Steps to Respect®
Problems addressed
School violence or bullying
Effectiveness

Promising

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Promising

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Life periods served
Children (4 to 13 years)
Where the program was applied
Education establishment
Country of application
United States
Description

This is an anti-bullying program for students in third to sixth grade. The aim is to fight bullying with a study plan lasting 12 to 14 weeks and the distribution of material adapted to each age group.
All school staff members receive an overview of the program’s objectives and main features, while teachers, counselors, and administrators receive additional training on how to intervene in the event of bullying.
The curriculum for students covers reading and writing skills, social and emotional skills, managing and recognizing emotions, and rejecting and reporting bullying behavior. After completing the skills promotion lessons, teachers implement directed reading based on existing children’s books, offering new opportunities to explore topics related to the theme. Parents receive information about the program during the implementation of the curriculum in the classroom.

Impact evaluations

Impact evaluation studies showed that the program did not produce statistically significant effects on self-reported bullying victimization or perpetration, observed non-physical bullying, and gossip victimization [1] [2] [3].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Brown, E. C., Low, S., Smith, B. H. & Haggerty, K. P. (2011). Outcomes From a School-Randomized Controlled Trial of Steps to Respect: A Bullying Prevention Program. School Psychology Review, 40(3), 423–443. https://doi.org/10.1080/02796015.2011.12087707

[2] Frey, K. S., Hirschstein, M. K., Snell, J. L., van Edstrom, L. S., MacKenzie, E. P. & Broderick, C. J. (2005). Reducing playground bullying and supporting beliefs: An experimental trial of the steps to respect program. Developmental Psychology, 41(3), 479–490. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.41.3.479

[3] Low, S., Frey, K. S., & Brockman, C. J. (2010). Gossip on the playground: Changes associated with universal intervention, retaliation beliefs, and supportive friends. School Psychology Review, 39(4), 536-551.

Information source