172: Social-Emotional Learning Approach to Prevent Bullying and Alcohol and Drug Use Among Adolescents

Social-emotional learning approaches to the prevention of bullying in schools addresses known risk (e.g., anger, impulse control) and protective (e.g., empathy, communication skills) factors through direct instruction of communication and problem-solving skills. This intermediate workshop presents research findings on these factors associated with bullying and alcohol and drug use (AOD) among early adolescents. A social-emotional middle school program will be used as an illustrative example of one promising program. Data from a large randomized clinical trial demonstrate its efficacy in reducing bullying and AOD.

1. Articulate recent research on the risk and protective factors associated with bullying and alcohol and drug use among early adolescents;
2. Articulate risk and protective factors addressed in social emotional learning standards and prevention approaches;
3. Distinguish what is working and not working in bully prevention efforts; and
4. Implement social-emotional learning prevention programs/approaches in clinical practice with individuals, groups, classrooms, and schools.

Dorothy L. Espelage, PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL