The Bullying Prevention Plan: An Approach to Youth who Bully Others

Background: Bullying among adolescents has increasingly been recognized as a highly prevalent problem that has long lasting consequences for both bullies and victims. Numerous school-wide interventions have been developed but there is a need for interventions that can be implemented by clinicians working with individual clients and patients who bully others. Methods: This manuscript describes a safety plan for youth who bully others which aims to prevent future bullying/ cyberbullying behavior. The ultimate goal of the Bullying Prevention Plan (BPP) is to stop bullying before it starts. Results: The (BPP) is a written plan of action created by the clinician and the youth involved in bullying that essentially charts the course of what the youth should do if he/she begins to experience bullying urges or even starts to bully others. The plan includes hierarchical steps including the identification of warning signs for bullying behavior, use of internal coping strategies, use of external coping strategies, involvement of an adult or professional provider etc. The plan should be periodically reviewed, discussed and possibly revised by the clinician and youth. It is recommended that the youth learn new skills and therefore the bullying prevention plan should be expanded. Conclusions: The bullying prevention plan offers a promising intervention that is directed toward youth who engage in bullying behaviors. Further research should study its efficacy in a systematic way.