Meet Up Buddy Up Intervention Effects on Peer Aggression and Victimization

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 7:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Implementing Interventions in Social Emotional Learning

Abstract

The current study evaluated the efficacy of the Meet Up Buddy Up (MUBU) intervention, designed to promote positive classroom relationships among diverse groups of peers, in reducing aggression and peer victimization among 4th grade students, with a focus on how gender and race/ethnicity moderated intervention effects. Using a randomized controlled trial (RCT), MUBU was evaluated with 346 4th graders (53.5% girls; 54.9% White) by comparing students in intervention classrooms with students in control classrooms on measures of aggression and peer victimization. Our findings supported that MUBU effectively attenuated increases in aggression and victimization, and race/ethnicity was a significant moderator of the intervention’s effects, while gender did not significantly influence the results. MUBU represents a promising strategy for improving peer dynamics.

Authors

• Ashley R. McDonald, Arizona State University

• Haining Ren, Arizona State University

• Laura Hanish, Arizona State University

• Carol Lynn Martin, Arizona State University

• Sabina Low, Arizona State University

• Richard A. Fabes, Arizona State University

• Cindy Miller, Texas State University

• Lorey A. Wheeler, University of Nebraska - Lincoln