Anti-bullying Programs Research Articles

Anti-bullying procedures for schools in Ireland: principals’ responses and perceptions

The role of the principal is imperative in creating a school climate that nurtures differences and equality at the same time. Policy and legislation in Ireland dictates the responsibility of school principals in preventing and intervening in issues relating to bullying. The current research investigates the extent to which principals consider the impact of bullying on their students and the strategies they take to combat it in their schools. We consider how principals respond to bullying and what supports they feel are missing for them to adhere to relevant policy. A sample of 918 principals from a range of schools across Ireland completed an online survey. The results demonstrated some positive actions by principals such as the provision of anti-bullying policies. However, they also document areas that need more action such as increased access to counsellors and appointing a specific staff member to deal with and tackle bullying in each school. Guidance from the Department of Education and Skills in Ireland on the development and provision of an anti-bullying programme is called for. Results are discussed in light of the current Anti-Bullying Procedures established by the Department of Education and Skills and the Action Plan for Bullying 2013.

English as a Tool to Prevent Bullying and Encourage Equalities: The KiVa Project

Through the combination of the KiVa project and the English language beyond its formal academic aspects, this work aims to achieve an efficient antibullying program that fits the students’ needs. The main objective of this research is to prevent bullying, to encourage equalities and to ensure that bullying victims can count on the support of the class group to feel more confident about themselves and to not be afraid. To carry out all this, we suggest using English as students’ L2 in order that it serves as a tool to prevent bullying. Moreover, English is chosen as the subject since it is a neutral common language for all the students, and leads to an environment of equality in the classroom and to the suppression of group roles. Some methodological strategies were implemented in Primary and Secondary to compare the results obtained, to reach the goals and to improve the use of English language through communication.

Bullying, mental health and friendship in Australian primary school children.

Frequent bullying predicts adolescent mental health problems, particularly depression. This population-based study with young Australian primary school children aimed to determine the frequency and mental health correlates of bullying, and whether friendship could be protective. Participants were a population-based sample of 1221 children aged 8-9years attending 43 primary schools in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Children were taking part in the Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study. Children completed online questionnaires at school to measure peer relations and emotional well-being. Parents reported on their child's mental health in questionnaires sent to the home. One in three children (29.2%) reported experiencing frequent bullying, defined as at least once a week. This included physical bullying alone (13.8%), verbal bullying alone (22.7%) and the combination (7.4%). Children who reported being frequently bullied self-reported higher internalising symptoms compared with children who did not report frequent bullying (M (SD) 1.6 (0.9) vs. 1.1 (0.8), p<.001). This difference was confirmed by parents' reports of their child's internalising symptoms (M (SD) 2.4 (2.3) vs. 2.1 (2.0), p=.026, respectively). Amongst children who reported frequent bullying, those with a group of friends had better emotional well-being. A substantial proportion of children report experiencing bullying on a weekly basis early in primary school. Given the prevalence of bullying in primary school and its relationship to children's mental health, we recommend effective school-wide antibullying programmes. Further research can explore whether intervention to foster a group of friends around bullied children can improve their emotional well-being.

Why do some students want to be actively involved as peer educators, while others do not? Findings from NoTrap! anti-bullying and anti-cyberbullying program

The present study aims to explore if students who voluntarily decide to become peer educators in an anti-bullying program differ from their classmates who don’t take on this role. 524 Italian students (age 13–18; males = 57%), completed self-report questionnaires at the pre-test measure of the NoTrap! anti-bullying program. In a following step, 118 of them voluntarily decided to become peer educators. Probit regression separate for gender, showed that male peer educators have a higher level of victimization, perceived support from friends and prosocial behaviour. On the other hand, female peer educators are characterized by a higher level of defending behaviours. These findings may guide further investigation about the role of peer educator in regards to bullying and cyberbullying prevention and intervention programs.

KIVA Program for Trauma Healing due to Cyber-bullying among Students

Background: Cyber-bullying involves the use of electronic media with the aim of causing damage, humiliation, suffering, fear, and despair for individuals who are the targets of aggression. The impact of cyber-bullying is not only affect their daily lives but may continue to adulthood. KiVa is research-based anti-bullying program that has been developed in the University of Turku, Finland, with funding from the Ministry of Education and Culture. The effectiveness of KiVa has been shown in a large randomized controlled trial. This study aimed to describe the health problems and evidence-based intervention programs that support trauma healing through KiVa program. Subjects and Method: A systematic review was conducted by searching the following databases: PubMed, SAGE Journals and Virtual Health Library from 2010 until 2018. The keywords for this review included cyber-bullying AND children, cyber-bullying AND mental health AND Children, cyber-bullying in children AND intervention. The inclusion criteria were systematic review, clinical review, cohort study, cross-sectional study, clinical study and guidelines. After the review process, 19 articles and 1 RCT were included. Results : Internationally, the impact of cyber-bullying on children has been linked to poor mental health including overall psychological health, low self-esteem, depression and anxiety and violent behavior. Another study showed that bully victims had the highest risk of self-injury, suicidal ideation, suicide plan and effort. KiVa is a school-based anti-bullying program from Finland involving teachers, students and parents. The KiVa principle is the prevention of bullying by cultivating character in students by forming group norms. The forms vary, can be videos, online games, surveys, posters, and guidebooks for parents. Children are taught a sense of responsibility and empathy. Previous RCT studies which involved 2,042 students in grades 4 and 6 showed that KiVa reduced intimidation, pro-intimidation, and victimization. And increasing attitude and empathy for victims. Overall, the findings provide evidence of the effectiveness of the KiVa Program. Conclusion : Cyber-bullying is associated with emotional stress and even suicide attempts. Parents, health personnels, and educators must be aware of the long-term risks so that prevention and treatment programs such as KiVa should be considered to be applied in Indonesia. Keywords: Cyber-bullying, children, mental health Correspondence: Aris Widiyanto. School of Health Sciences Mamba'ul 'Ulum, Surakarta, Jl. Ring Road Utara, Tawangsari, Mojosongo, Jebres, Surakarta, Central Java. Email: widiyantoaris99@gmail.com. Mobile: +6281329209095 Health Promotion and Behavior (2018), 3(4): 263-269 https://doi.org/10.26911/thejhpb.2018.03.04.06

Considering mindfulness techniques in school-based anti-bullying programmes

Schools have a duty of care to all students and to directly prevent and intervene with bullying amongst children and adolescents. The emergence of cyberbullying escalates this responsibility as the strategies that have become appropriate at national levels for bullying do not always parallel over to online environments. The impact on mental health is the most obvious concern for those responsible for reducing bullying, however, input from psychologists and mental health professionals is scant and often limited on this topic. This paper outlines what bullying is and the devastating impact it can have on the mental health of those involved. It will outline the most common anti-bullying initiatives as well as the current psychological and educational techniques, which could also be used to alleviate distress associated with bullying involvement. We will focus specifically on the role of mindfulness techniques and argue for more of such exercises to be included in whole-school bullying programmes. We conclude by arguing the need to investigate components relevant to both mindfulness and anti-bullying programmes (e.g., empathy, perspective-taking) as active ingredients for reducing the impact of bullying on mental health.

Body Weight and Bullying Victimization among US Adolescents.

We examined the association between body weight status at all levels (including underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity) and bullying victimization among US ado- lescents using a nationally representative data. We used logistic regression to exam- ine the association between bullying victimization and body weight status by sex with the data from the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) (N = 11,825), controlling for demographics, selected behavioral confounders, and complex survey design. We found a statistically significant U-shaped association between body weight and bullying victimization among male (p = .001) but not female students (p = .838). For girls, the prevalence of being bullied slightly increased from underweight (33.58%) to normal weight (34.36%) to obesity (36.18%) but such increases failed to reach statistical significance. For boys, being bullied was significantly associ- ated with younger age, being white, feeling hopeless, having suicidal ideation, and excessive video-game playing. A U-shaped association between body weight and bullying victimization appears to exist in boys but not girls, partly because of the body weight stigma and sex stereotypes among US adolescents. Future studies should investigate the risk factors associated with sex-specific bullying to develop effective anti-bullying programs for youth.

Tending toward friendship: LGBTQ sexualities in US schools

In 2014, Beyond Bullying, a research project examining LGBTQ sexualities and lives at school, installed private storytelling booths in three US high schools. Students, teachers, and staff were invited to use the booths to share stories about LGBTQ sexualities—their stories often invoked the pleasures and disappointments of being and having a friend. This article analyzes narratives of friendship as told in the Beyond Bullying storytelling booths. Drawing on Foucault’s (1996) interview, ‘Friendship as a way of life,’ we explore participants’ stories of friendship as heralding ‘new relational modes’ that chart a liminal space between family and sexuality. These relational modes of friendship disrupt the familiar trope of the ‘ally’ in anti-bullying programs and complicate what empirical research on LGBTQ youth calls, ‘peer social support.’ Theorizing friendship allows LGBTQ sexuality in schools to reside in an ethics of discomfort, which accommodates complex social relations and varied forms of desire, intimacy, and yearning.

Bullying effect on student’s performance

Abstract This article seeks to measure the effect of bullying in math scores of students in the 6th grade of public (Nansel et al., 2001). school in the city of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil with the use of data from a survey by Joaquim Nabuco Foundation in 2013. The methodology applied is Propensity Score Matching (PSM) in order to compare students who reported having suffered bullying with a control group, consisting of students who did not suffer bullying. Specifically, we aim to understand the role of social emotional skills and their potential influence on bullying. The results suggest that bullying has a negative impact on performance in mathematics and that social emotional skills can help students deal with bullying. Several econometric techniques were used to circumvent endogeneity problems. To identify personality traits, we use a factor model that also serves to correct for prediction error bias. The sensitivity analysis indicated potential problems of omitted variables. The results indicate that anti-bullying programs should take into account social emotional skills.

When cyberbullies meet gamers: what do young adults think?

BackgroundCyberbullying is connected with online gaming in complex ways. Although cyberbullying can occur while people play games, it is also the case that gaming may have the potential to address cyberbullying and bullying problems.PurposeThis study examines young adults’ beliefs and experiences related to cyberbullying and gaming.SampleThe participants were 357 students who were enrolled in a university on the East coast of the United States of America.Design and methodsA survey instrument, consisting of mainly Likert-type scale questions, was developed, refined and analysed quantitatively, in order to investigate young adults’ views and opinions.ResultsMore than half of the participants reported that they were directly involved in cyberbullying, either as a victim or a harasser, while playing online games. Close to 70% of participants observed cyberbullying incidents in gaming contexts. Action games, role-playing games and sports games were perceived as the main genres of game where cyberbullying may take place. In addition, a vast majority of the young adults reported that they were willing to play anti-cyberbullying games. A series of essential game elements were identified, based on young adults’ preferred gaming styles. A correlational analysis suggested some associations between participants’ beliefs and actions. The limitations of the study and further development of the survey instrument are discussed, in terms of its potential for further research.ConclusionsThe high percentage of students involved in cyberbullying while gaming suggests that online gaming may be an environment where cyberbullying proliferates. Equally, though, the finding that the majority of the participants in this study would consider playing anti-cyberbullying games indicates the potential contribution of games for addressing cyberbullying issues. It is hoped that the specific gaming elements that were identified by the participants will help with the effective design of intervention and prevention anti-bullying programmes that involve games.

Teacher factors contributing to dosage of the KiVa anti-bullying program

The KiVa Anti-Bullying Program (KiVa) seeks to meet the growing need for anti-bullying programming through a school-based, teacher-led intervention for elementary school children. The goals of this study were to examine how intervention dosage impacts outcomes of KiVa and how teacher factors influence dosage. Participants included 74 teachers and 1409 4th- and 5th-grade students in nine elementary schools. Teachers and students completed data collection at the beginning and end of the school year, including measures of bullying and victimization, correlates of victimization (depression, anxiety, peer rejection, withdrawal, and school avoidance), intervention cognitions/emotions (anti-bullying attitudes, and empathy toward victims), bystander behaviors, and teacher factors thought to relate to dosage (self-efficacy for teaching, professional burnout, perceived principal support, expected effectiveness of KiVa, perceived feasibility of KiVa). The dosage of KiVa delivered to classrooms was measured throughout the school year. Results highlight dosage as an important predictor of change in bullying, victimization, correlates of victimization, bystander behavior, and intervention cognitions/emotions. Of the teacher factors, professional burnout uniquely predicted intervention dosage. A comprehensive structural equation model linking professional burnout to dosage and then to child-level outcomes demonstrated good fit. Implications for intervention design and implementation are discussed.

School bullying in the Jamaican context through an ecological lens

Childhood bullying is a grave breach of children’s human rights and a serious public health issue. The phenomenon has warranted research attention in developed societies and shown to have serious short- and long-term implications for individuals, families, and society as a whole. This article provides an overview of the school bullying phenomenon in Jamaica. Using the scant data from that context, we conclude that there is a high prevalence of bullying in Jamaican schools. Furthermore, a separate body of literature, albeit meager, has indicated an elevated incidence of mental health challenges among Jamaican children. Taken together, there is a compelling need for comprehensive anti-bullying policies and programs to reduce the level of violence to which children are exposed and involved. We offer theoretical and data-driven anti-bullying suggestions that have proven useful in preventing and reducing bullying in schools, and perhaps ultimately the wider society.

Cyberbullying among children and adolescents – an overview on epidemiological studies and effective preventive programs

Bullying is defined as repeated aggressive behavior (Kowalski &amp; Limber, 2007; Olweus, 1993, and as such has been recognized as a significant social issue. Furthermore, we know that the incidence of bullying behaviors increases with the students’ age (Cassidy, Jackson &amp; Brown, 2009; Green-Forde, 2014; Kowalski &amp; Limber, 2007). Cyber bullying, electronic/ online bullying, or online social cruelty is, according to Kowalski &amp; Limber (2007), a relatively new kind of bullying through email, instant messaging, chat room exchanges, digital messages etc. (Kowalski et al, 2012). The goal of this paper is to give an overview of epidemiological studies and effective cyberbullying prevention aimed at children and adolescents. Some authors state that a student is cyberbullied if it happens two or three times a month, while others suggest that a frequency of once or twice a month is sufficient for the existence of the phenomenon (Olweus, 2012a; Hinduja &amp; Patchin, 2012; Menesini, 2012; Kowalski &amp; Limber, 2007). This difference between these threshold is what accounts for the discrepancies found in the data and results of various studies. Thus, we may talk about 4,5% to 24% of cyberbullied children, as in various international studies. Croatian data are similar, with 4,9 % to 29% of cyberbullied students, depending of the definition (Child Protection Center Zagreb, 2013; Zadravec et al., 2014.; Pregrad et al., 2011). The physical and psychological health, and academic performance in the context of bullying and cyberbullying are sometimes similar (Kowalski &amp; Limber, 2013). Social cognitive theory and media effects model are a theoretical framework used to identify main categories which could explain cyberbullying, noting the following: individual factors, family, school, peers and media (Felson, 1996). Cyberbullying behaviors are connected to perception problems, hyperactivity, anger, aggression, problems of behavior control, low sociability, feeling of revenge and feeling unsecure at school (Sourander et al., 2010; Nixon, 2014). School-based intervention/ prevention programs for traditional bullying are often successful and could be used in modified forms for cyberbullying prevention programs (Ttofi &amp; Farrington, 2011 in Slonje, Smith &amp; Frisen, 2013). In Croatia, several preventive programs are being implemented, aimed at bullying in schools, designed for implementation in local communities and financed by local governments or the national administration (Zadravec et al., 2014). These cyberbullying programs are still not, though they should be, part of some broader anti-bullying programs. The aim of conducting effective preventive programs, including cyberbullying interventions, is to decrease bullying and cyberbullying in schools and improve the school climate. The goal is also to reduce students’ hyperactivity, anger, aggression and problems of behavior control and initiate better self-efficacy.

Is weight-related bullying addressed in school-based anti-bullying programs?

IntroductionThe high prevalence and numerous negative correlates of weight-related bullying among youth emphasize the need to prevent and counter this phenomenon in school settings. This scoping review aims at: (a) determining whether the anti-bullying programs identified in previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses take weight-related bullying into account, and (b) pinpointing effective intervention strategies against weight-related bullying. Literature findingsNone of the 10 systematic reviews and meta-analyses retained addressed weight-related bullying directly. However, their findings highlighted some intervention strategies that may help prevent and reduce this type of bullying. Discussion and conclusionThe results underscore the need to consider weight-related bullying more closely in anti-bullying programs implemented in elementary, middle, and high schools. It is also important to target the intervention strategies most likely to lead to the prevention and reduction of weight-related bullying. Such strategies could include, for example: (a) education, training, and awareness-raising, for school personnel, concerning weight bias, norms and prejudices; and (b) social and emotional support for students who are victims of weight-related teasing or bullying.

Anti-bullying programme is launched by orthopaedic trainees

A programme to tackle a culture of bullying, undermining, and harassment in trauma and orthopaedic surgery has been launched by the British Orthopaedic Trainees Association and the British Orthopaedic Association. The #HammeritOut initiative, launched earlier this month www.bota.org.uk/hammer-it-out, is supported by several organisations, including the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the Royal College of Surgeons. The initiative aims to create a “positive workplace culture” in trauma and orthopaedics. Simon Fleming, president of the British Orthopaedic Trainees Association, said that the initiative …

Mental health provision in schools: approaches and interventions in 10 European countries.

The role of schools in providing community-based support for children's mental health and well-being is widely accepted and encouraged. Research has mainly focused on designing and evaluating specific interventions and there is little data available regarding what provision is available, the focus and priorities of schools and the professionals involved in providing this support. The current study presents these data from schools in 10 European countries. Online survey of 1466 schools in France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, UK and Ukraine. The participating countries were chosen based on their geographical spread, diversity of political and economic systems, and convenience in terms of access to the research group and presence of collaborators. Schools reported having more universal provision than targeted provision and there was greater reported focus on children who already have difficulties compared with prevention of problems and promotion of student well-being. The most common interventions implemented related to social and emotional skills development and anti-bullying programmes. Learning and educational support professionals were present in many schools with fewer schools reporting involvement of a clinical specialist. Responses varied by country with 7.4-33.5% between-country variation across study outcomes. Secondary schools reported less support for parents and more for staff compared with primary schools, with private schools also indicating more staff support. Schools in rural locations reported less student support and professionals involved than schools in urban locations. The current study provides up-to-date and cross-country insight into the approaches, priorities and provision available for mental health support in schools; highlighting what schools prioritise in providing mental health support and where coverage of provision is lacking.

Using Digital Storytelling to Inform Students About Bullying: Results of a Pilot Program

The study presents the results of a pilot program in which digital storytelling was used in order to inform fourth-grade students about bullying. The constructivist principles concerning the learning process, and in particular, the requirement of students' active participation, provided the necessary framework. Students created their own digital stories about bullying, while the researcher, although present, avoided to intervene, to guide or to lecture students to a great extent. The intervention was short in duration and easily applied, without altering the school's timetable. Qualitative analysis of the data indicates that, through their digital stories, students were able to grasp the main aspects of bullying and how they should react, but the role of bystanders was unclear to them. The results of the study might prove useful in the formation of a more comprehensive anti-bullying program.

Gender dysphoria and the controversy over the Safe Schools program.

The Safe Schools program has attracted great controversy. On one end of the spectrum, it is defended as an anti-bullying program for young people who identify themselves as gay or lesbian, or have issues concerning their gender identity. On the other end of the spectrum, it is regarded as social engineering. This article seeks to promote a discussion of the way in which gender identity issues are addressed in the Safe Schools program. It is argued that the information in this program to Principals, teachers and young people is inaccurate and misleading. The program, as presently designed, may actually cause harm to children and young people who experience gender identity issues because it promotes gender transitioning without expert medical advice. The Safe Schools materials do not acknowledge that the great majority of children resolve gender dysphoria issues around the time of puberty. It may be much more difficult for a child to accept his or her gender at puberty if he or she has already changed name and gender identity in primary school. These deficits need to be addressed if the program is to continue.

Association between bullying behavior, perceived school safety, and self-cutting: a Japanese population-based school survey.

No previous population-based studies have examined associations between self-cutting, perceived school safety, and bullying behavior among East Asian adolescents. We examined whether bullying, victimization, and perceived school safety were associated with self-cutting by getting 1865 students with a mean age of 13.9years (standard deviation 0.2years) to complete questions on these variables. Psychiatric problems were assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. About 5.6% of males and 11.9% females had practiced self-cutting and when we controlled these results for psychiatric symptoms, self-cutting was associated with being both a bully and a victim among males and females. In addition, self-cutting was independently associated with perceived school safety among females. Those who felt unsafe at school and were victimized were much more likely to engage in self-cutting. Self-cutting among Japanese adolescents was linked with bullying behavior and feeling unsafe at school. Secure school environments and school-based antibullying programs could help to prevent adolescent self-injurious behavior.

Perceived Connections between Anti-Social Gateway Behaviors and School Bullying and Culture

&lt;p&gt;The purpose of this study was to examine and compare opinions of 8th and 9th grade teachers and students regarding the prevalence of anti-social/gateway behaviors in their classrooms, the perceived connection between these behaviors and more traditional forms of bullying, and the potential impact of school-wide anti-bullying programs specifically designed to address these behaviors. A sample of convenience from one middle school and one high school from a suburban Midwestern school district were selected to participate in this qualitative study. Researchers found that over 80% of students have witnessed or been involved in anti-social behaviors, and over 70% of students, higher among females, believed that a school-wide program would lessen the amount of more extreme forms of bullying, while over 90% of teachers agreed that such a program would lessen extreme forms of bullying. The authors conclude that proactive, building-wide plans for addressing anti-social/gateway behaviors could be reduce the amount of overt bullying and positively impact the overall culture of the school.&lt;/p&gt;