The group behavioral activation therapy program (GBAT; Chu, Colognori, Weissman, & Bannon, 2009) is a 10-session group intervention adapted from adult behavioral activation (BA) programs that adds in-session exposure exercises (Addis

and Martell, 2004, Dimidjian this website et al., 2006 and Martell et al., 2001). Core BA principles include (a) psychoeducation, (b) functional analysis, (c) problem solving, and (d) graded exposures/BA tasks. Individual functional analysis is taught using the acronym TRAP, which reminds youth to identify the trigger, emotional response, and avoidant patterns they use when they feel distressed. Youth are then taught to overcome avoidant and anhedonic cycles using the acronym TRAC, in which they replace avoidant patterns with adaptive coping (or active choices). Graded exposures/tasks are integrated throughout treatment to maximize participant experience of in-session in vivo exposure-based exercises. A recent randomized

controlled trial comparing GBAT with a 15-week wait-list suggested that GBAT contributed to improvements in overall diagnostic impairment at posttreatment and in reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms in teens (ages 12 to 15) at 4-month follow-up (Chu et al., 2013). Although bullying victimization was not assessed in this MAPK Inhibitor Library cost trial, the GBAT program was chosen as the base intervention because of its focus on anxiety and mood problems, which are common among victims of bullying (Hawker and Boulton, 2000 and Klomek et al., 2010), and its emphasis on behavioral activation and exposures, which target the common avoidance patterns (e.g., passive communication, limited involvement with peers) of this vulnerable group. The GBAT-bullying (GBAT-B) program includes 14 hour-long sessions but allows for flexibility to fit within class schedules. It starts with a general introduction session, and then teaches four bullying-specific modules. The final nine sessions cover the four core GBAT skills described above and integrates in vivo exposures (for further details, see Chu et al., 2009). Two individual

sessions are also scheduled to provide individual feedback and check-in about progress. The novel four bullying-specific modules include psychoeducation, building one’s social network, assertiveness and decision-making skills, and making Rho use of social resources. The first bullying session provides definitions and psychoeducation around bullying. The aims of the session are to normalize the experience of being bullied, make students aware of the different types of bullying, and to assess fears and misperceptions of bullying perpetrators and victims. Using common legal definitions of bullying, bullying is distinguished from age-typical teasing and isolated arguments. It is important for victims to make this distinction so that they can recognize when it is appropriate to seek help.