The design of a lunchtime relational aggression prevention program targeting elementary school aged females:

Aggression, in all of its forms, is a growing problem in today’s schools. Relational aggression, the attempt to harm another person through manipulation and damage of relationships with others, is a specific form of aggression that is not only increasingly prevalent, but also undertreated (Crick & Gropeter, 1995). Children gossip about peers, exclude each other from activities, and engage in name-calling, among other relationally aggressive behaviors. Females are more likely to engage in this behavior; males tend to engage in more physically aggressive behaviors (Yoon, Barton, & Taiariol, 2004). While frequently dismissed by teachers and administrators as “typical” childhood behavior, studies have shown that relational aggression can be as harmful as physical aggression (Bauman & Del Rio, 2006; Yoon et al., 2004). The purpose of this dissertation is to design and develop a classroom program for a central New Jersey public school to be implemented with third to fifth grade female students during lunch, an unstructured time of day during which children often engage in relational aggression with peers. The program is based on a thorough needs assessment conducted in the middle school for which the program is being designed (Maher, 2000). The program design also relies on Dodge’s (1986) Information Processing Model as a foundation for its design (Lochman & Dunn, 1993). The needs assessment examined students’ peer relationships and students’ bullying behaviors through student and teacher questionnaires. The program consists of ten classroom-based lessons that address bullying, relationship skills, anger management, and problem solving. The other part of the program is a teambuilding component for implementation during lunch and recess. The dissertation includes detailed lesson plans as well as session outlines for teambuilding activities. Also included are introductory lessons, which provide school personnel with a clear lesson for introducing each component of the program to students. Finally, the limitations of the program, implications for the program’s use, and future directions are also discussed.Psy.DIncludes bibliographical references (p. 138-145)by Lauren Brooke Elkinso