How Opioids Work and What They do to Teenagers

We used this space to educate and inform community leaders, parents, and teenagers about how drugs affect teenage bodies. We’ve done the same for alcohol, as well. Now we want to break out and specifically discuss the greatest drug threat in America today: Opioids.

You’ve most likely heard about opioids in the news, and sadly many of you probably know someone who has dealt with the devastating effects in America’s ongoing battle against opioid addiction and abuse.

In 2012, there were 467,000 people in the United States addicted to heroin, a powerful street opioid, yet in the same year, more than 2 million Americans were abusing opioid painkillers.[1]

This tracks with the general trend in the United States, writ large, as 2017 saw a 10% increase in overall drug overdose deaths, as more than 70,000 Americans died in from a drug-related overdose that year.[2]

Unfortunately, the trend line for opioid use among teenagers — as well as the mortality rate — is only getting worse. In a 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers found, “Over 18 years, nearly 9,000 children and adolescents died from opioid poisonings, and the mortality rate increased nearly 3-fold.”[3]

Understanding Why Teens Use Drugs

Before we dive into what happens to teenagers when they use opioids, we first must understand why teens might reach for drugs in the first place.

Our teenage years are challenging in many ways, both physically and mentally. The rapid ascent toward adulthood is in constant combat with the whims of youth, which often leads to poor decision making.

This internal battle often leads to teenagers looking for an escape from the pressures they face. Sometimes this escape is entirely innocent, like a book or a movie. Other times, however, it can lead to drug use.

As for why this happens, we can thank biology for the rate at which our brains develop. According to the Partnership for Drug Free Kids, “The part of the brain that controls reasoning and impulses — known as the prefrontal cortex — is near the front of the brain and, therefore, develops last. This part of the brain does not fully mature until the age of 25.”[4]

Parents and mentors need to understand why teenagers are susceptible to falling into drug use. Staying active in their lives by asking questions about their thoughts and feelings keeps teenagers engaged and less likely to seek refuge in illicit drugs, while simultaneously keeping parents and mentors involved, as well.

Why are Opioids so Addictive?

The science behind opioids —prescription painkillers, heroin, fentanyl — is a large reason why we’re facing an epidemic of abuse and addiction in America. These drugs are powerful, and they impact the brain in ways it wants us to replicate, which necessitates an increased dosage.

Opioids attach to pain receptors on nerve cells in your brain and your body, essentially turning them off for a period of time. This is why they were first invented, as a way of managing severe pain from injury or a medical procedure.

“Opioids can make your brain and body believe the drug is necessary for survival,” according to the American Association of Anesthesiologists. “As you learn to tolerate the dose you’ve been prescribed, you may find that you need even more medication to relieve the pain — sometimes resulting in addiction.”[5]

When you no longer trip those impulses in the brain, the brain, and the body take over and push you back toward the opioid, leading to addiction.

The Impact of Opioid Addiction on Teenagers

Once addicted, overuse of opioids — legal or illicit — begin to break our bodies down. Infections in the heart lining can occur, while respiratory depression can lead to slowed breathing, which is potentially fatal.[6]

Abusing opiates can also weaken your immune system, leading to a greater chance of falling ill to viruses your body would otherwise be able to ward off.[7]

Talk to Your Teenagers and Look Out for Signs of Drug use

Parents and mentors of teenagers need to understand the signs of opioid and other drug use as well as how prevalent their use may be within the community writ large. Because of the risk factors that go along with drug use, any type of drug can be harmful to the body, whether it is misuse of prescribed medications or illicit substances.

Pride Surveys developed its Risk and Protective Factor (RPF) student perception survey, a hybrid version of the Communities That Care (CTC) Youth Survey and the Pride Questionnaire for Grades 6 to 12 to measure the risk factors that show the strongest correlation to drug use. It contains the Core Measures required by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for their Drug-Free Communities Grant that went into effect February 2013 and asks about incidences of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use plus perceptions of availability and disapproval of use from parents and friends.

The benefit of choosing a survey company is that we take the guesswork out of the surveying process to ask the difficult questions. For more than thirty years, Pride Surveys has been helping schools collect data on teen substance abuse perceptions and drug use trends in their communities through scalable survey products. We offer multiple drug-free community survey options as well as student risk perception surveys designed to help assess teen substance abuse and risk, including our student surveys for grades 6-12, and our supplemental surveys like the Drug-Free Community Survey Supplement.

Browse the different types of scalable student surveys we offer and find out why Pride Surveys is the best choice to help you survey your school. Questions? Give us a call at 800-279-6361 or contact us here.

________________________________________________________________________________________

[1] “The Effects of Opiates on Your Body.” Retrieved on 18 March 2019 at https://drugabuse.com/featured/the-effects-of-opiates-on-the-body/

[2] “New Data Show Growing Complexity of Drug Overdose Deaths in America.” Retrieved on 19 March 2019 at https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p1221-complexity-drug-overdose.html

[3] “US National Trends in Pediatric Deaths from Prescription and Illicit Opioids, 1999-2016.” Retrieved 18 March 2019 at https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2719580

[4] “Brain Development, Teen Behavior and Preventing Drug Use.” Retrieved on 18 March 2019 at https://drugfree.org/article/brain-development-teen-behavior/

[5] “Opioid Treatment: What Are Opioids?” Retrieved on 18 March 2019 at https://www.asahq.org/whensecondscount/pain-management/opioid-treatment/what-are-opioids/

[6] “The Effects of Opiates on Your Body.” Retrieved on 19 March 2019 at https://drugabuse.com/featured/the-effects-of-opiates-on-the-body/.

[7] Ibid.

Teen Mental Health: Self-Harm

From the outside looking in, self-harm can be a frightening and puzzling behavior – and one that’s difficult to understand. It may be surprising to learn that it’s not always driven by suicidal tendencies. In fact, teens that self-injure probably don’t intend to die but rather use it as a coping mechanism.[1] However, studies have shown that teens and tweens who engaging in self-harming behavior have a higher mortality rate.[2] For these reasons and many others, it’s important to know both how to identify symptoms of self-harm and how to address them.

What is self-harm?

Psychology Today defines self-harm as “the act of deliberately inflicting pain or damage to your own body.[3]” If a teen or tween is scratching, cutting, hitting, biting or burning themselves to cause pain, these would all be considered signs of self-harm. However, less talked about forms of self-harm can include deliberately ingesting toxic levels of alcohol or drugs or participating in other risky behavior, such as unprotected sex. Statistics indicate about 17% of teens and tweens will engage in self-harming behavior at least once.[4] And while girls may develop self-harming behaviors earlier, adolescent boys are responsible for the overall highest incidences of self-harming behavior.[5]

What causes self-harm in teens and tweens?

Adolescents are undoubtedly struggling with a difficult time, and with the rise in cyberbullying and ongoing school bullying, it’s easy to question if school climate and other situational triggers factors can be the culprit behind self-harming behaviors. Pediatricians are often reluctant to isolate any one cause, though. In some cases, self-injury can be soothing to teens with underlying mental health issues.[6] Teens or tweens also may engage in self-harm as a way to communicate an unmet need to parents or peers.[7] A school climate survey can help you learn more directly from students about what may be troubling them.

How to look for symptoms of self-harm in teens and tweens

According to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of self-harm include:

• Scars, often in patterns
• Fresh cuts, scratches, bruises, bite marks or other wounds
• Excessive rubbing of an area to create a burn
• Keeping sharp objects on hand
• Wearing long sleeves or long pants, even in hot weather
• Frequent reports of accidental injury
• Difficulties in interpersonal relationships
• Behavioral and emotional instability, impulsivity and unpredictability
• Statements of helplessness, hopelessness or worthlessness[8]

When considering self-harm through excessive alcohol consumption or illicit drug use, however, student perceptions can complicate symptoms. While the Centers for Disease Control define binge drinking as having more than four or five drinks[9], a student survey from Pride Surveys suggests almost 32% of students do not believe consuming five or more drinks once or twice per week puts them at risk of harming themselves.[10] So, it’s important when talking to teens and tweens about self-harm to discuss whether they are aware of the harmful effects of excessive consumption.

How to approach teens or tweens who may be engaging in self-harm

When addressing any issue related to teen mental health, it’s always best to begin with empathy. Worry less about “why,” and focus more on how you can help the individual feel heard and cared for.[11] Approaching them privately and in an environment where they already feel safe is the best method.  A student survey conducted by Pride Survey found that at school middle and high school students feel safest when in the classroom[12].

Depending on the severity of the self-harm, you may not feel that you have the skills or training to address the behavior. If that is the case, it’s best to engage a mental health professional. And if you believe that someone is in imminent danger, do not hesitate to take them to a healthcare professional or the emergency room. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) offers free, 24/7 support that is completely confidential[13]

Since 1980, Pride Surveys has been providing research-quality data for schools and communities to study student mental health. Our Social, Emotional and Bullying Behavior Survey (SEBBS) collects data that assess problem behaviors that affect student engagement such as increased absenteeism, lower academic achievement and increased substance abuse. The Pride Surveys Learning Environment Survey is also recommended as a student evaluation tool for grades 6-12 because of its powerful reporting system and examination of current issues in education such as student mental health, bullying, teen suicide, student learning and more.

The benefit of working with a survey company is that we can gather fact-based data and information through anonymous and effective survey tools. With this information, educators, parents, PTAs and community coalitions are in a better position to address mental health issues in their schools and secure future funding from a variety of sources to support their programs.

Please browse through the different types of student surveys we offer and find out why more than 14 million students, parents, and faculty members have responded to Pride Surveys. Questions? Please call us at 800-279-6361 or contact us today.

[1] “Understanding Self-Injury/Self-Harm.” Retrieved 30 January 2019 at http://teenmentalhealth.org/understanding-self-injury-self-harm/

[2] “Suicide After Deliberate Self-Harm in Adolescents and Young Adults.” Retrieved 30 January 2019 at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/141/4/e20173517

[3] “Self-Harm.” Retrieved 30 January 2019 at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/self-harm

[4] “Who self-injures?” Retrieved 30 January 2019 at https://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/07-08/who-self-injures.aspx

[5] “Self-Harm.” Retrieved 30 January 2019 at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/self-harm

[6] “Chapter 191: Self-Harm.” Retrieved 30 January 2019 at https://pediatriccare.solutions.aap.org/chapter.aspx?sectionid=109663654&bookid=1626

[7]“Chapter 191: Self-Harm” Retrieved 30 January 2019 at https://pediatriccare.solutions.aap.org/chapter.aspx?sectionid=109663654&bookid=1626

[8] “Self-injury/cutting.” Retrieved 30 January 2019 at https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/self-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20350950

[9] “Fact Sheets- Binge Drinking.” Retrieved 30 January 2019 at https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.htm

[10] Pride Surveys Questionnaire for Grades 6 thru 12 2016-17, Pride National Summary, October 19, 2017

[11] “Self-injury/cutting.” Retrieved 30 January 2019 at

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/self-injury/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350956

[12] Pride Surveys Questionnaire for Grades 6 thru 12 2016-17, Pride National Summary, October 19, 2017

[13] “National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Homepage.” Retrieved 30 January 2019 at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Tween & Teen Mental Health: ADHD

We continue our series about adolescent mental health because understanding the nuances of ADHD and teen mental health can help educators make a meaningful difference in a child’s life.

What is ADHD?

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder characterized by “a combination of inattentiveness, distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior.”[1]

ADHD can appear as fidgeting or forgetfulness or be misunderstood as laziness or disruptiveness. The symptoms may be mild, moderate, or severe. And, more often than not, ADHD can be present with other conditions, including disorders related to learning and conduct as well as anxiety and depression.[2] There are different forms of ADHD, and each can affect school performance, friendships, or behavior at home.

ADHD can manifest in three main subtypes:

•  Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: Children may feel restless, interrupt, fidget, have a need to stay busy, and may try to do several things at once. They may act before they think.[3]
•  Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: The child may appear to be working while sitting quietly, but may be having trouble focusing on any one thing and may get bored with a task after only a few minutes.[4]
•  Combined Presentation: Children who exhibit a combination of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention have all of the above symptoms.[5]

Early diagnosis can help children reach their full potential since treatment for ADHD is more effective for adolescents.[6] A key factor in determining if an adolescent meets the criteria for a diagnosis of ADHD is whether these symptoms emerged before the age of seven and now impede his or her ability to function on a daily basis in two or more places, often school and home.[7]

ADHD and Teen Mental Health

When children are referred to mental health resources, ADHD is one of the most common reasons since it affects about 8% of children.[8] Both boys and girls are affected by ADHD, but boys are three to four times more likely to experience the disorder.[9]

Teens and tweens with ADHD are more likely to experience other mental disorders:

• Approximately 50% of kids with ADHD may also have oppositional defiant disorder
• Approximately 25% of kids with ADHD may also have an anxiety disorder
• Approximately 30% of kids with ADHD may also have depression
• Approximately 20% of kids with ADHD may also have bipolar disorder[10]

Students with ADHD may also struggle when it comes to relationships with their peers. Research indicates about 50% of adolescents with the disorder may have fewer friendships and are more likely to be ignored or excluded by classmates. They are also more prone to bullying – or to even bully others. This may be tied to the impulsive behaviors associated with ADHD or inability to listen or pick up on social clues.[11]

ADHD and Substance Abuse

Some studies have found that adolescents with ADHD are more likely to “misuse alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit substances” when compared with children without the disorder.[12]

For instance, in an examination of kids who use marijuana, ADHD occurred in 40–50% of both girls and boys.[13] Adolescents with untreated or undiagnosed ADHD may also be at risk for substance abuse. Research indicates that children treated for ADHD have “lower rates of substance abuse than children who go untreated.”[14]

Middle School and ADHD Students

Middle school can be a difficult transition for any student, but especially those with emerging ADHD symptoms. ADHD inattentive type often goes undetected until middle school.[15] Moving from the pace of elementary school to a less structured setting like middle school where tweens need to utilize organization and preparation to better keep up can be challenging for any student. But for ones struggling with inattentiveness, impulsive or hyperactive behaviors, it can feel nearly impossible to make this adjustment smoothly.  This is where educators can help make the difference since they are interacting with students daily and can observe the changes.

Great strides have been made in understanding ADHD and developing school-based mental health interventions. There is still, however, a need to further develop these programs and processes to provide additional resources and training for administrators, teachers, and staff. For many schools, those resources can come in the form of carefully collected information.

Since 1980, Pride Surveys has been providing research-quality data for schools and communities to study student mental health. Our Social, Emotional and Bullying Behavior Survey collects data that assess middle school problem behaviors that affect student engagement. Using SEBBS, schools can determine the underlying causes of increased absenteeism, lower academic achievement, and increased substance abuse. The Pride Learning Environment Survey is also recommended as a student evaluation tool for grades 6-12 because of its powerful reporting system and examination of current issues in education such as student mental health, teacher involvement, student learning and more.

The benefit of working with a survey company is that we can gather fact-based data and information through anonymous and effective survey tools. With this information, educators, parents, PTAs and coalitions are in a better position to fight bullying and secure future funding from a variety of sources to support their programs.

Please browse through the different types of student surveys we offer and find out why more than 14 million students, parents, and faculty members have responded to Pride Surveys. Questions? Please call us today at 800-279-6361 or fill out our quick online contact form.

[1] “Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Teen” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/attention-deficithyperactivity-disorder-teen

[2] “Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Other Concerns & Conditions.” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/conditions.html

[3] “Childhood & Teenager ADHD Symptoms.” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at https://psychcentral.com/disorders/childhood-adhd/childhood-teenager-adhd-symptoms/

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] “AD/HD and Kids” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at  http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/adhd-and-kids

[7] “ADHD Inattentive Type in Tweens Part I: Diagnosis.” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/lets-talk-tween/201308/adhd-inattentive-type-in-tweens-part-i-diagnosis-1

[8] “How common is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder? Towards resolution of the controversy: results from a population-based study.” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15176722

[9] “AD/HD and Kids” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at  http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/adhd-and-kids

[10] “AD/HD and Kids” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at  http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/adhd-and-kids

[11] “ADHD in Teenagers.” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at https://childmind.org/article/adhd-in-teenagers/

[12] “Substance-use disorders in adolescents and adults with ADHD: focus on treatment.“ Retrieved 28 October 2018 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3480177/.

[13] “History and significance of childhood attention deficit disorder in treatment-seeking cocaine abusers.” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8485984

[14] “AD/HD and Kids” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at  http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/adhd-and-kids

[15] “ADHD Inattentive Type in Tweens Part I: Diagnosis.” Retrieved 26 October 2018 at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/lets-talk-tween/201308/adhd-inattentive-type-in-tweens-part-i-diagnosis-1

Shedding Light on The Darkness – Adolescent Suicide

Guest Post from Jumo Health

When we talk about health, it’s important to remember that not all pain is physical and not all wounds are visible. Mental health is just as important as physical health. In fact, the two are parallel. The entire body relies on a healthy mental well-being to function properly.

Since 1949, May has been observed as Mental Health Month.

Individuals and organizations across the world join together to spread awareness about mental health in the effort to break the stigma that often surrounds the topic. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, stigma has been characterized as quite possibly the biggest barrier to mental health care. This stigma prevents itself as stereotypes or negative beliefs toward mental illness, including perceptions that people with mental illnesses are different, crazy, or even dangerous.

Mental Health Awareness Month is a proactive way to stay involved in the conversation surrounding mental health. It’s critical to raise awareness and educate others to reduce misconceptions and shaming regarding mental health. If done right, the conversations that we facilitate have the potential to save lives.

The relationship between mental health and suicide is remarkably important, especially amongst adolescents. Suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34. Not everyone with a mental illness has attempted suicide. However, over 90 percent of those who have died from suicide have been diagnosed with a mental illness, usually depression.

In the 2016 Pride Survey national database nearly one hundred thousand students in grades six through 12 were asked if they had thought about suicide and 11.6 percent of students in grades 6-8 and 17.4 percent of 9^th through 12th graders responded that they had thought about committing suicide sometimes, often or a lot.

The data also show a strong correlation between suicide and substance use and abuse with those who think about suicide twice to three times as likely to have used alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and meth. Some things that can contribute to thoughts of suicide are addiction, harassment, and difficult family situations which can all lead to depression and feelings of helplessness in teens and youth.

How can you help a teen struggling with mental illness?

Being diagnosed with a mental illness can be scary and overwhelming, but it’s important for teens to know that help is always available. Therapy, medication, and support groups are great resources to utilize to combat through tough emotional times.

You can visit Psychology Today to find a local therapist and filter through categories such as insurances, diagnoses, gender, and age. Or, if the need for help is an urgent matter, teens can text “TEEN” to 839863 between 6:00 – 9:00 pm PST to speak to others their age in order to work through problems on a more relatable basis.

In addition, Jumo Health, a health education resource for kids and families, is an excellent resource for anyone looking to become better educated on mental illness. Not sure where to start? There is a depression discussion guide available that provides questions designed to help guide conversation with a doctor after a diagnosis.

While knowing national statistics about children’s mental health is certainly helpful, having accurate, actionable data from within your community can be even more impactful. At Pride Surveys, we have been helping schools and coalitions collect meaningful data about youth in their communities for over thirty years. We offer a range of different survey products covering mental health as well as substance abuse, school climate, bullying, and more. Questions? Please call Pride Surveys today at 800-279-6361 or fill out our quick online contact form.

References:

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/may

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brick-brick/201405/the-stigma-mental-illness-is-making-us-sicker

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml

https://suicideprevention.ca/the-relationship-between-suicide-and-mental-health/

Bullying in the Learning Environment

Bullying in school isn’t anything new, but it does seem that students today are faced with a more challenging learning environment with increased anxiety, stress, and risk. So, let’s talk about bullying and the impact it can have on learning, our schools, and our kids.

Bullying Statistics in the Learning Environment

Physical and mental health issues related to bullying in schools are significant concerns facing today’s students. In 2015, 20% of students reported being bullied.[1] As reported in Pride Surveys’ 2015-2016 national data set, nearly 21% of middle school students and 21% of high school students reported threatening to harm another student. Related points from the same data set showed that 5% of 6th through 8th-grade students “think of suicide often or a lot,” with the corresponding percentage jumping to 8% for students in 9th-12th grade. Research suggests there is a connection between suicidal thoughts and behaviors for both the bully and bullied suggesting that both perpetrator and target are at particularly high risk for psychological distress.[2] That makes for a challenging school environment for everyone.

More recent figures on bullying do reflect a downward trend from 2005 when 28% of students reported being bullied.[3] The focus on talking about, standing up to and ending bullying is having an impact, but the 34% of self-identified gay, lesbian, or bisexual students who reported in 2015 they had been bullied on school property during the previous 12 months, may question if it’s getting any better for them.[4]

Bullies often focus on children who are different in some way: LGBT youth, kids with disabilities or socially isolated children may be at an increased risk of being bullied. Children who are underweight or overweight can also be targets. Recent studies show that students on the autism spectrum can be targets.[5] Students who experience bullying are at heightened risk for “poor school adjustment, sleep difficulties, anxiety, and depression.”[6]

Safety is essential for productive learning. When children feel unsafe in school, there are implications not only for those schools but also in their neighborhoods and communities. The probability of increased involvement in risky behaviors because kids feel unsafe warrants an urgent and carefully-planned course of action.[7] In 2015, about 5% of students ages 12–18 reported that they avoided at least one school activity or class or a place in school during the previous school year because they thought someone might harass, assault or abuse them.[8]

Types of Bullying

There are four types of bullying: verbal, physical, social and cyberbullying. Social bullying deliberately excludes someone from the group or uses manipulation of higher social standing to lower someone else’s. Cyberbullying has rapidly emerged in the internet age as a means of aggression via social media, texts or chats to threaten and harass. While physical and verbal bullying are more overt, social bullying and cyberbullying can often be nearly invisible.[9]

Peer Bullying Intervention

Teachers and administrators frequently find out about bullying when it can seem too late – after the abuse has intensified to a distressing level. However, initiatives to intervene or prevent bullying behaviors can help the learning environment to be safer. In fact, school-based anti-bullying programs can decrease incidents by up to 25%.[10] Bystanders can make a difference in bullying: studies have shown that having a peer intervene on behalf of the student being bullied can stop 57% of situations.[11] Students report that support from their peers such as helping him or her get away, giving advice, or spending time talking were helpful actions.[12] This data indicates teaching students to help one another can have as much or more of an impact than educators and administrators intervening when it comes to stopping bullying behaviors and safeguarding the learning environment.

 Research has indicated that discrimination and prejudice can be countered when educational environments incorporate more understanding, critical thinking, and positive self-esteem in students. Educators that foster thoughtful conversations about respect and tolerance every day in school can create more inclusive, respectful classrooms.[13] The Anti-Defamation League offers resources for educators on creating an anti-bias school setting.

What Can You Do if You Think Bullying is Negatively Impacting Your Learning Environment?

So, if you believe bullying is impacting learning in your school, what can you do? Since 1980, Pride Surveys has been providing research-quality data that can be easily used by educators, parents, and others at the school and community level to study and monitor violent, threatening, and bullying behaviors, and student mental health. We offer four different scientifically proven student surveys that are designed to measure various aspects of student behavior and perceptions related to bullying, mental health, and more.

The Pride Learning Environment Survey is highly-recommended as a student evaluation tool for grades 6-12 because of its effective examination of current issues facing educators and education. These surveys results give insight into the intersection of risk and academic success in the education setting. In fact, Pride Surveys’ learning environment questionnaire has been included in the School Climate Survey Compendium of the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments as a valid instrument to assist educators in identifying and assessing their conditions for learning conditions. It’s also one of the National Outcomes Measurement System items required as benchmarks for many grant awards.

Our Social, Emotional and Bullying Behavior Survey collects data that assess middle school students’ bullying perceptions and problem behaviors that affect student engagement. Using SEBBS, schools can determine underlying causes for increased absenteeism, lower academic achievement, and increased substance abuse.

The benefit of choosing a survey company is that we take the guesswork out of the surveying process to ask the difficult questions. Browse the different types of scalable student surveys we offer and find out why more than 13.9 million students, parents, and faculty members have responded to Pride Surveys. Questions? Please call us today at 800-279-6361 or fill out our quick online contact form.

[1] “Student Reports of Bullying: Results from the 2015 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey.” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2017015

[2] “Understanding the Link Between Bullying and Suicide.” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at https://theconversation.com/understanding-the-link-between-bullying-and-suicide-39037

[3] “New Data Show a Decline in School=based Bullying.” Retrieved 21 May at https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-data-show-decline-school-based-bullying

[4] “Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2016.” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at  https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2017/2017064.pdf

[5] “Are You an Easy Target for Bullies?” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201301/are-you-easy-target-bullies

[6] “Understanding Bullying.” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullying_factsheet.pdf

[7] “Students Feeling Unsafe in School: Fifth Graders’ Experiences.” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3103144/

[8] “Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2016.” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at  https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2017/2017064.pdf

[9] “Creating Control: Managing Bullying in the Classroom.” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at https://online.concordia.edu/education/bullying-in-the-classroom/

[10] “Student Bullying: Overview of Research, Federal Initiatives, and Legal Issues.” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at  https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43254.pdf

[11] “Naturalistic Observations of Peer Interventions in Bullying.” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at http://bullylab.com/Portals/0/Naturalistic%20observations%20of%20peer%20interventions%20in%20bullying.pdf

[12] “The Youth Voice Project.” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at http://njbullying.org/documents/YVPMarch2010.pdf

[13] Creating an Anti-Bias Learning Environment.” Retrieved 21 May 2018 at https://www.adl.org/education/resources/tools-and-strategies/creating-an-anti-bias-learning-environment

Impact of Bullying and Youth Violence in High Schools

School violence isn’t easy to understand, but it is something we seem to hear about more and more. Bullying, while nothing new, is of growing concern to parents at home and educators in schools because of its impact on children, learning, and the educational environment. So, let’s talk about youth violence and bullying to see how it impacts our kids and what adults can do to help.

Bullying is “unwanted aggressive behavior” that involves a real or perceived power disparity that repeatedly occurs over time. It can include intimidation, spreading rumors, physical or verbal attacks, or purposely excluding people from a group.[1] Perhaps once seen as part of growing up, bullying in the United States is now recognized as a type of youth violence that interferes with learning. It not only creates a poor learning environment for students but also impacts the teaching and working atmosphere for educators.

Violence is the intentional use of physical force or power against oneself or another person intended to cause injury, death, or bodily harm. It may be physical, sexual, psychological or involve deprivation.[2]  A push on the playground might be an aggressive expression of frustration from elementary school students, but when it escalates to ongoing harassment and creates fear of going to school, learning and much more are impacted.

Research over the last several years has explored the overlap between bullying and other forms of youth violence as well as related behavioral health risks, such as mental health and substance use. A 2011 study showed that bullying at age 14 predicted violent convictions between ages 15 and 20, self-reported violence at age 15 to 18, low job status at age 18, and drug use at 27 to 32 years of age.[3]

Bullying doesn’t only involve violence. It can also include teasing as well as social exclusion and online taunts. Parents, counselors, and educators should also be on the lookout for circumstances where students purposely leave someone out, tell others not to be friends with someone, spread rumors, or deliberately embarrass someone in public. Intimidation and bullying behavior can be:

• Verbal
• Social
• Physical
• Cyberbullying[4]

Beginning in 1990, the Centers for Disease Control started their Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System to collect data from more than 3.8 million high school students over 1700 surveys.[5] The national study monitors teen health risk behaviors including those that contribute to violence on school property. Over 15 years of surveying, it has started to spot some trends.

• The number of kids who carried a weapon (including guns, knives and more) to school decreased from 11.8% in 1993 to 4.1% in 2015.
• In 2015, 6% of kids surveyed said they were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property. In 1993 this number was 7.3%.
• The number of kids who were involved in a physical fight at school decreased over the study period from 16.2% to 7.8%.
• In 1993, 4.4% of kids surveyed said they did not go to school because they felt unsafe either in school or on their way to or from the property. By 2015, this number was 5.6%.
• The CDC survey began asking about bullying behaviors on school grounds in 2009 and has seen an increase since then from 19.9% to 20.2%.[6]

What we can take away from this data is that physical fights and the presence of weapons may be decreasing over time, but intimidation and terrorization appear to be impacting children to the extent that they will avoid the school learning environment to get away from the threat.

Research on youth violence has increased our understanding of factors that make some populations more vulnerable. Based on statistics beginning in 1992, LGBTQ students are two to three times more likely than their peers to be physically assaulted or threatened at school.[7] Students may feel depressed and hopeless or isolated and excluded by their peers. Sometimes, people who turn to violence are victims of bullying who feel they have hit a breaking point and would do anything to make it stop.

The federal government began collecting data on school bullying in 2005, when the prevalence of bullying was around 28%, according to the US Department of Education.[8] What may come as a surprise is that more middle schools reported daily school bullying (22%) than high schools (15%) or primary schools (8%).[9]

Anti-bullying and Violence Awareness Resources

Where can parents and educators look for tools to begin conversations with students about youth violence and bullying? Pride Surveys’ own Social, Emotional and Bullying Behavior Survey collects data and delivers reports that assess middle school students’ bullying perceptions and problem behaviors that affect student engagement. With SEBBS, schools can discover underlying causes for unwanted conditions such as increased absenteeism, lower academic achievement, and increased substance abuse.

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence offers several youth violence and bullying resources for educators, students, and parents including Teaching Tolerance lessons from the Southern Poverty Law Center. The renowned Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has developed an online resource of Violence Prevention Tools.  Students who experience bullying appear to be more likely to find peer interventions helpful rather than educator or self-actions, according to the Youth Voice Project.[10] So anti-bullying programs focused on peer education and school climate may find more success.

Violence and social and emotional intimidation have an impact on student success and academic achievement. That’s why Pride Surveys created our learning environment survey to measure students’ perceptions and behaviors that affect student engagement. Some of the questions we ask as part of this survey are:

• While at school have you carried a handgun?
• While at school have you threatened to hurt a student by hitting, slapping or kicking?
• While at school have you had a student threaten to hit, slap or kick you?
• While at school have you been afraid a student may hurt you?
• While at school have you hurt a student who hit, slapped or kicked you?

The benefit of choosing a survey company is that we take the guesswork out of the surveying process to ask the difficult questions. Browse the different types of scalable student surveys we offer and find out why Pride Surveys is the best choice to help you survey your school. Questions? Give us a call at 800-279-6361 or contact us here.

[1] “What is Bullying?” Retrieved 12 March, 2018 at https://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/index.html

[2] “Definition and typology of Violence.” Retrieved 12 March, 2018 at http://www.who.int/violenceprevention/approach/definition/en/

[3] “Bullying as a predictor of offending, violence and later life outcomes.” Retrieved 12 March, 2018 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21370294

[4] “What is Bullying?” Retrieved 12 March, 2018 at https://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/index.html

[5]  “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Systems (YRBSS) Overview.” Retrieved 12 March, 2018 at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/overview.htm

[6] “Trends in the Prevalence of Behaviors that Contribute to Violence on School Property National YRBS: 1991—2015.” Retrieved 13 March, 2018 at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/trends/2015_us_violenceschool_trend_yrbs.pdf

[7] “Violence and LGBTQ+ Communities What Do We Know, and What Do We Need to Know?” Retrieved 13 March, 2018 at http://www.rti.org/sites/default/files/rti_violence_and_lgbtq_communities.pdf

[8] “New Data Show a Decline in School-based Bullying” Retrieved 13 March, 2018 at https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-data-show-decline-school-based-bullying

[9] “Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools Findings from the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2015–16” Retrieved 12 March, 2018 at https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2017/2017122.pdf

[10] “Youth Voice Research Project: Victimization & Strategies.” Retrieved 12 March, 2018 at http://njbullying.org/documents/YVPMarch2010.pdf