Dan Olweus Professor, Department of Psychology – College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences
Cyberbullying, Interpersonal Behavior, Psychology
At A Glance
How prevalent is bullying, and what can parents and teachers realistically do to address it at home and in schools? Susan Limber’s research on all aspects of bullying indicates that effective bullying prevention doesn’t fall to one parent or one teacher but to a collaborative approach. Her work in the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program has proven effective in helping individuals and organizations address bullying in a variety of settings.
Bio
As a developmental psychologist with a masters in legal studies, Limber’s research and writing focuses on psychological and legal issues related to bullying among children, as well as youth participation and children’s rights. She looks at the nature and prevalence of bullying among children and youth, while also developing evidence-based strategies to address the behavior.
The work of Limber and other researchers has helped thousands of students escape the negative effects of bullying while stopping or mitigating the bullying behaviors of others by working directly with schools to institute interventions backed by research. Her research findings have helped to establish interventions that address bullying in a variety of settings, and these interventions are continually analyzed to identify opportunities for improvement.
As the co-author of “Cyberbullying: Bullying in the Digital Age,” Limber also understands how the digital age, particularly the rise of social media, have brought new dimensions to bullying. Moving from a schoolyard fear to a constant threat, combating bullying now requires new methods of prevention and intervention that build on those established to address traditional bullying.
In addition to published books and journal articles, Limber also focuses on creating resources for parents and educators through resource materials and curriculum. She has developed and co-authored curriculum and resource materials including the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, a comprehensive, international K-12 preogram that originated in Norway.
She is a recipient of the Early Career Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest, awarded by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Distinguished Career Award for Outstanding Contributions to Public Service Psychology, awarded by the APA’s Division of Psychologists in Public Service, She is past chair of APA’s Committee on Children, Youth, and Families.
It’s important to see how a bullying prevention program such as the Olweus program can affect not only the behavior of students, but also students’ perceptions of the school climate that are related to bullying. Despite some more ingrained behaviors in older students, we still see quite positive responses in later grades. Ideally, bullying prevention should be implemented K-12.
