School-based interventions to address bullying

Authors

  • Peter K. Smith

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12697/eha.2016.4.2.06a

Keywords:

bully, victim, intervention, cyberbullying, evaluation, teachers

Abstract

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 underpinnings to interventions, and in tackling cyberbullying.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ang, R. P. (2015). Adolescent cyberbullying: A review of characteristics, prevention and intervention strategies. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 25(A), 35-42.

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.07.011

Axford, N., Farrington, D. P., Clarkson, S., Bjornstad, G. J., Wrigley, Z., & Hutchings, J. (2015). Involving parents in school-based programmes to prevent and reduce bullying: What effect does it have? Journal of Children’s Services, 10(3), 242-251. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JCS-05-2015-0019

Beckman, L., & Svensson, M. (2015). The cost-effectiveness of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program: Results from a modelling study. Journal of Adolescence, 45, 127-137. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2015.07.020

Brown, E. C., Low, S., Smith, B. H., & Haggerty, K. P. (2011). Outcomes from a school-randomized controlled trial of Steps to Respect: A bullying prevention program. School Psychology Review, 40(3), 423-443.

Burger, C., Strohmeier, D., Spröber, N., Bauman, S., & Rigby, K. (2015). How teachers respond to school bullying: An examination of self-reported intervention strategy use, moderator effects, and concurrent use of multiple strategies. Teaching and Teacher Education, 51, 191-202. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2015.07.004

Cantone, E., Piras, A. P., Vellante, M., Preti, A., Daníelsdóttir, S., D’Ajola, E., ... Bhugra, D. (2015). Interventions on bullying and cyberbullying in schools: A systematic review. Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health, 11(1, M4), 58-76. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174%2F1745017901511010058

Chalamandaris, A.-G., & Piette, D. (2015). School-based anti-bullying interventions: Systematic review of the methodology to assess their effectiveness. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 24, 131-174. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.04.004

Chester, K. L., Callaghan, M., Cosma, A., Donnelly, P., Craig, W., Walsh, S., & Molcho, M. (2015). Cross-national time trends in bullying victimisation in 33 countries among children aged 11, 13 and 15 from 2002 to 2010. The European Journal of Public Health, 25(2), 61-64. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckv029

Cornell, D. G., & Brockenbrough, K. (2004). Identification of bullies and victims: A comparison of methods. Journal of School Violence, 3(2/3), 63-87. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J202v03n02_05

Cowie, H., & Smith, P. K. (2010). Peer support as a means of improving school safety and reducing bullying and violence. In B. Doll, W. Pfohl, & J. Yoon (Eds.), Handbook of prevention research (pp. 177-193). New York: Routledge.

Cross, D., Barnes, A., Papageorgiou, A., Hadwen, K., Hearn, L., & Lester, L. (2015). A socio-ecological framework for understanding and reducing cyberbullying behaviours. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 23, 109-117. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.05.016

Cross, D., Epstein, M., Hearn, L., Slee, P., Shaw, T., & Monks, H. (2011a). National Safe Schools Framework: Policy and practice to reduce bullying in Australian schools. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 35(5), 398-404. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0165025411407456

Cross, D., Monks, H., Hall, M., Shaw, T., Pintabona, Y., Erceg, E. … Lester, L. (2011b). Three year results of the Friendly Schools whole-of-school intervention on children’s bullying behaviour. British Educational Research Journal, 37(1), 105-129. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01411920903420024

Elgar, F. J., Craig, W., Boyce, W., Morgan, A., & Vella-Zarb, R. (2009). Income inequality and school bullying: Multilevel study of adolescents in 37 countries. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45(4), 351-359. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.04.004

Evans, C. B. R., Fraser, M. W., & Cotter, K. L. (2014). The effectiveness of school-based bullying prevention programs: A systematic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 19(5), 532-544. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2014.07.004

Flygare, E., Frånberg, G.-M., Gill, P., Johansson, B., Lindberg, O., Osbeck, C., & Söderström, Å. (2011). Evaluation of anti-bullying methods (Report No. 353). Stockholm: National Agency for Education.

Frey, K. S., Hirschstein, M. K., Snell, J. L., Edstrom, L. V., MacKenzie, E. P., & Broderick, C. J. (2005). Reducing playground bullying and supporting beliefs: An experimental trial of the Steps to Respect program. Developmental Psychology, 41(3), 479-491. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.41.3.479

Garandeau, C. F., Poskiparta, E., & Salmivalli, C. (2014). Tackling acute cases of school bullying in the KiVa anti-bullying program: A comparison of two approaches. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 42(6), 981-991. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10802-014-9861-1

Gómez-Ortiz, O., Romera, E. M., & Ortega-Ruiz, R. (2016). Parenting styles and bullying: The mediating role of parental psychological aggression and physical punishment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 51, 132-143. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.10.025

Greene, M. B. (2006). Bullying in schools: A plea for a measure of human rights. Journal of Social Issues, 62(1), 63-79. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2006.00439.x

Hasebrink, U. (2014). Children’s changing online experiences in a longitudinal perspective. London: EU Kids Online. Retrieved from http://www.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/EU%20Kids%20III/Reports/LongitudinalReport.pdf.

Hawley, P. H., & Williford, A. (2015). Articulating the theory of bullying intervention programs: Views from social psychology, social work, and organizational science. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 37, 3-15. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2014.11.006

Houlston, C., Smith, P. K., & Jessel, J. (2009). Investigating the extent and use of peer support initiatives in English schools. Educational Psychology, 29(3), 325-344. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01443410902926751

Jacobs, N. C. L., Völlink, T., Dehue, F., & Lechner, L. (2014). Online Pestkoppenstoppen: Systematic and theory-based development of a web-based tailored intervention for adolescent cyberbully victims to combat and prevent cyberbullying. BMC Public Health, 14, 396. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-396

Jang, H., Song, J., & Kim, R. (2014). Does the offline bully-victimisation influence cyberbullying behavior among youths? Application of General Strain Theory. Computers in Human Behaviour, 31, 85-93. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.007

Jiménez-Barbero, J. A., Ruiz-Hernández, J. A., Llor-Zaragoza, L., Pérez-Garćia, M., & Llor-Esteban, B. (2016). Effectiveness of anti-bullying school programs: A meta-analysis. Children and Youth Services Review, 61, 165-175. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.12.015

Kanetsuna, T., & Toda, Y. (2016). Actions against ijime and net-ijime in Japan. In P. K. Smith, K. Kwak, & Y. Toda (Eds.), School bullying in different cultures: Eastern and western perspectives (pp. 334−349). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139410878.019

Koo, H., Kwak, K., & Smith, P. K. (2008). Victimization in Korean schools: The nature, incidence, and distinctive features of Korean bullying or wang-ta. Journal of School Violence, 7(4), 119-139. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15388220801974084

Kowalski, R. M., Giumetti, G. W., Schroeder, A. N., & Lattanner, M. R. (2014). Bullying in the digital age: A critical review and meta-analysis of cyberbullying research among youth. Psychological Bulletin, 140(4), 1073-1137. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0035618

Kwak, K. (2016). Intervention programs in South Korea. In P. K. Smith, K. Kwak, & Y. Toda (Eds.), School bullying in different cultures: Eastern and western perspectives (pp. 350−364). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139410878.020

Kärnä, A., Voeten, M., Little, T. D., Poskiparta, E., Alanen, E., & Salmivalli, C. (2011). Going to scale: A nonrandomized nationwide trial of the KiVa anti-bullying program for grades 1−9. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 79(6), 796-805. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0025740

Lin, S.-F., & Lai, C. L. (2016). Interventions against bullying in Hong Kong. In P. K. Smith, K. Kwak, & Y. Toda (Eds.), School bullying in different cultures: Eastern and western perspectives (pp. 376−395). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139410878.022

Menesini, E., Nocentini, A., & Palladino, B. E. (2012). Empowering students against bullying and cyberbullying: Evaluation of an Italian peer-led model. International Journal of Conflict and Violence, 6(2), 313-320.

Monks, C. P., & Coyne, I. (Eds.) (2011). Bullying in different contexts. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511921018

Nocentini, A., Zambuto, V., & Menesini, E. (2015). Anti-bullying programs and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs): A systematic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 23, 52-60. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.05.012

Notar, C. E., Padgett, S., & Roden, J. (2013). Cyberbullying: Resources for intervention and prevention. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 1(3), 133-145.

Olweus, D. (1978). Aggression in schools: Bullies and whipping boys. Washington: Hemisphere.

Olweus, D. (2004). The Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme: Design and implementation issues and a new national initiative in Norway. In P. K. Smith, D. Pepler, & K. Rigby (Eds.), Bullying in schools: How successful can interventions be? (pp. 13-36). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511584466.003

Olweus, D., & Limber, S. P. (2010). The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program: Implementation and evaluation over two decades. In S. R. Jimerson, S. M. Swearer, & D. L. Espelage (Eds.), Handbook of bullying in schools: An international perspective (pp. 377−401). New York: Routledge.

Paul, S., Smith, P. K., & Blumberg, H. H. (2012). Revisiting cyberbullying in schools using the quality circle approach. School Psychology International, 33(5), 492-504. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0143034312445243

Pepler, D., & Craig, W. (2011). Promoting relationships and eliminating violence in Canada. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 35(5), 389-397. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0165025411407455

Rigby, K. (1997). Attitudes and beliefs about bullying among Australian school children. Irish Journal of Psychology, 18(2), 202-220. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03033910.1997.10558140

Rigby, K. (2010). Bullying interventions in schools: Six basic approaches. Camberwell: ACER Press.

Rigby, K., & Smith, P. K. (2011). Is school bullying really on the rise? Social Psychology of Education, 14(4), 441-455. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11218-011-9158-y

Ryan, W., & Smith, J. D. (2009). Antibullying programs in schools: How effective are evaluation practices? Prevention Science, 10(3), 248-259. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11121-009-0128-y

Saarento, S., Kärnä, A., Hodges, E. V. E., & Salmivalli, C. (2013). Student-, classroom-, and school-level risk factors for victimization. Journal of School Psychology, 51(3), 421-434. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2013.02.002

Salmivalli, C. (2010). Bullying and the peer group: A review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 15(2), 112-120. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2009.08.007

Salmivalli, C., Kärnä, A., & Poskiparta, E. (2011). Counteracting bullying in Finland: The KiVa program and its effects on different forms of being bullied. International Journal of Behavioural Development, 35(5), 405-411. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0165025411407457

Salmivalli, C., & Poskiparta, E. (2012). KiVa antibullying program: Overview of evaluation studies based on a randomized controlled trial and national rollout in Finland. International Journal of Conflict and Violence, 6(2), 294-302.

Sasson, H., & Mesch, G. S. (2014). Parental mediation, peer norms and risky online behaviours among adolescents. Computers in Human Behavior, 33, 32-38. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.12.025

Schultze-Krumbholz, A., Schultze, M., Zagorscak, P., Wölfer, R., & Scheithauer, H. (2015). Feeling cybervictims’ pain - The effect of empathy training on cyberbullying. Aggressive Behavior, 42(2), 147-156. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ab.21613

Smith, P. K. (1999). England and Wales. In P. K. Smith, Y. Morita, J. Junger-Tas, D. Olweus, R. Catalano, & P. Slee (Eds.), The nature of school bullying: A cross-national perspective (pp. 69-90). London: Routledge.

Smith, P. K. (2014). Understanding school bullying: Its nature and prevention strategies. London: Sage.

Smith, P. K., Madsen, K. C., & Moody, J. C. (1999). What causes the age decline in reports of being bullied at school? Towards a developmental analysis of risks of being bullied. Educational Research, 41(3), 267-285. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0013188990410303

Smith, P. K., Salmivalli, C., & Cowie, H. (2012). Effectiveness of school-based programs to reduce bullying: A commentary. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 8(4), 433-441. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11292-012-9142-3

Smith, P. K., Thompson, F., Craig, W., Hong, I., Slee, P., Sullivan, K., & Green, V. A. (2016). Actions to prevent bullying in western countries. In P. K. Smith, K. Kwak, & Y. Toda (Eds.), School bullying in different cultures: Eastern and western perspectives (pp. 301−333). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139410878.018

Zhang, W. (2016). Interventions against bullying in mainland China. In P. K. Smith, K. Kwak, & Y. Toda (Eds.), School bullying in different cultures: Eastern and western perspectives (pp. 365−375). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139410878.021

Zych, I., Ortega-Ruiz, R., & Del Rey, R. (2015). Scientific research on bullying and cyberbullying: Where have we been and where are we going. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 24, 188-198. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.05.015

Takizawa, R., Maughan, B., & Arseneault, L. (2014). Adult health outcomes of childhood bullying victimization: Evidence from a five-decade longitudinal British birth cohort. American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(7), 777-784. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.13101401

Thompson, F., & Smith, P. K. (2011). The use and effectiveness of anti-bullying strategies in schools (Report No. DFE-RR098). London: Goldsmiths, University of London.

Ttofi, M. M., & Farrington, D. P. (2011). Effectiveness of school-based programs to reduce bullying: A systematic and meta-analytic review. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 7(1), 27-56. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11292-010-9109-1

Ttofi, M. M., & Farrington, D. P. (2012). Bullying prevention programs: The importance of peer intervention, disciplinary methods and age variations. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 8(4), 443-462. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11292-012-9161-0

Ttofi, M. M., Farrington, D. P., & Lösel, F. (2012). School bullying as a predictor of violence later in life: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective longitudinal studies. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 17(5), 405-418. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2012.05.002

Wong, D. S. W., Cheng, C. H. K., Ngan, R. M. H., & Ma, S. K. (2011). Program effectiveness of a Restorative Whole-School Approach for tackling school bullying in Hong Kong. International Journal of Offender Therapy & Comparative Criminology, 55(6), 846-862. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0306624X10374638

Yeager, D. S., Fong, C. J., Lee, H. Y., & Espelage, D. L. (2015). Declines in efficacy of anti-bullying programs among older adolescents: Theory and a three-level meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 37, 36-51. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2014.11.005

Downloads

Published

2016-10-23

How to Cite

Smith, P. K. (2016). School-based interventions to address bullying. Eesti Haridusteaduste Ajakiri. Estonian Journal of Education, 4(2), 142–164. https://doi.org/10.12697/eha.2016.4.2.06a

Issue

Section

Articles