Date of Award
2012
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Abraham S. Fischler College of Education
Advisor
Marcelo Castro
Committee Member
Maybelline Truesdell
Committee Member
Ronald P. Kern
Keywords
aggression, anti-bullying programs, baseline data, bullying, conflict resolution, cyberbullying, discipline, family, middle school, peer conflict, peer mediation, peaceful conflict resolution, questionnaires, school safety, skill transfer, students, suicides, violence
Abstract
This applied dissertation was designed to provide current information and research regarding a yearlong conflict resolution peer mediation program offered as a separate course in a middle school. Discipline and safety are major concerns due to the recent incidents of violence, aggression, bullying and even suicides infiltrating our schools. The need for peaceful methods of resolving conflict has become a necessity in order to keep our children safe. This study looked at the coercive nature that schools use to maintain discipline and how students can empower themselves by learning how to resolve conflicts peacefully and without the need of adult intervention. Additionally, other issues related to peer conflict were investigated, such as bullying and cyberbullying, as well as why anti-bullying programs don’t work.
Baseline data to ascertain the participants’ skill level were collected at the inception of the study. The baseline data were compared to the post-intervention data to determine the impact of the intervention. A questionnaire was given at the conclusion of the intervention to evaluate the students’ understanding of the mediation process as well as identify incidences of generalization of conflict resolution skills to other settings and with other people (family and friends).
The results of this applied dissertation suggest that students can learn conflict resolution skills and can transfer those skills to use with other students and family, in and out of school.