This study will assess the implementation of Iowa’s anti-bullying legislation and the effects on student-reported bullying victimization.
The team will (1) identify the processes by which Iowa middle schools have carried out provisions and complied with recent state anti-bullying legislation; (2) assess the impact of Iowa’s anti-bullying legislation on rates of bullying victimization in Iowa middle schools; and (3) discern how compliance has modified the effect of the law. Beginning with a qualitative multiple case study approach with four purposely selected Iowa middle schools, data will be collected from school and district administrators responsible for anti-bullying policies and procedures. Second, those findings will be used to construct a tool to measure level of compliance to the state law, and carry out a statewide survey with all middle school principals. Administrator compliance data will then be linked with Iowa Youth Survey data to determine if compliance modifies the effect of the law.