Papers by Catherine Bradshaw
Administration and Policy in Mental Health, Jul 26, 2020
This introductory article describes the genesis of the Festschrift for Leonard Bickman and of thi... more This introductory article describes the genesis of the Festschrift for Leonard Bickman and of this Festschrift special issue entitled, The Future of Children's Mental Health Services. The special issue includes a collection of 11 original children's mental health services research articles, broadly organized in accordance with three themes (i.e., Improving Precision and
Race-based Bullying Victimization and Adjustment Difficulties: Racial-Ethnic Differences in the Protective Role of School Equity
International Journal of Bullying Prevention
Peer Victimization and Mental Health Problems: Racial-Ethnic Differences in the Buffering Role of Academic Performance
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Despite research highlighting the importance of academic performance in reducing youth's bull... more Despite research highlighting the importance of academic performance in reducing youth's bullying involvement, little attention has focused on its role in moderating the association between peer victimization and youth maladjustment, further, there have been even fewer studies examining potential racial-ethnic differences in the association. This cross-sectional study examined the function of academic performance, as a moderator, in the associations between peer victimization and youth mental health problems (i.e., internalizing, externalizing, and substance use problems) and whether and how this function varied by the youth's racial-ethnic background. Self-report data were collected from 69,244 middle and high school youth (45.96% were middle schoolers; 49.7% were females; 25.72% were Black and African American youth, 9.64% Latinx American youth, 5.95% Asian American youth, and 10.47% Bi- and Multi-racial youth, and 48.22% White American youth). Multi-level models indicated that academic performance was negatively related to internalizing problems and substance use more strongly in victimized youth than in non-victimized youth, suggesting itself as a buffering factor. Moreover, this buffering function of academic performance in victimized youth was more pronounced in some ethnic groups (i.e., Asian American) than in others (i.e., Black and Latinx American), yet, notably, it was a buffer across all ethnic groups. These findings underscore the importance of academic strength in protecting victimized youth of all ethnicities against mental health difficulties, while recognizing that additional foci on improving academic performance and addressing academic-related norms are needed for racial-ethnic minority subgroups.
School climate and bullying bystander responses in middle and high school
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 2022
Bullying bystanders' reactions are important for either stopping or perpetuating bullying beh... more Bullying bystanders' reactions are important for either stopping or perpetuating bullying behaviors. Given school-based bullying programs' focus on bystanders, understanding the associations between school-level factors and individual bystander responses can improve intervention efficacy. Data from 64,670 adolescents were used to examine bullying bystander responses as a function of 13 school-climate dimensions within 3 main factors (Engagement, Environment, Safety) and individual-level factors (e.g., race/ethnicity, perceptions of student-teacher connectedness). Multi-level models showed schools with better Engagement and Safety had higher odds of defender behaviors, a better Environment was associated with lower odds of passive and assisting behaviors. Differences also varied by individual-level factors. For example, an aggressive climate was associated with passive behaviors more strongly in boys and high schoolers. Further, higher perceived parent-teacher and student-teacher connectedness were associated with positive bystander behaviors, and this was stronger for Black and Latinx youth, highlighting the importance of improving relationships as a crucial starting point.
Behavior Problems Effects of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports on Child
The New Frontier: Leveraging Innovative Technologies to Prevent Bullying
The Cambridge Handbook of Violent Behavior and Aggression
Anti‐Bullying Programs in the USA and Canada
The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Bullying, 2021
The role of bullying-related policies: Understanding how school staff respond to bullying situations
European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 2021
ABSTRACT This study examined school staff reported behavioural responses to bullying, general lik... more ABSTRACT This study examined school staff reported behavioural responses to bullying, general likelihood of intervening and perceived self-efficacy for intervening with student bullying. We explored if the existence of school bullying-related policies and/or policy trainings was associated with the ways in which school staff responded to bullying. Data came from 8,668 school staff from 156 elementary, middle and high schools in the U.S. Results suggested that while the existence of anti-bullying policies was an important contributor to increased staff self-efficacy for intervening with bullying, it was not associated with self-reports of increased responses to bullying. However, being trained on their schools’ anti-bullying policy was associated with higher odds of intervening with the involved students, discussing the incident with other school staff (e.g., administrators, counsellors), and referring the students involved to the school counsellor/psychologist. Moreover, there were clear role and grade level differences in staff responses, such as being less likely to respond to bullying in high school, as compared to middle and elementary school. The results suggested that the existence of a school policy is not likely sufficient to shift behaviour. Additional training and professional development are necessary across all school staff, especially in upper grades.
Parental responses to bullying: Understanding the role of school policies and practices
Journal of Educational Psychology, 2019
Research, theory, and practice suggest an important role for parents in supporting their children... more Research, theory, and practice suggest an important role for parents in supporting their children when exposed to violence and helping them cope with victimization experiences. Despite this little is known about how parents respond to bullying and the factors that influence their response. Using data from 1,117 parents who reported that their middle or high schooler had been bullied in the past 30 days, this article identified different patterns of responses as well as examined the influence of perceptions of school climate, school policies and training, and school structural characteristics on their responses. A latent class analysis identified 3 different patterns of parental responses including Only Talk (72%), Contact School (23%), and Handle Themselves (5%). Parents who perceived the school to have more effective school rules were less likely to be in the class of parents who contacted the school versus the only talking class; however, school staff training was associated with a greater likelihood of parents being in the contact the school class versus the only talking class. Perceptions of equity were also related to an increased likelihood of being in the contact the school class versus the handle themselves class. These findings suggest that parents’ behaviors in response to bullying may be related to their perceptions of the school and school actions around bullying. Efforts to promote a collaborative approach to bullying between school and home should focus on communicating this expectation, potentially addressing parents’ perceptions of equitable treatment for all students.
Measuring School Climate: Invariance across Middle and High School Students
Children & Schools, 2019
Positive school climate has been consistently associated with many desirable student outcomes in ... more Positive school climate has been consistently associated with many desirable student outcomes in both middle and high schools. However, there has been little work comparing the perceptions across these two school settings. The U.S. Department of Education conceptualized a three-factor model for school climate consisting of safety, engagement, and environment. Drawing on data from 29,720 middle and 34,950 high school students, the fit of the three-factor model was examined for measurement invariance, to explore whether the measure functioned similarly across both middle and high schools. The results indicated measurement invariance, which suggests that practitioners and researchers can confidently compare findings across middle and high schools to inform local decision making related to school-based programming. A series of multilevel analyses also explored the extent to which perceptions of school climate differed for middle and high school students; these results generally indicate...
Journal of Child and Family Studies, 2018
Rates of victimization and bullying perpetration may vary by adolescents' health status. The purp... more Rates of victimization and bullying perpetration may vary by adolescents' health status. The purpose of this study was to examine risk for bullying and victimization while considering multiple health conditions and health-related behaviors. Selfreported data were collected from 64,670 youth (50.3% female; 48.8% White; 25.7% Black/African American) enrolled at 107 middle and high schools across the state of Maryland. Two-level logistic regressions examined the association between health conditions and other health-related behaviors (i.e., physical activity, asthma, healthy eating, sleep troubles, obesity, and being overweight) and bullying. Results indicated that obese youth had higher odds of being a victim or bully-victim. Youth with asthma were more likely to be victimized, both in-person and online, and were more likely to be cyberbullyvictims. Sleep difficulties were consistently associated with involvement in bullying, having higher odds of being a victim or bully-victim in-person and online as well as higher odds of perpetration of bullying. In contrast, healthy food consumption was associated with significantly lower odds of bullying perpetration, and physical activity was associated with significantly lower odds of being a bully-victim. Taken together, the findings suggest that various conditions and health-related behaviors may be important risk factors for both bullying victimization and perpetration.
International Journal of Bullying Prevention, 2019
Although bullying is increasingly researched in the USA, there remains a limited study of bullyin... more Although bullying is increasingly researched in the USA, there remains a limited study of bullying among Mexican youth. To address this gap, the present study compared bullying dynamics across the two countries, with a specific focus on Latinx youth in the US and Mexican youth. Data come from a large school-based survey of 3030 US self-identified as Latinx/Hispanic and 2211 Mexican adolescents. The survey utilized the US-derived term Bbullying^for the definition-based questions with the definitions and behaviors translated into the local Mexican Spanish dialect. Logistic regression results indicated that the prevalence of youth who bully is similar; however, more Mexican youth reported being a victim while more US Latinx youth reported witnessing bullying. US Latinx youths' responses to bullying reflect behaviors emphasized in bullying prevention programs whereas Mexican youth reported more retaliatory responses. This study informs our understanding of similarities and differences in bullying dynamics across contexts, which is critical to informing intervention development and adaptation to target locally relevant bullying behaviors. Keywords Bullying. Bystander response. Cultural comparison. Victimization Bullying is a form of peer aggression in which a person is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons-typically in situations where there is a power or status difference between the victim and the perpetrator (Gladden et al. 2014; Olweus 1993). In addition to physically aggressive acts, bullying includes actions such as threatening, teasing, name calling, ignoring,
School Psychology Review, 2018
Latent class analysis was used to examine whether patterns of bystander responses varied as a fun... more Latent class analysis was used to examine whether patterns of bystander responses varied as a function of both student-and school-level characteristics. Data from 18,863 high school students from 58 schools who "ever witnessed bullying" were used to identify five latent classes of bystander behavior. Three of the classes identified paralleled commonly used researcher-identified categories (Passive = 9.7%, Defender = 20.4%, and Contributor = 3.4%), whereas we also identified two patterns of bystander responses that had not been previously characterized (Limited = 64.8% and Inconsistent = 1.7%). Multilevel logistic regression models were then used to examine student-and school-level characteristics that differentiate those in the defender class from other bystander classes. Youth in the defender class were more likely to believe that other students intervene with bullying, and they felt a greater connection with school staff as compared to youth in all other bystander classes. Further, gender, normative beliefs about retaliation, and bullying involvement were associated with class membership. Findings indicated that defending bystander responses are relatively low and suggested that school-level contextual factors, youth perceptions of others' bystander behavior, and bullying involvement all inform our understanding of adolescent bystander behavior.
Obese and overweight youth: Risk for experiencing bullying victimization and internalizing symptoms
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 2018
Obese and overweight youth are at an increased risk for poor peer relations and psychosocial adju... more Obese and overweight youth are at an increased risk for poor peer relations and psychosocial adjustment. Of particular concern is the high rate of bullying victimization experienced by obese and overweight youth. While it is known that victimized youth are at an increased risk for internalizing symptoms, few studies have examined if weight status exacerbates the association between victimization and internalizing symptoms. The current study drew upon data from over 43,000 youth attending 107 middle and high schools. Multilevel results suggested that compared with normal weight youth, both overweight and obese youth were at an increased risk for experiencing relational, verbal, and cyber victimization, with only obese youth being at an increased risk for experiencing physical victimization. Notably, the odds for experiencing cyber victimization were higher than the odds for experiencing other forms of victimization. Frequently victimized obese youth, but not frequently victimized overweight youth, had significantly higher levels of internalizing symptoms compared to their frequently victimized, normal-weight peers. Together, these findings highlight the increased risk for psychosocial adjustment problems among frequently victimized overweight and obese youth, suggesting these youth may require preventive interventions tailored to meet their unique needs.
Adult and student interactions in nonclassroom settings
Journal of Educational Psychology, 2019
As students transition into adolescence they are often permitted greater independence in nonclass... more As students transition into adolescence they are often permitted greater independence in nonclassroom settings within schools and thus the opportunities for problem behaviors increase. However, nonclassroom settings can also provide an opportunity for students and school staff to engage in informal yet positive interactions. This paper aimed to identify potential predictors of observed student behaviors in nonclassroom settings in high schools, such as characteristics of the settings (e.g., location) and observed adult behaviors. Hierarchical analyses were conducted on observational data (N = 917) collected in nonclassroom settings (i.e., arrival/departure, hallway/stairway, and cafeteria) in 58 high schools. Fewer negative student behaviors and increased positive student behaviors were observed when adults actively connected with students. Furthermore, the frequency of negative student behaviors varied by location, time of year, and time of day. This study contributes to prior literature through the focus on nonclassroom settings, examination of adult as well as student behavior, and the use of observational methodology in high schools. Implications for schools seeking to reduce problem behaviors and improve school climate in nonclassroom settings are discussed.
International Journal of Bullying Prevention, 2018
Teachers play a critical role in bullying prevention but often struggle to identify bullying and ... more Teachers play a critical role in bullying prevention but often struggle to identify bullying and intervene effectively, particularly in real time and in the classroom. The coaching literature suggests that ongoing, tailored supports are often needed to promote changes in teacher practices. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of an adapted version of the Classroom CheckUp (CCU) coaching model, which utilized mixed reality simulation to allow teachers to practice addressing the detection of, prevention of, and responding to bullying in the classroom. The sample included 78 teachers within 5 middle schools, randomized to either receive coaching or serve as a comparison teacher. Teachers provided survey data regarding their perceptions about the occurrence of bullying and how they respond to bullying. Classroom observations of teacher preventive and responding practices as well as student aggression were conducted by trained observers. Regression analyses examining differences between intervention and comparison teachers, following coaching provided during one school year, indicated that intervention teachers were more likely to report responding to bullies with referrals to counselors and other staff, to intervene with the victims and perpetrators, and report that they do not perceive adults at their school do enough to address bullying in schools. Survey data regarding detection approached significance; however, observational data regarding preventive practices and responding showed no differences. Together with prior research findings showing that the intervention was acceptable and feasible, these results demonstrate the promise of this preventive intervention for increasing teachers' responding to and detection of bullying in classrooms.
Journal of Adolescent Health, 2018
Target hardening, or increasing the use of security measures, is a frequently used response to pe... more Target hardening, or increasing the use of security measures, is a frequently used response to perceived safety concerns in schools. Studies are mixed as to their effectiveness on students' perceptions of safety and little is known about their influence on other aspects of school climate, particularly for minority students. This study will examine the association between observed security measures in secondary schools and students' perceptions of safety, equity, and support. Methods: School climate surveys were completed by 54,350 students from 98 middle and high schools across the state of Maryland beginning in Spring 2014. Concurrent observations of the school physical environment, including security measures (i.e., officers and cameras), were conducted by trained outside assessors. Multilevel regression analyses examined the association between school security officers and cameras and students' perceptions of safety, equity, and support, while controlling for school and neighborhood characteristics. Cross-level interactions explored differential effects of security measures for Black students. Results: Greater use of security cameras inside the school was related to lower perceptions of safety, equity, and support. A moderate level of security camera use outside the school was related to higher student perceptions of support. Security officer presence was associated with higher perceptions of safety. For black students, cameras were associated with elevated perceptions of safety and support relative to white students. Conclusions: Our findings may suggest that outside cameras and security may be perceived by students as safekeeping, whereas inside cameras may evoke feelings of being viewed as potential perpetrators who need surveillance.
Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 2017
School climate is an important construct for guiding violence prevention efforts in U.S. schools,... more School climate is an important construct for guiding violence prevention efforts in U.S. schools, but there has been less consideration of this concept in its neighboring country Mexico, which has a higher prevalence of violence. The U.S. Department of Education outlined a three-domain conceptualization of school climate (i.e., safe and supportive schools model) that includes engagement, safety, and the school environment. To examine the applicability of this school climate model in Mexico, the present study tested its measurement invariance across middle school students in the United States ( n = 15,099) and Mexico ( n = 2,211). Findings supported full invariance for engagement and modified-safety scales indicating that factor loadings and intercepts contributed almost equally to factor means, and scale scores were comparable across groups. Partial invariance was found for the environment scales. Results of a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) consisting of all 13 scho...
Psychology of Violence, 2017
This study explored how observed features of the school physical and social environment relate to... more This study explored how observed features of the school physical and social environment relate to students' perceptions of school climate and how these in turn were associated with students' involvement in violence. Method: Observational assessments were conducted of the environments (i.e., disorder, illumination, adult monitoring, proactive behavioral management, and negative student behaviors) of 58 high schools using a validated assessment (the School Assessment for Environmental Typology). Student perceptions of school climate (i.e., delinquency, rules and consequences, and physical comfort) as well as their perpetration of violence were collected from 28,592 adolescents in these same schools in the corresponding Spring. Multilevel structural equation models were used to test for indirect effects. Results: A good fit was found for all models. No direct effects of environmental observations on violence involvement were identified. However, significant indirect effects on violence were found, specifically for illumination through perceptions of disorder (estimate ϭ Ϫ.01, p ϭ .05), illumination through perceptions of rules and consequences (estimate ϭ Ϫ.01, p ϭ .03), and negative student behaviors through perceptions of rules and consequences (estimate ϭ Ϫ.01, p ϭ .01). Conclusion: Changes to the school environment may be associated with reduced violence involvement, but only insofar as they alter student perceptions of the environment.
Parenting in the digital age: urban black youth's perceptions about technology-based communication with parents
Journal of Family Studies, 2015
ABSTRACT Given the high rates of cell phone and Internet usage among youth, technology is a promi... more ABSTRACT Given the high rates of cell phone and Internet usage among youth, technology is a promising method for improved parent–youth communication. However, little is known about how parents can effectively engage in technology-based communication with youth, particularly low-income urban minority youth. Eight focus groups with 82 low-income urban black youth (aged 14 to 22 years) provided information about perceptions of technology-based communication with parents. Youth in the focus groups reported that they preferred to use text messaging with their parents, as it afforded them control over the frequency and type of communication. Youth shared concerns about excessive/intrusive parental use of technology and invasions of privacy, suggesting potential barriers to effective technology-based parent–youth communication. The findings from this qualitative study indicate that using text messages with youth and setting guidelines for technology-based communication may enhance parent–youth communication while also respecting youth's increasing autonomy.
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Papers by Catherine Bradshaw