o Never
9. I have started an online rumor or participated in the online rumor… 3

o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
10. I took a picture of someone and posted it online without their permission…2
o Never
o Rarely
o Sometimes
o Always
Total- 31
Data Collection Worksheet
Student Name: _________Paul Frank_____ Teacher Name: ____Mr. Naji____

Session Number Cyberbullying Score Comments
Baseline Data
B1 31
B2 30
B3 32
Intervention Data
S1 35
S2 34
S3 36
S4 27
S5 29
S6 20
S7 21
S8 18
S9 16
S10 19 Student said, “I don’t care I will post what I

want.”
S11 10
S12 12
Sample Progress Monitoring Graph
Online Media Questionnaire

40
Cyberbullying Amount
30
20
10
0
b1 b2 b3 s1 s2 s3 s4 s5 s6 s7 s8 s9 s10 s11 s12
Baseline (b) and Sessions (s)
Appendix C:
Resilient Writing
Appendix C.1
Resilient Writing: Contract
Throughout the United States, verbal aggression continues to be a problem. (Name of
school/school district’s) mission is to (insert school/school district’s mission). In order to fulfill
our mission, we want to promote a safe and caring environment for our students. Therefore,
Resilient Writing is a healing intervention based on evidence-based practices that can help
students in grades 6-12 who are being bullied learn how to value their self-worth, their potential,
and that they matter.
Please read the following agreements:
Student Agreement:
• I will participate in this intervention.

• I understand that the purpose of this intervention is to help me learn how to value my
self-worth, my potential, and that I matter.
• I will meet with (insert teacher’s name) on (insert day/time).
Parent Agreement:
• I will allow my child to participate in this intervention.

• I understand that the purpose of this intervention is to help my child learn how to value
his/her self-worth, his/her potential, and that he/she matters.
• If I have any questions, I will contact my child’s teacher and the school psychologist.
I have read the above guidelines. My signature below acknowledges my agreement for my child
to participate in this intervention.
Signature of Student: _______________________________ Date: __________________
Signature of Parent/Legal Guardian: ______________________ Date: __________________

Appendix C.2
CD-RISC - RW
Your Name: ________________________________

Your Teacher’s Name: _______________________
11. I am able to adapt to change.
o Almost never
o Sometimes
o Almost always
o Always
12. When I write, I feel…
o Very happy about what I write

o Happy about what I write
o OK about what I write
o Unhappy about what I write
13. I am able to deal with whatever comes my way.
o Almost never
o Sometimes
o Almost always
o Always
14. The stories I write are usually…
o Very good
o Good
o OK
o Poor
15. I see humorous sides of things.
o Almost never
o Sometimes
o Almost always
o Always
16. The stories I write usually teach me something positive about myself…
o Almost never
o Sometimes
o Almost always
o Always
17. Stress makes me stronger.
o Almost never
o Sometimes
o Almost always
o Always
18. My friends support me.
o Almost never
o Sometimes
o Almost always
o Always
19. I bounce back after being hurt by others.
o Almost never
o Sometimes
o Almost always
o Always
20. My family supports me.
o Almost never
o Sometimes
o Almost always
o Always
21. I believe I can achieve goals, despite obstacles that come my way.
o Almost never
o Sometimes
o Almost always
o Always
22. My teachers support me.
o Almost never
o Sometimes
o Almost always
o Always
23. Under pressure, I stay focused.
o Always
o Almost always
o Sometimes
o Almost never
24. I am not easily discouraged by failure.
o Always
o Almost always
o Sometimes
o Almost never
25. I think of myself as a strong person when facing challenges.
o Always
o Almost always
o Sometimes
o Almost never
26. I am able to handle unpleasant feelings.
o Always
o Almost always
o Sometimes
o Almost never
Appendix C.3
Resilient Writing (Scoring Template): CD-RISC - RW
Your Name: ________________________________

Your Teacher’s Name: _______________________
1. I am able to adapt to change.
o Almost never (1 point)

o Sometimes (2 points)
o Almost always (3 points)
o Always (4 points)
2. When I write, I feel…
o Very happy about what I write (4 points)

o Happy about what I write (3 points)
o OK about what I write (2 points)
o Unhappy about what I write (1 point)
3. I am able to deal with whatever comes my way.

o Always (4 points)
4. The stories I write are usually…
o Very good (4 points)

o Good (3 points)
o OK (2 points)
o Poor (1 point)
5. I see humorous sides of things.

o Always (4 points)
6. The stories I write usually teach me something positive about myself…

o Always (4 points)
7. Stress makes me stronger.

o Always (4 points)
8. My friends support me.

o Always (4 points)
9. I bounce back after being hurt by others.

o Always (4 points)
10. My family supports me.

o Always (4 points)
11. I believe I can achieve goals, despite obstacles that come my way.

o Always (4 points)
12. My teachers support me.

o Always (4 points)
13. Under pressure, I stay focused.
o Always (4 points)
14. I am not easily discouraged by failure.
o Always (4 points)
15. I think of myself as a strong person when facing challenges.
o Always (4 points)
16. I am able to handle unpleasant feelings.
o Always (4 points)
Total Score: _ _ _
Scoring (These scores should be used for suggestive purposes only):
1-16 Very Low Resilience
17-32 Low Resilience
33-48 High Resilience
49-64 Very High Resilience
• A higher score suggests that the student is demonstrating a higher level of resilient
behavior, even when faced with verbal aggression.
• A student can receive a total score of 64.
Appendix C.4
Resilient Writing: Treatment Integrity Checklist
Teacher: __________________________________ Date: ___________________
Student: ___________________
Before Resilient Writing: I received the signed contract from

the student and parent/legal guardian.
Phase 1: During the first session, I discussed the parameters of

confidentiality with the student. Throughout the intervention, I
developed/maintained rapport.
Phase 2: The student engaged in resilient writing by following

the writing prompt. Writing prompts were appropriately
chosen (i.e. based on the student’s mood and level of rapport).
Baseline Data Collection: I collected 3-5 baseline data points

based on how the student rated their resilience on the Connor-
Davidson Resilience Scale - Resilient Writing (CD-RISC –
RW).
Intervention Data Collection: I collected 12-16 intervention

data points based on how the student rated their resilience on
the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale - Resilient Writing (CD-
RISC – RW).
Materials: All required materials were provided to the student.

Appendix C.5
Resilient Writing: Writing Prompts
1. Where do you believe your sources of hope, or lack of hope, come from?
2. Who is a strong person that you know of? Why are they strong?
3. Think of a superhero that is able to bounce back even during tough times. How do they
do this?
4. Where is your safe space/place that you feel safe enough to relax?
5. What obstacles have you overcome in your life?
6. What are your strengths? How have they helped you in life?
7. Every human fears something. Can you please think of a time you experienced fear?
What did you do in that situation?
8. Think of something that makes you happy and write about it.
9. Think of something that made you laugh. Why did you laugh?
10. Think of a time when you were successful. Why were you successful?
11. What are healthy ways to cope? Have you ever done this before?
12. What do you want to be when you grow up? How will you get there?
13. You just witnessed somebody picking on another student. How could you help?
14. What does the phrase ‘do the right thing’ mean to you?
15. What does it mean to be loyal?
16. Think of three qualities of a good friend and write why.
17. Please explain how you could calm down an angry student.
18. How can you make yourself feel better during tough times?
19. What does ‘mindfulness’ mean? How can you be mindful?
20. Write a thank you letter to your body.
Appendix C.6
Resilient Writing: Data Collection Worksheet
Student Name: ______________________ Teacher Name: ______________________
Session Number Resilient Writing Score Comments
Baseline Data
Intervention Data
Appendix D:
Mindful Listening and Speaking with “I” Statement Modeling

Appendix D.1
Mindful Listening Reminder Sheet
Bring your complete attention to the student(s) you are with.
-As the teacher, ask yourself…
1. Am I tuning out other distractions?
2. Am I focused on the student(s) who is making the verbal aggression?
Notice everything you can about the student(s) and their emotional state.
-As the teacher, ask yourself…
1. What does their facial expressions and body language tell you? (arms
crossed or waving, face is red, eyes wide open)
2. What are the qualities of their breath? (how fast are they breathing)
3. What are the qualities of their voice? (are they loud, screaming, crying)
Now turn your attention to your own face, your own body, your own breath.
-As the teacher, ask yourself….
1. Identify and name how you are feeling to yourself?
2. Think about what made you feel like this?
3. How am I appearing on the outside? (arms crossed, angry face, hands on
hips)
4. Can I adjust my body to look more positive and open? (hands to the side, eye
contact)
5. Can I breathe more calmly if not already?

6. Am I really listening to the student or am I just waiting for the student to stop
talking?
Appendix D.2
True: Is what I want to say true?
Helpful: is what I want to say helpful?
I: Am I the best one to say it?
N: Is it necessary to say it now?
K: Is it kind to this student and others
around me?
Appendix D.3
I feel__(emotion)___
when __(event)__
because __(thought about event)__.

Appendix D.4
Teacher Mindful Attention Awareness Scale
Below is a collection of statements about your everyday experiences in the classroom. Using the scale
below that ranges from 1-6, please indicate how frequently or infrequently you have experienced each
item. Please answer using your emotions in this present moment rather than what you think your
experiences in the classroom should be. Please use the scale below. All data will be kept confidential in
a locked file cabinet in the school psychologist’s office.
1. 2. 3 4 5 6
Almost Always Very Frequently Somewhat Frequently Somewhat Infrequently Very Infrequently Almost Never
When I am teaching it seems I am “running on 1 2 3 4 5 6

automatic,” without much awareness of what I
am doing.
I could be experiencing some emotion and not be 1 2 3 4 5 6

conscious of it until sometime later.
When I am in the classroom I have difficulty 1 2 3 4 5 6

staying focused on what is happening in the
present.
When I am teaching, I find myself doing things 1 2 3 4 5 6

because of carelessness, not paying attention, or
thinking of something else.
At school, I tend to walk quickly to get where I 1 2 3 4 5 6

am going without paying attention to what I
experience along the way.
I rush through activities without being really 1 2 3 4 5 6

attentive to them.
I am often so busy thinking about other things 1 2 3 4 5 6

that I am not really listening to my students.
Even when it makes me uncomfortable, I allow 1 2 3 4 5 6

my students to express their feelings.
I listen carefully to my student’s ideas, even 1 2 3 4 5 6

when I disagree with them.
I am aware of how my moods affect the way I 1 2 3 4 5 6

treat my students.
When I am upset with my students, I notice how 1 2 3 4 5 6

I am feeling before I take action.
When I am upset with my class, I calmly tell 1 2 3 4 5 6

them how I am feeling.
I find myself preoccupied with the future or the 1 2 3 4 5 6

past.
When I am upset with my class, I respond with 1 2 3 4 5 6

the first thing that comes to mind.
I am aware how my emotions influence my 1 2 3 4 5 6

responses to my students.
**Adapted from Kirk Warren Brown and Richard M. Ryan’s Mindful Attention Awareness scale (MAAS) and
Jennifer L. Frank, Patricia A. Jennings & Mark T Greenberg’s Mindfulness in Teaching Scale.
Directions:
To score the scale, simply compute a mean of the 15 items. Higher scores reflect higher levels of
dispositional mindfulness.
How to calculate the mean:
1. Add up all the numbers.
2. Divide by the highest score that a student can possibly get (90).
Example: If Ms. Rose scored a 30, it would be 30/90=33.33% awareness.
If Ms. Rose scored a 75, it would be 75/90=83.33% awareness.
Mindfulness Measure My Total Points My Item Average

Teacher Mindful Attention
Awareness Scale

Interventions To Decrease Verbal Aggression

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Running head: VERBAL AGGRESSION 1

Interventions to Decrease Verbal Aggression &

Marist College 2018

About the Authors

Paul Vespo is currently a second year candidate in the school

psychology graduate program at Marist College in Poughkeepsie,

NY. Prior to starting this program, he earned a Bachelor of Arts

degree in psychology with a minor in sociology from SUNY

During middle and high school, Paul experienced verbal

aggression. One of the students who was verbally bullying Paul

aggression and how to engage in preventive/interventive ways to develop a resilient school

Emily Wylong is currently a second year candidate in the school

psychology graduate program at Marist College in Poughkeepsie,

NY. Prior to starting this program, she earned a Bachelor of Arts

degree in psychology with a minor in health science from SUNY

increase a positive school climate.

Krista Coddington is currently a second year candidate in the

school psychology graduate program at Marist College in

Poughkeepsie, NY. Prior to starting this program, she earned a

Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Marist College.

Throughout middle and high school, Krista witnessed many

incidents of verbal bullying. She was even the target of

aggressive verbal comments due to physical characteristics, such

as her height. Krista hopes that this handbook provides school

psychologists, teachers, students, and parents tools to

appropriately deal with verbal bullying in their schools.

How Bullying affects different members of the school community

to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP; 2012), bullying is a three-pronged

interventions aimed at reducing verbal bullying by promoting a resilient school climate.

According to Connor and Davidson (2003), resilient individuals harness personal

take preventive/interventive actions is by promoting a resilient school climate. A resilient school

as verbal bullying (Harvey, 2007).

Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Depression and Anxiety, 18, 76-82.

National Association of School Psychologists. (2012). Bullying prevention and intervention in

schools [Position statement]. Bethesda, MD: Author.

Bullying in Schools: The Bully

physical or emotional harm to others.

unsupervised areas (Green, 2007).

If a student is engaging in these maladaptive behaviors, it is important to take appropriate

in Veenstra, Lindenberg, Oldehinkel. De Winter, Verhulst, & Ormel, 2005).

Green, G. (2007). Bullying: A Concern for Survival. Education, 128(2), 333-336.

Research In Middle Level Education, 37(6).

(2005). Bullying and victimization in elementary schools: A comparison of bullies,

victims, bully/victims, and uninvolved preadolescents. Developmental

Psychology, 41(4), 672-682.

A Bully’s Role in Cyberbullying

personnel, it is important to educate students on effects of cyberbullying on those around them.

others, especially targets.

Prevention. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 1(3), 133-145.

Research In Middle Level Education, 37(6).

The Targeted Student

targeted students by utilizing bullying prevention/intervention programs to increase resilience (T.

Thelen, personal communication, April 19, 2018).

H. Minkowitz, personal communication, April 17, 2018).

personal communication, April 19, 2018; Stopbullying.gov, 2018).

Stopbullying.gov. (2018). Facts about bullying. Retrieved from

promote a positive school climate (Frank, Jennings & Greenberg, 2016).

practice of mindfulness. According to Reiser, Murphy, and McCarthy (2016), mindfulness is a

teaching scale. Mindfulness, 7(1), 155-163.

competence and classroom interactions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(7),

Work, 41(2), 117-139.

Training on Self-Regulation and Classroom Performance in a Sample of German School

Teachers. European Journal of Educational Research, 6(4), 565-581.