Bullying and Peer Victimization (Advances in Psychotherapy: Evidence-Based Practice, 47)

There has been an explosion of media attention on youth bullying and peer victimization over the last decade, with cyberbullying becoming more prevalent through the use of social media. While any bullying has serious negative physical and mental health effects which can lead the bullied individual to great despair and even suicide, there are also negative outcomes for the bullies themselves. This volume, written by leading experts, provides clinicians with clear guidance on how to assess and treat this complex behavior. In this evidence-based guide, practitioners learn about bullying, its prevalence, how cyberbullying differs from in-person bullying, what models are available for understanding how bullying occurs, and the best tools and approaches for assessment of these behaviors. The reader is guided through the most effective school-based prevention programs that aim to reduce bullying, and a clinical vignette gives hands-on insight into how a bullying case in a school is managed. Additional resources are provided in an appendix. This book is ideal for educational psychologists, child psychologists, and anyone working with children and adolescents who is committed to helping those being bullied.

Amie E. Grills, PhD, is a professor at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and researcher whose work has examined the roles of peer (e.g., bullying), familial (e.g., parental stress), and academic (e.g., achievement) variables on the development of youth internalizing difficulties. She also conducts research on risk and resiliency factors among individuals exposed to traumatic events.

Melissa Holt, PhD, is an associate professor at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, and a licensed psychologist. Dr. Holt’s research focuses on adolescents’ experiences with victimization and identity-based harassment. She has evaluated the overlap among violence exposures, factors that promote resilience among youth exposed to violence, disparities in victimization and its correlates, and the efficacy of school-based prevention programs.

Gerald Reid, PhD, is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Boston, MA, as well as a parttime faculty member at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education. Dr. Reid has conducted research on the topic of bullying in schools. In his practice, Dr. Reid treats patients who have undergone mental health challenges related to interpersonal stressors, such as bullying.

Chelsey Bowman, PhD, is a postdoctoral psychology fellow at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. Dr. Bowman’s research interests include understanding the impact of a range of victimization forms, including bullying, on the health and wellbeing of youth and college students. Clinically, Dr. Bowman provides evidence-based treatments to youth and their families for chronic and acute medical and psychiatric conditions.