Preventing Bullying and Externalizing Problems in Middle Schoolers: Preliminary Effects of the Early Adolescent Coping Power Program

Introduction: Although indicated prevention programs have been found to be effective with aggressive children in the elementary school years, there are very few such programs that have reduced externalizing behavior or bullying during the middle school years (CPPRG, 2010); this may be due in part to adolescents’ sensitivity to peer pressures and confusion about their social goals. Prior randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of the Coping Power program have demonstrated significant impacts on preadolescent children’s behavior in the school setting through one and three-year follow-ups, but it is not clear if this program would produce similar follow-up effects if introduced during the middle school years. The Early Adolescent Coping Power (EACP) program was recently adapted from the earlier program to meet the social and cognitive developmental needs of early adolescents; this indicated prevention program provides developmentally-appropriate intervention and supports to youth, their parents, and teachers to prevent further escalation of conduct and related behavior problems, like bullying. This presentation explores the one-year follow-up effects of the EACP on adolescents’ aggressive and bullying behavior.

 Methods: The current study presents preliminary findings coming from an ongoing RCT testing the EACP in 40 middle schools in Alabama and Maryland. This study summarizes findings from the first cohort of 249 youth (62% male; 75% African-American). Schools were randomly assigned to EACP or to a control condition. Approximately six 7^thgraders per group were identified through a teacher screening process and enrolled into the project. EACP was implemented over the course of 1 year by a trained clinician. Teacher-ratings of bullying and on the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) were collected at baseline, end of year 1, and 1-year follow-up.

 Results: Preliminary ANCOVAs from the Alabama cohort 1 were conducted on teacher BASC scores at follow-up, controlling for baseline. Relative to controls, EACP youth experienced significant improvements in Adaptive Skills (Effect Size [ES] =.75), and reductions in Internalizing Problems (ES= 1.05) and Externalizing Problems (ES= .86); EACP youth also tended to display less bullying behavior (ES= .50), but there was no effect on being a target of bullying. Additional findings from both Alabama and Maryland will be presented.

Conclusions: Preliminary results suggest that Coping Power can be adapted for use with early adolescents, and produce strong effects on bullying, externalizing problems, and internalizing problems. EACP appears to be a promising program for addressing bullying, as well as other behavioral and mental health concerns.