Date Approved
6-3-2013
Embargo Period
3-3-2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. School Psychology-Professional School Psychology
Department
Psychology
College
College of Science & Mathematics
Advisor
Dihoff, Roberta
Subject(s)
Bullying in schools; Moral education
Disciplines
Child Psychology | Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Abstract
Bullying continues to plague our schools. Some schools are implementing proactive solutions in the form of character building education to address bullying. The purpose of this research was to examine the character education program, Bucket Fillers, and its effectiveness on reducing bullying in one public elementary school by examining questionnaires containing homeroom teachers' evaluations. Data of behavioral incident reports from prior to the program's initiation and after were also collected and compared. The majority of teachers noticed more spontaneous positive interactions and less negative interactions between students after the establishment of the program. There was no significant correlation found between how teachers felt about the program and how often it was implemented or between how often the program was administered and changes witnessed in students. Likewise, there was no statistically significant difference between observations and teachers grade level. Sample size was small since the study focused on one elementary school's implementation of the program. A larger subject pool may have yielded statistically significant results. Discipline reports declined even with the new HIB laws. The findings of this research show the potential value of the Bucket Fillers program in character education.
Recommended Citation
Katsikis, Karina, "Proactive measures in combating bullying in schools: examining the effectiveness of the Bucket Fillers program in character building education" (2013). Theses and Dissertations. 456.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/456
