Author
Kenneth W. Merrell
Other affiliations: Utah State University
Bio: Kenneth W. Merrell is an academic researcher from University of Iowa. The author has contributed to research in topics: Social competence & Social skills. The author has an hindex of 19, co-authored 36 publications receiving 2111 citations. Previous affiliations of Kenneth W. Merrell include Utah State University.
Papers
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined terminology, background, developmental aspects and myths about bullying, and four bullying interventions were summarized and reviewed, and the main findings indicate everyone must shoulder the responsibility of putting an end to bullying behaviour.
Abstract: Bullying is a problem which is receiving increasing attention worldwide. Researchers in several countries have already devised and implemented bullying intervention/prevention programs on a nation-wide basis. Data from large-scale trials of comprehensive, school-wide programs indicate that when used as a long-term ongoing solution rather than a 'quick fix' in crisis situations, bullying behaviour can be reduced significantly. This article examines terminology, background, developmental aspects and myths about bullying. Psychosocial characteristics of and implications for bullies and victims are discussed. Four bullying interventions are summarized and reviewed, and the main findings indicate everyone must shoulder the responsibility of putting an end to bullying behaviour.
621 citations
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01 Oct 1997
TL;DR: In this paper, the importance, development, assessment, and treatment of social skills of children and adolescents are systematically covered, making it particularly useful for practitioners while offering an extensive array of recent research and models of interest to researchers.
Abstract: This scholarly yet highly readable and practical text systematically covers the importance, development, assessment, and treatment of social skills of children and adolescents. Combining scientific rigor with a highly approachable and readable style of writing to create a practical and unique book, this volume provides a comprehensive overview of the increasingly important topic of child and adolescent social skills. A wide variety of tables, figures, and practical step-by-step guides enhance the material presented, making it particularly useful for practitioners while offering an extensive array of recent research and models of interest to researchers. The authors present a solid foundation of scientific knowledge written in a manner accessible to nonscientists and having ample practical implications and examples for educational and clinical practice. The book is divided into two parts--the first features a foundation for conceptualizing and assessing child and adolescent social skills, whereas the second focuses on the arena of intervention. An up-to-date and unique addition to the literature, this volume will be of interest to professionals who work with or study children across several disciplines including school and clinical child psychology, special education, counseling, and social work. Although many books and other professional materials on the social competence of children and adolescents are presently available, the knowledge regarding these social skills is expanding rapidly, and there is a tremendous need to keep it current. This book helps meet this need by not only synthesizing a great deal of recent work in the field, but also by providing new information and evidence that has not yet been published. It also bridges an important gap that sometimes exists between research and practice. For instance, some books on child and adolescent social skills are clearly written for the academician or researcher, and may have little apparent application for the clinician or practitioner. Other materials are written as practical assessment or intervention guides for the clinician/practitioner, yet sometimes lack supporting evidence and rationale. This book is aimed at both arenas.
305 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors derive empirically based taxonomies of child and adolescent problem behaviors, such as positive social behaviors, and derive an extensible taxonomy for positive social behavior.
Abstract: Although much work has been done to derive empirically based taxonomies of child and adolescent problem behaviors, such is not the case for positive social behaviors. In the present study an extens...
293 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the relationship between adolescents' perceptions of their parents' responsiveness and demandingness, adolescents' locus of control orientation, and adolescents' self-concept ratings.
Abstract: Relationships between adolescents' perceptions of their parents' responsiveness and demandingness, adolescents' locus of control orientation, and adolescents' self-concept ratings were investigated. Participants included 198 students in grades eight and nine who were administered the Nowicki–Strickland Internal–External Locus of Control Scale, the Harter Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents, and the Perceived Parenting Styles Survey. Participants who perceived their parents as being Authoritative had a significantly more internal locus of control orientation than subjects who perceived their parents as either Permissive or Authoritarian. Self-Concept scores were significantly higher for the Authoritative group than for the Permissive or Authoritarian groups in several areas. The findings indicate that an Authoritative style of parenting may contribute to the development of self-adequacy by being associated with internal locus of control orientation and stronger self-concept, while Permissive and Authoritarian styles of parenting may be associated with negative patterns of social-emotional development. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
121 citations
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TL;DR: The Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (RKBS) as discussed by the authors was developed to address the lack of psychometrically sound behavioral assessment instruments available for use with the early childhood/preschool population and because of the desirability of assessing both social skills and problem behaviors with a single measure.
Abstract: The Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (RKBS) was developed to address the lack of psychometrically sound behavioral assessment instruments available for use with the early childhood/preschool population and because of the desirability of assessing both social skills and problem behaviors with a single measure. The PKBS was standardized with a diverse sample of 2,855 child ratings. Factor analyses indicate the presence of a stable factor structure for both scales. Reliability studies indicate the PKBS has adequate to strong stability. Explorations of within-scale relationships yielded evidence of content validity as well as 2 forms of construct validity. The PKBS appears to be a psychometrically sound and clinically relevant instrument for screening and assessing social skills and social-emotional problems of young children.
79 citations
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TL;DR: Findings from quantitative research on cyberbullying victimization suggest that victimization is associated with serious psychosocial, affective, and academic problems and ways that future research can remedy them.
1,882 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the predictors of three bully status groups (bullies, victims, and bully victims) for school-age children and adolescents were synthesized using meta-analytic procedures.
Abstract: Research on the predictors of 3 bully status groups (bullies, victims, and bully victims) for school-age children and adolescents was synthesized using meta-analytic procedures. The primary purpose was to determine the relative strength of individual and contextual predictors to identify targets for prevention and intervention. Age and how bullying was measured were also considered as moderators. From an original pool of 1,622 studies conducted since 1970 (when research on bullying increased significantly), 153 studies were identified that met criteria for inclusion. A number of common and unique predictors were found for the bully status groups. The implications of the meta-analytic findings for future research on bullying and victimization prevention and intervention are discussed.
1,423 citations
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TL;DR: The meta-analysis showed that, overall, school-based anti-bullying programs are effective: on average, bullying decreased by 20–23% and victimization decreased by 17–20%, and the time is ripe to mount a new program of research on the effectiveness of anti- bullying programs based on these findings.
Abstract: This article presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of anti-bullying programs in schools. Studies were included if they evaluated the effects of an anti-bullying program by comparing an intervention group who received the program with a control group who did not. Four types of research design were included: a) randomized experiments, b) intervention-control comparisons with before-and-after measures of bullying, c) other intervention-control comparisons, and d) age-cohort designs. Both published and unpublished reports were included. All volumes of 35 journals from 1983 up to the end of May 2009 were hand-searched, as were 18 electronic databases. Reports in languages other than English were also included. A total of 622 reports concerned with bullying prevention were found, and 89 of these reports (describing 53 different program evaluations) were included in our review. Of the 53 different program evaluations, 44 provided data that permitted the calculation of an effect size for bullying or victimization. The meta-analysis of these 44 evaluations showed that, overall, school-based anti-bullying programs are effective: on average, bullying decreased by 20–23% and victimization decreased by 17–20%. Program elements and intervention components that were associated with a decrease in bullying and victimization were identified, based on feedback from researchers about the coding of 40 out of 44 programs. More intensive programs were more effective, as were programs including parent meetings, firm disciplinary methods, and improved playground supervision. Work with peers was associated with an increase in victimization. It is concluded that the time is ripe to mount a new program of research on the effectiveness of anti-bullying programs based on these findings.
1,301 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed online survey data from 1,378 adolescent Internet-users for the purposes of identifying characteristics of typical cyberbullying victims and offenders and found that computer proficiency and time spent on-line were positively related to both cyber bullying victimizati...
Abstract: Victimization on the Internet through what has been termed cyberbullying has attracted increased attention from scholars and practitioners. Defined as “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the medium of electronic text” (Patchin and Hinduja 2006:152), this negative experience not only undermines a youth's freedom to use and explore valuable on-line resources, but also can result in severe functional and physical ramifications. Research involving the specific phenomenon—as well as Internet harassment in general—is still in its infancy, and the current work seeks to serve as a foundational piece in understanding its substance and salience. On-line survey data from 1,378 adolescent Internet-users are analyzed for the purposes of identifying characteristics of typical cyberbullying victims and offenders. Although gender and race did not significantly differentiate respondent victimization or offending, computer proficiency and time spent on-line were positively related to both cyberbullying victimizati...
1,253 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the early manifestation and continuity of problem behaviours in 205 pre-school children with and without developmental delays were studied, and a transactional model fit the relationship between parenting stress and behaviour problems: high parenting stress contributed to a worsening in child behaviour problems over time.
Abstract: Background Children with intellectual disability are at heightened risk for behaviour problems and diagnosed mental disorder. Methods The present authors studied the early manifestation and continuity of problem behaviours in 205 pre-school children with and without developmental delays. Results Behaviour problems were quite stable over the year from age 36-48 months. Children with developmental delays were rated higher on behaviour problems than their non-delayed peers, and were three times as likely to score in the clinical range. Mothers and fathers showed high agreement in their rating of child problems, especially in the delayed group. Parenting stress was also higher in the delayed group, but was related to the extent of behaviour problems rather than to the child's developmental delay. Conclusion Over time, a transactional model fit the relationship between parenting stress and behaviour problems: high parenting stress contributed to a worsening in child behaviour problems over time, and high child behaviour problems contributed to a worsening in parenting stress. Findings for mothers and fathers were quite similar.
877 citations