Bullying Prevention in Indian Country

Violence among youth, including bullying, is more than just individual aggression. It is learned behavior that happens 

within the context of the larger society and community. Many things influence bullying behavior, including school 

and community climates; family dynamics; a dominant society that “glorifies” violence and aggression; and, in Indian 

Country, historical trauma. There is research on bullying and its effects in the general population, but the research of 

bullying’s effects in the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population is nearly non-existent.

What is known from research in the general population, and anecdotally from AI/AN communities, is that bullying 

is prevalent, varies from community to community, and has short- and long-term consequences. Some of these 

consequences can be very serious. In one study, being bullied in childhood predicted later suicide attempts and deaths 

by suicide for girls, though not for boys.1 In another study, boys who had been bullied were at increased risks of 

suicidal thoughts and attempts in young adulthood.2

Bullying Hurts Everyone Involved

Bullying affects bullying victims, witnesses, and bullies 

themselves. AI/AN youth who are bullied generally 

show higher levels of insecurity, anxiety, depression, 

loneliness, and unhappiness, as well as other physical, 

emotional, and mental health symptoms. AI/AN youth 

who bully others are more likely to abuse alcohol and 

other drugs, get into fights, vandalize property, and drop 

out of school. They are likely to engage in early sexual 

activity, have criminal convictions and traffic citations as 

adults, and abuse others at higher rates than adults. 

AI/AN youth who witness bullying are more likely to have 

increased tobacco, alcohol, or other drug use; mental 

health problems; and school absences.3

What to Do about Bullying

Addressing bullying in Indian Country starts with raising 

awareness and strengthening protective factors that 

build resilience. Collaboration with existing community 

resources is an important aspect of bullying prevention 

in AI/AN communities. In addition, school-based, antibullying best practices are applicable in Indian Country.

Bullying, youth violence, and suicidal behaviors 

are interrelated parts of community violence 

that plague AI/AN communities.

Bullying Prevention Approaches

Protective Factors 

The following elements contribute to successful 

prevention efforts in Indian Country:

• Involving elders in an oversight panel, AI/AN

youth activities, and meetings

• Providing life skills training and other AI/AN

youth development activities

• Engaging AI/AN youth in culturally based

activities, such as drumming and culture camps

• Involving tribal leaders in bullying and suicide

prevention at local, state, regional, and national

levels

1 Klomek, A.B., Sourander, A., Niemelä, S., Kumpulainen, K., Piha, J., 

Tamminen, T., Almqvist, F., & Gould, M.S. (2009, March). Childhood 

bullying behaviors as a risk for suicide attempts and completed 

suicides: a population-based birth cohort study. Journal of the 

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 48(3), 254–61. 

doi: 10.1097/CHI.0b013e318196b91f

2 Copeland, W.E., Wolke, D., Angold, A., & Costello, E.J. (2013, April). 

Adult Psychiatric Outcomes of Bullying and Being Bullied by Peers 

in Childhood and Adolescence. JAMA Psychiatry 70(4), 419–26. doi: 

0.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.504

3 http://www.stopbullying.gov

This fact sheet was prepared for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration (SAMHSA) under contract number 

HHSS280201300001C with SAMHSA, U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS). The views, opinions, and content of this publication are 

those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or 

policies of SAMHSA or HHS.
School-Based Anti-Bullying Strategies

Following are the most effective elements of schoolbased bullying prevention programs:4

• Providing school climate training

• Consistently applying school bullying and discipline 

policies

• Using parent training activities, meetings, and 

information on bullying

• Providing high levels of playground supervision

• Implementing consistent disciplinary methods in 

schools

• Developing classroom management strategies

• Creating classroom and school-wide rules related 

to bullying

• Sufficiently training school staff

Effective Evidence-Based Interventions 

in Indian Country*

Following are evidence-based interventions that have 

been successful in tribal communities:

Mental Health Promotion

• American Indian Life Skills Development curriculum: 

http://legacy.nreppadmin.net/ViewIntervention.

aspx?id=81

• Question, Persuade, and Refer training: 

http://www.qprinstitute.com

• Reconnecting Youth program: 

http://www.reconnectingyouth.com/programs/

reconnecting-youth

Suicide Risk and Assessment

• Applied Suicide Intervention Skills training: 

https://www.livingworks.net/programs/asist

Bullying Prevention 

• Second Step Bullying Prevention Unit: 

http://www.cfchildren.org/bullyingprevention#purchasenow

Substance Use Prevention 

• Project Venture program:

https://www.crimesolutions.gov/

ProgramDetails.aspx?ID=235

About the Tribal TTA Center

The Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center (Tribal 

TTA Center) is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental 

Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Tribal 

TTA Center uses a culturally relevant, holistic approach 

to deliver TTA on mental and substance use disorders, 

suicide prevention, and mental health promotion. TTA 

is offered to a broad audience of all tribal communities, 

a focused audience of SAMHSA tribal grantees, and an 

intensive audience of selected AI/AN tribes each year.

Resources*

Please review the following resources to help in your 

bullying prevention efforts. 

• A Sweetgrass Method of Bullying Prevention for Native 

American Youth: http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/

kicjir/vol3/iss1/1

• stopbullying.gov: http://www.stopbullying.gov

• Stand Up Against Bullying In Indian Country from 

stopbullying.gov: http://www.stopbullying.gov/

videos/2011/12/bullying-in-indian-country.html

• SAMHSA’s Bullying Prevention Resource Center: 

http://www.samhsa.gov/tribal-ttac/resources/

bullying-prevention

• SAMHSA’s webpage: http://www.samhsa.gov

For More Information 

Please visit the Tribal TTA Center’s website to access past 

webinar recordings and other helpful resources at 

http://www.samhsa.gov/tribal-ttac/resources/webinars.

To request more information about the Tribal TTA Center, 

or to submit a technical assistance request, call (301) 

257-2967 or visit http://www.samhsa.gov/tribal-ttac.

4 Ttofi, M.M. & Farrington, D.P. (2011). Effectiveness of School-Based 

Programs to Reduce Bullying: A Systematic and Meta-Analytic Review. 

Journal of Experimental Criminology, 7.

Culture, as a protective factor in tribal 

communities, has been shown to be effective. 

The provision of cultural knowledge means 

implementing culture-based interventions.

* This publication lists non-Federal resources to provide additional information 

to consumers. The views and content in those resources have not been formally 

approved by HHS. Listing of the resources is not an endorsement by HHS or its 

components.

HHS Publication No. SMA-16-4996