A pilot of an acceptance-based risk reduction program for relational aggression for adolescents

•The authors piloted a school-based risk reduction program for relational aggression.•The acceptance-based program was designed to reduce experiential avoidance (EA).•Baseline EA was significantly associated with relational aggression and victimization.•Problem-solving coping increased in the program group.•Change in EA predicted negative outcomes regardless of group assignment.

Psychosocial consequences of relational aggression have garnered significant attention. Although most adolescents are targets of relational aggression at some point, only a sub-group experience significant psychological distress and impaired functioning, with research linking experiential avoidance to negative outcomes. The present study sought to develop and pilot a school-based risk-reduction program informed by acceptance-based behavioral theory aimed to reduce experiential avoidance and increase acceptance- and action-based coping to reduce psychosocial distress. Eight 7th grade classrooms comprising of 210 participants with a mean age of 12.45 were group-randomized to either immediate or waitlist condition. Multiple regressions were conducted on baseline and three-month follow-up measures of peer victimization, peer aggression, experiential avoidance, psychopathology, and coping style. Baseline experiential avoidance was significantly associated both the extent to which a student engaged in, and was the victim of, both relational and physical aggression. The program group engaged in more problem-solving coping compared to the waitlist group at follow-up. Change in experiential avoidance predicted negative outcomes at follow-up across domains regardless of group assignment. Implications and recommendations for future studies are discussed.