Effectiveness of the TEI Program for Bullying and Cyberbullying Reduction and School Climate Improvement (original) (raw)

Effects of the Action for Neutralization of Bullying Program on Bullying in Spanish Schoolchildren

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Bullying can have serious physical and emotional consequences. In recent years, interest in this phenomenon has been growing, becoming a public health problem in the first world. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Action for Neutralization of Bullying Program (ANA) in Spanish children. This study used a quasi-experimental design that included a pre-test evaluation, 2 months of intervention, a post-test, and 3 months of follow-up. A sample of 330 children aged 7–12 years (M = 9.27; SD = 1.09) from third to sixth grade participated in the study. One hundred and fifty-nine were girls (48.2%). The program consisted of eight group sessions in which empathy, assertiveness, communication skills, conflict resolution, and group cohesion were worked on. The results showed statistically significant reductions in verbal abuse behaviors (t = 4.76, p < 0.001), direct social exclusion (t = 3.53, p < 0.001), threats (t = 2.04, p = 0.042), aggression with objects (t = 3.2...

Positive relationships for the prevention of bullying and cyberbullying: a study in Aragón (Spain)

International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 2019

Coexistence between adolescents in educational centres and people outside these centres is increasingly mediated by the use of different technologies. The present study analyses the perceptions of 4,273 students in secondary education in Aragon (Spain) on how the positive relationships that occur in the educational centre (among students and their classmates, teachers, school principals and other staff) and between the family and the school mediate the prevention of bullying and cyberbullying. The study was performed in 20 educational centres of the Autonomous Community of Aragon, considering the stratified representation of the provinces, private and public schools, and rural and urban areas. The study was conducted by applying questionnaires on bullying and cyberbullying, among other questions, and by evaluating the relationship between students and the rest of the educational community. An analysis was elaborated from a structural equation model (SEM), using as exogenous variables the student's assessment of relations with the rest of the members of the educational community and, as endogenous variables, victimization, aggression and perception of bullying situations and cyberbullying (bystanders). This study concluded by exposing aspects related to these protective factors, which are so important for the development of a positive coexistence and personal relationships. Our research brings advances towards a positive and transformative vision for preventing bullying and cyberbullying. From this proposal, we find interesting the importance and necessity to overcome the silence of cyber-victimized adolescents, reinforcing not only the peer network in the educational centre but also teacher and family networks.

The Associations between Anti-Bullying Interventions and Bullying and Cyberbullying Rates in Albanian Schools

To tackle school bullying, teachers can implement school, class, parent, or individual level activities. Applying a socioecological model of development, the present study (1) investigates which prevention and intervention activities are implemented in Albanian schools according to teacher perspectives, and (2) examines how these teacher-reported activities are associated with bullying and cyberbullying rates reported both by teachers and students. Representative data in schools all over Albania were collected via a stratified sampling procedure to select schools and a random sample method to select teachers and students. In total, 144 schools serving grades 4 to 12 and 3560 teachers (81% female) and 2377 students (54% girls) participated. The teachers indicated which school, class, parent, or individual level activities have been implemented in their school by answering a 14-item self-report. Both teachers and students reported the bullying and cyberbullying rates in their schools by answering an Olweus-type questionnaire. Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis and multilevel structural equation modeling on school level was applied to answer the research questions. Remarkably, the teacher and student perspectives regarding bullying and cyberbullying rates were not significantly correlated. Higher bullying and cyberbullying rates reported by teachers were significantly associated with higher levels of individual level activities, but with lower levels of class level activities. There were no associations between teacher reported intervention strategies and student reported bullying and cyberbullying rates. The study has major implications for the anti-bullying work in Albanian schools. Bullying is a major problem in schools around the world and teachers have an important role for prevention and intervention . Applying a socio-ecological model of development , teachers can implement prevention and intervention measures on the school, class, parent, and individual levels. Whole school anti-bullying programs usually comprise various measures on different socio-ecological levels . Because specific whole school anti-bullying programs combine certain measures on different socio-ecological levels that are usually implemented together, to disentangle the applied measures from the specific anti-bullying program is rather difficult . Thus, based on longitudinal (quasi)experimental studies, it is still not fully understood which measures on different socio-ecological levels produce the strongest bullying reducing effects. However, even without implementing an anti-bullying program, schools might implement various anti-bullying interventions and these interventions might covary with the bullying and * Dagmar Strohmeier

Effects of Intervention Program Prev@cib on Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019

Due to the negative consequences of being bullied and the increase in cyberbullying among adolescents, there is a need for evidence-based programs to prevent and intervene in these types of peer violence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Prev@cib bullying and cyberbullying program, drawing on three theoretical frameworks: the ecological model, empowerment theory, and the model of personal and social responsibility. The Prev@cib program was evaluated using a repeated-measures pre-post-test design with an experimental group and a control group. The sample consisted of 660 adolescents between 12 and 17 years old (M = 13.58, SD = 1.26), randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Repeated-measures ANOVA of pre-post-test scores were conducted. Results showed a significant decrease in bullying and victimization and cyberbullying and cybervictimization in the experimental group, compared to the control group, indicating that the Prev@cib program is effective in reducing bullying and cyberbullying. Taking into account the harmful effects of these types of violence, the results have important implications in the prevention of these behaviors because they provide scientific evidence of the program’s effectiveness.

The Effectiveness of School-Based Anti-Bullying Programs: A Meta-Analytic Review

Criminal Justice Review, 2007

Bullying is currently considered a serious problem that can threaten the social and emotional development of youth. The present study has carried out a systematic review of the effectiveness of antibullying programs applied in Spanish schools, all of which aimed to prevent and/or reduce bullying behaviors in their different forms. Certain international systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the effectiveness of anti-bullying programs have included a few programs applied in Spain, but there is no study that compiles and integrates up-to-date information on anti-bullying programs applied and assessed in Spain. In this systematic review, an exhaustive search of the studies published between 1990 and 2018, in Spanish or English, was performed in several databases, meta-searches, as well as in other formal and informal relevant sources of information, resulting in 13 studios which met the established inclusion criteria. The results, based on data from approximately 4600 students, showed mostly positive evaluations of the effectiveness of the anti-bullying programs. These results are discussed, however, in relation to the difficulty in establishing common patterns of effectiveness due to the wide variation in aspects of programs implementation, methodological characteristics of the studies, as well as the different procedures to assess bullying.

School-based interventions to address bullying

Eesti Haridusteaduste Ajakiri. Estonian Journal of Education

Following some background studies on the nature of school bullying, its prevalence, and the negative consequences it can have, this article reviews the history of anti-bullying interventions over the last 30 years. It considers several major programmes in detail, such as the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, KiVa, Steps to Respect, and Friendly Schools. The nature and evaluation of the interventions is discussed, followed by a review of meta-analyses of the programmes effectiveness. Issues considered are the effect at different ages; components of interventions; work with peers; disciplinary methods, non-punitive and restorative approaches; challenges regarding cyberbullying; the role of parents; the role of teachers and teacher training; set menu versus à la carte approaches; sustainability of interventions and societal context. Conclusions show that interventions have had some success, with traditional bullying. However, further progress is needed in strengthening theoretical un...

Protective Factors on Perpetration of Bullying and Cyberbullying

The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of bullying and cyberbullying perpetration among adolescents and to test the role of demographic (gender, age) and psychosocial variables (self-esteem, loneliness and school climate) associated with these aggressive behaviours. An anonymous questionnaire was fi lled in by 2.326 adolescents from Italian middle and high schools. Results showed that cyberbullying appeared to be less frequent as compared with traditional forms of bullying. Logistic regression analyses revealed a strong continuity between traditional bullying and cyberbullying. Loneliness perceived in the relationships with parents was a very relevant predictor of both forms of bullying (traditional and cyber): i.e. the adolescents who perceived parents as distant were more involved in bullying. A negative relationship with teachers and a low self-esteem about school were other signifi cant risk factors for traditional and cyber perpetration. Besides these common predictors, some differences were found among predictors in traditional bullying and cyberbullying. In fact, males and students of high schools declared to be more involved in the role of a traditional bully than female and younger preadolescents, while gender and age had no predictive role for cyberbullying. A high perception of self-esteem in relationships with peers, a low aversion to loneliness and a perception of unsafety at school triggered cyberbullying, while a high perception of self-esteem in sports activities and of a poor support at school increased the probability of becoming a traditional bully. The results have been discussed focussing on the family and school contexts as crucial relational environments to be considered for intervention programs aimed at preventing not only traditional bullying but also forms of aggression in the virtual world.

Interventions to Reduce School Bullying

2003

B ullying is a form of aggressive behaviour characterized by repeated acts against victims who cannot easily defend themselves (1,2). It can have severe negative consequences, especially for those victimized over a period of time. In the last 2 decades, research and action on school bullying have expanded worldwide (3); there has been widespread circulation of antibullying materials, and some countries legally require schools to have an antibullying policy (4). We review first a range of school-based intervention components to reduce school bullying. Second, we review the outcomes of large-scale intervention projects.

Prevalence of Bullying and Cyberbullying in the Last Stage of Primary Education in the Basque Country

The Spanish Journal of Psychology

Bullying and cyberbullying pose a serious problem in our schools. Despite this research area’s increasing relevance, most research into cyberbullying in the present day has focused only on adolescents. However, given the long-lasting effects of victimization, it is necessary to understand its prevalence throughout the different educational stages of students. This study aims to clarify the prevalence of bullying and cyberbullying among students in the 5th and 6th grades. A sample of 1,993 (Mage = 10.68, SD = 0.71; range 9–13) students completed the “Cyberbullying: Screening of Peer-Harassment” test. The results reveal that 20.3% (n = 404) were pure victims, 6.1% (n = 121) pure bullies, 23.9% (n = 476) bully-victims, and 28.9% (n = 575) pure bystanders of bullying. With respect to cyberbullying, 13.4% (n = 267) were pure cybervictims, 0.7% (n = 13) pure cyberbullies, 3.1% cyberbully-victims (n = 62), and 25.6% (n = 510) pure cyberbystanders. In addition, the results reveal that verba...

Empowering Students Against Bullying and Cyberbullying: Evaluation of an Italian Peer-led Model

International Journal of Conflict and Violence

An investigation of whether and to what extent a peer-led model is able to counteract mechanisms underlying bullying in peer groups, seeking clarification of divergence in reported results on the efficacy of peer-led models. Two studies were carried out in Italy within a project tackling bullying and cyberbullying in secondary schools. In the first study (n= 386), concerning the first phase of the project, a significant decrease was found only for cyberbullying, most of all for male peer educators. For the second study (n= 375) the model was improved and significant effects were found for several participating groups (peer educators and the experimental classes), who exhibited a decrease in bullying, victimization, and cybervictimization. Results suggest that peer educators can act as agents of change in the broader context.