"If a child is bullied at home by his or her parents or siblings, they’re going to learn the patterns they need to learn about the use of power and aggression in relationships," says Debra Pepler [Distinguished Research Professor in psychology at 91��ɫ’s LaMarsh Centre for Child & Youth Research].

These "children who are morally disengaged tend to think that the other child is just deserving of it, that they’re not human. They really disregard that child’s basic rights."

Pepler, who works at 91��ɫ [Faculty of Health] and the in Toronto, co-founded the Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network.

She says that for most kids, bullying or being bullied are minor problems that pass with time. But 10 to 15 per cent require extra support, and chronic bullies need help from mental health experts.

Pepler found that "85 per cent of the time, we saw bullying in the schoolyard or in the classroom, other children are there, and they form the audience for bullying and they reinforce the child who is bullying."

Her findings show that chronic bullies are more likely to skip school, abuse substances, sexually harass others, use violence in romantic relationships and eventually get into crime.

"They don’t have that voice inside that says, ‘Is this a good idea, should I do this?’ They’re really willing to go along to keep their friends, to keep their status, and do all sorts of negative things when they’re exposed to peer pressure. If we wanted to identify and help those children who are going to cost society the most in terms of criminal behaviour . . . we would be looking at the children who are involved in high rates of bullying."

These kids "probably need mental health services, (and) they and their families need a lot of support around how to develop the social-emotional capacity for healthy relationships." Schools need to keep track of every occurrence of bullying and focus their resources on the chronic bullies, she says.

Combating the stigma against reporting bullying to adults requires re-educating both children and adults, Pepler says.

"Children have a responsibility to tell when it’s happening, either to (teachers) or to someone else, because it violates a child’s rights, to be bullied. A child who is bullied isn’t safe, and similarly a child who bullies others is really in need of help."

This approach also helps combat cyberbullying because "the children who are cyberbullying are the children who traditionally bully," Pepler says.

She says teaching math and literacy is different from teaching kids how to interact positively. "Two plus two always equals four, and Cat on the Mat always looks the same, but social-emotional development is hugely complex," she says.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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One of them was an article co-authored by members of 91��ɫ’s LaMarsh Centre for Child & Youth Research, psychology Professor Jennifer Connolly and Distinguished Research Professor Debra Pepler in the Faculty of Health, along with Professor Wendy Craig (MA ’89, PhD ’93) of Queen’s University and Adele Goldberg (MA ’91, PhD ’10).

Left: Debra Pepler

The article, “”, is available in a virtual Special Issue: Decade in Review published this month and representing the best of the Journal of Research on Adolescence in celebration of its 20th anniversary.

The Society for Research on Adolescence and the journal's editorial team say the 10 articles embody “the exemplary quality of scholarship upon which the journal has solidified its reputation as a leading publication in the field of adolescent research.”

“Mixed-Gender Groups, Dating, and Romantic Relationships in Early Adolescence”, first published in the journal’s May 2004 issue, details a study on the dating-stage and developmental-contextual models of romantic relationships during early adolescence.

Right: Jennifer Connolly

The study looked at same-gender friendships, affiliation with mixed-gender groups, dating and romantic relationships in a sample of 1,284 young adolescents of diverse ethnocultural backgrounds. Data was collected cross-sectionally in Grades 5 through 8, as well as longitudinally in the fall and spring of an academic year.

For more information, visit the website.

Republished courtesy of YFile – 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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It’s not that concerned educators are “out to get” best friends. But they are trying to nudge close pals apart a little bit, so that they don’t become too insular. Twosomes can turn into threesomes, and such cliques are often behind bullying. “When three or four kids get together, they can decide someone is not good enough to join their group. They can ramp each other up to do worse and worse things,” says Debra Pepler, a psychology professor in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Health, who is an expert on bullying and helps to run , a bullying information website.

. . .

Just as adult relationships aren’t always healthy or turn sour over time, kids can also get wrapped up in negative dynamics. Pepler says some close friends actually bully each other: they know each other’s secrets and can make a pal upset with a few choice words – whether about chubby ankles, a crappy slapshot or that time he wet his pants last year.

Pepler is a core member of the LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence & Conflict Resolution.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer.

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The radio series, and its companion , features commentary from Professor Debra Pepler. Pepler is distinguished professor in the Faculty of Health's Department of Psychology, senior associate scientist at the , and a member of 91��ɫ's LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution.

Pepler is an expert on bullying behaviour among teens and children; Part 1 of the radio series sites groundbreaking research she conducted with Professor Wendy Craig of Queen's University into children's bullying activity on schoolyards. Craig and Pepler currently co-lead (Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network), which provides anti-bullying resources for educators, parents and children.

Part 3 airs on January 21, 2011 at 9 pm on CBC Radio 1. Parts 1 and 2 are currently available for download on the . A connected to both the audio and film documentaries is also available with additional resources.

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Stages of Change training will involve the participation of some 21 community agencies Jan. 24, 27 and 28 at 91��ɫ as part of the Toronto Youth Outreach Worker (YOW) program, which is based on a positive youth development perspective. The training will be held at 91��ɫ’s LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence & Conflict Resolution.

Right: Gregory Knoll

Trainees will explore the connection between theory and current best practices supported by an integration of developmental and contextual theories – the stages of change and encounter. Outreach workers will explore how to apply these models of change in their work with marginalized youth, while the supervisors will incorporate stage-based theories into a model of supervision.

The goal is to incorporate theory and evaluation components into the YOW program design to increase the effectiveness of the intervention, while generating a standardized reporting protocol to guide outreach activities.

“Feedback from youth outreach workers and supervisors in past training sessions has highlighted the relevance and effectiveness of the training. Youth outreach represents a contemporary, proactive approach to working with marginalized youth, one which LaMarsh Centre and the YOW program are now pioneering,” says Knoll. “Youths are made aware of positive opportunities, alternatives and choices through the YOW program. This can only result in more positives for society.”

Left: Debra Pepler

The YOW program is one of several place-based interventions supported by the in Ontario. It was created to prevent and intervene in anti-social or violent behaviour among youth and to promote the development of skills, engagement and civic participation, including that of community/peer leadership.

The Stages of Change training will be a replication of the pilot project that was conducted in East Toronto through east Metro Youth Services in 2010. Through the processes of knowledge translation between researchers and community practitioners, the Stages of Change training and accompanying reporting protocol emerged based on the particular needs of the YOW program.

The research evaluation component will examine the data collected by YOW participants for one year following the training. If it supports the effectiveness of integrating a theoretical framework into the YOW program design, the model could be introduced in other high-needs communities and over time could become a model approach to engaging marginalized youth.

Widespread adoption of an evidence-based approach to training outreach workers and engaging marginalized youth would ensure that young people receive the necessary supports and services, reducing their risk for later criminal and/or mental health difficulties.

For more information, contact Gregory Knoll at gknoll@yorku.ca or 416-526-6522.

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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91��ɫ Distinguished Research Professor in psychology, Debra Pepler, a co-director and member of 91��ɫ’s , said people don’t understand the level of the problem. “Canadians see ourselves as nice...(but) our children are not doing well.”

Crucial to preventing youth bullying and violence is for parents and other adults to show and teach healthy relationships, said Pepler. “Parents need to help kids think critically about their behaviour and how to treat people respectfully.”

If Canadian children are to do well despite all the media and societal exposure to violence and aggression, then they require a lot of guidance and exemplary behaviour from adults, she added. “What children observe is far more important than what they’re rewarded and punished for. We need to be much more mindful of what we teach them through our own behaviour as we get excited over hockey and ultimate fight clubs when they hear us say ‘kill them’.”

Pepler is also a member of the LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution at 91��ɫ. The complete article is .

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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The 91��ɫ Circle is an ongoing program that offers curious people like Pitt an opportunity to experience university lectures first-hand. It was created for parents and family of 91��ɫ students, alumni, neighbours and friends who want to hear leading 91��ɫ faculty explore their ideas and research.

Right: The 91��ɫ Circle offers an opportunity for non-students to hear lectures by 91��ɫ faculty

Pitt is among more than 500 people who have joined the 91��ɫ Circle since it began last October and says that she appreciates the opportunity to experience University life because she was never able to realize her own dream of attending university. "When I was growing up in Britain, the country was just coming out of the Second World War," she says. "The soldiers lucky enough to survive were offered priority spots in university programs. There were very few spots left for everyone else. I was not able to attend university and instead studied to become a children's nurse. This program offers a great chance for me to experience university."

Coordinated by 91��ɫ President Emerita Lorna Marsden and Cynthia Bettcher, special adviser to Jennifer Sloan, vice-president of university relations, with help from 91��ɫ's Alumni Office and print media sponsors and 91��ɫ Region Media Group, the 91��ɫ Circle embodies the spirit, energy and intellectual excellence of the University’s 50th anniversary, which was celebrated in 2009.

Left: 91��ɫ alumnus and 91��ɫ Circle member Bart Zemanek (BA Spec. Hons. ’07, MSc ’10) with Lorna Marsden

For Marsden, the 91��ɫ Circle offers a wonderful opportunity to transport the magic of 91��ɫ's talented faculty into the University's affiliated communities. “The 91��ɫ Circle comes from the goal of making our really marvelous faculty members better known through their ideas and work, and helps the community to better understand the University,” says Marsden. “The 91��ɫ Circle offers serious talks for lay people who don’t have the opportunity to attend lectures.”

The circle offers a cross-section of 91��ɫ’s leading professors and researchers presenting talks on topics that are current and engaging. Twice a year, the circle’s membership gathers on 91��ɫ’s Keele campus for a full day of lectures and a complimentary locally sourced (locavore) lunch. The inaugural event took place last fall. On May 1, the 91��ɫ Circle returned, bringing more than 150 members back to the Keele campus.

Right: There is no generation gap here. 91��ɫ Circle member Irina Shoikhedbrod brought her son, 91��ɫ political science master's student Igor Shoikhedbrod, to the May 1 event

The October launch event featured lectures by Faculty of Health Dean Harvey Skinner, astronomy Professor Paul Delaney and theatre Professor Phillip Silver.

The May 1 event repeated the format established by the inaugural event and offered lectures by four 91��ɫ faculty. The morning sessions featured presentations by film Professor Seth Feldman, director of the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies, and psychology Professor Debra Pepler, member of the LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence & Conflict Resolution. Feldman talked about his experience working for a year on a documentary about Charles Darwin and about why Darwin matters and how the noted scientist means different things to different people. Pepler spoke about how the patterns of power and aggression established in playground bullying move on to become sexual harassment and dating violence in adolescence and workplace harassment in adulthood.

Left: Professor Seth Feldman talks about his research and experience making a documentary on Charles Darwin

Following lunch, the 91��ɫ Circle members listened to talks by Osgoode Hall Law School Professor Allan Hutchinson and Schulich School of Business Professor Bernard Wolf. Hutchinson delivered an energetic lecture about some of the great cases that shaped the legal world. Wolf talked about the aftermath of the most recent economic crisis, the resulting ballooning national debts and the implications of the economic health of the United States, Greece and Spain on the global community.

Videos of each of the presentations are available on the 91��ɫ Circle Web site.

The response to the 91��ɫ Circle events have been heartwarming, says Bettcher. “Seventy-two per cent of those who attended the May 1 event completed a survey about their 91��ɫ Circle experience," she says. "Of those, more than 99 per cent indicated that they were very satisfied with the day. What we found so significant about the responses was that everyone said they would attend another 91��ɫ Circle event.

"One of the biggest requests we got following the first 91��ɫ Circle event, which took place last October, was for the recipe for the spicy pumpkin soup that was served at the locavore lunch,” laughs Bettcher. She and Marsden immediately got to work tracking down the recipe (right) and arranged to have it modified for smaller, family-sized portions. The soup, says Bettcher, was created for the 91��ɫ Circle lunch by the chefs working at the Underground restaurant on 91��ɫ’s Keele campus.

What's next on the agenda for this legacy jewel? Bettcher says the next event is Raise Your Space IQ, which will take place on Saturday, July 17, from 9 to 11pm. During this event, 91��ɫ astronomy Professor Paul Delaney (who delivered a presentation at the inaugural 91��ɫ Circle event) will lead participants through a tour of the night sky. The 50 91��ɫ Circle members who were first to sign up for the event will have an opportunity to look through the University's telescopes and listen to Delaney and astronomy students talk about the wonders of the universe.

Coming this fall, 91��ɫ Circle members will be able to to a new series of concerts and events brought to 91��ɫ from venues around the world through a new partnership between the 91��ɫ Circle and DigiScreen. In a departure from other 91��ɫ Circle events, the Prestigious Performances have been thrown open to everyone, including 91��ɫ students and faculty. The Prestigious Performances Series will be brought to the big screen in the Price Family Cinema by DigiScreen through the company's alliance with Opus Arte and the Royal Opera House of London.

The Prestigious Performance Series will offer world-class concerts, theatre, opera and ballet, presented in high definition format, from venues such as Covent Garden in London, the Palais Garnier in Paris, Teatro Real in Madrid, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London and the Lincoln Center in New 91��ɫ City. 91��ɫ professors will moderate each performance.

The series will be presented on Sunday afternoons starting at 2pm, with the first presentation on Sept. 26 showcasing a performance of As You Like It by William Shakespeare, from the Globe Theatre with an enlivening commentary by theatre Professor Mark Wilson, associate dean in 91��ɫ's Faculty of Fine Arts.

Other performances include a concert featuring the music of the late jazz icon Ray Charles with commentary by 91��ɫ music Professor Ronald Westray and a presentation of Puccini's opera La Bohème. For more on these performances, visit the 91��ɫ Circle Web site.

Left: 91��ɫ Circle member Elizabeth Pitt

The membership will also be returning to the Keele campus on Oct. 30 for another full-day lecture and lunch presentation. Details of this event will be made available early in June on the 91��ɫ Circle Web site.

"I can hardly wait," says an enthused Pitt. "My calendar for the fall is looking wonderful."

By Jenny Pitt-Clark, YFile editor and eldest daughter of Elizabeth Pitt.

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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Why does this inaction surprise and shock us? After all, it happens to about 10 per cent of children every day at school. About 30 per cent of students are involved as witnesses or as fellow aggressors. Peers, teachers and other adults rarely intervene to help a child who is being victimized – they either fail to recognize the problem or they turn a blind eye.

For Yusuf Hizel, the poor man on the subway, this was a terrible, random act. For children who are bullied at school, it is sanctioned violence. They know who is going to bully them, when it is going to happen and where it is going to happen. They experience the equivalent of a mugging every day.

Bullying is a significant social problem. More than 1,100,000 school-aged Canadian children are victimized by bullying at least once a week, and more than 550,000 school-aged children report bullying others at least once a week. Bullying isn’t a normal or expected part of childhood. It is a hurtful and aggressive act with lasting consequences.

Being bullied can lead to physical and mental health problems – and in extreme cases, suicide. At its core, bullying is a relationship problem. It is about an imbalance of power with repeated aggression, with harm as its intent. It takes many forms – social, verbal, physical, cyber. This is not a rite of passage.

Pepler's research has changed the way we think about bullying, aggression and other forms of violence, especially among marginalized and alienated young people. She has has edited four volumes in the past four years on understanding and addressing children’s aggression, bullying, and victimization. Pepler is a member of the LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution and , a Web site that provides bullying resources for children, educators and parents.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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