The design of a mindfulness-based aggression prevention program for 6th grade students.

Aggression is defined as any action done with the intention to harm another (Coie and Dodge, 1998). Whereas overt aggression is defined by behaviors such as physical fighting or verbal threats, relational aggression includes behaviors that have the intent of harming others through purposeful manipulation and damage of peer relationships (Crick & Grotpeter, 1995; Young, Boye, & Nelson, 2006). Taken together, nearly half of all students in grades 4-12 report being bullied in the previous month in school, and persistent bullying is associated with increased mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, poor academic achievement and difficulty forming meaningful relationships. The literature regarding various types of aggressive behavior, gender differences, school-based aggression prevention programs, and the potential role of mindfulness strategies in decreasing aggressive behavior was reviewed. The program was designed for sixth grade students in a suburban middle school and was informed by the results of a needs assessment that explored the extent to which students reported engaging in, or being the victim of, aggressive behavior. The results of the needs assessment suggested that these students regularly experienced types of overt and relational aggression and often did not intervene when they witnessed this occurring between peers. The designed program consists of 12 lunch-time sessions that include psychoeducation about the purpose of anger, its situational antecedents and somatic cues, mindfulness-based strategies, assertiveness skills training and perspective-taking exercises to decrease bystander behavior. Also included are detailed lesson plans, handouts and other helpful resources for program implementation. Finally, limitations and implications for school-based mental health were discussed.Psy.D.Includes bibliographical reference