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Bullying is a serious, globally widespread, problem. Preventing and intervening against bullying is an international priority for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
The World Anti-Bullying Forum (WABF) is the largest international and multidisciplinary conference on the topic of bullying. The biennial conference brings together experts from various disciplines in the fields of research, practice, and policymaking. In 2025, WABF is hosted by the Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research in Education, University of Stavanger, in collaboration with FRIENDS and Partnership against Bullying Norway. It will take place on June 11-13, 2025.
The goal of WABF 2025 is to increase the understanding of bullying and other forms of violence and discriminating behavior, and to promote prevention and intervention against bullying across different contexts.
WABF 2025 will host discussions, panels, and meetings, such as scientific communications (symposia, oral and poster presentations), and workshops for policymakers and practitioners from kindergarten, schools, and other life-contexts where bullying may occur. As a multiprofessional and multidisciplinary conference, WABF 2025 invites contributions from different groups of practitioners, policymakers, and researchers from the fields of psychology, education, sociology, gender studies, media studies, social work, health sciences, public health, law studies, childhood studies, political science, philosophy, and criminology.
We are happy to welcome you to the WABF 2025, and to Stavanger!
Research on the group dynamics of bullying has often concentrated on specific analytic strategies, potentially overlooking the full complexity of these interactions. This symposium aims to bridge this gap by introducing recent methodological advancements that deepen our understanding of bullying through novel analytic approaches. The first paper presents a person-centered profile approach, utilizing latent transition analysis to examine longitudinal changes in popularity motivations and the moderating effects of bullying on these profiles. The second paper examines the structural characteristics of multiple social network types, analyzing the dynamic processes of friendship, affinity, and bully-victim relationships through longitudinal social network analysis. The third paper explores the links between clique hierarchies, bullying victimization, and mental health outcomes, applying a cohesive clique approach to distinguish non-overlapping cliques. The fourth paper introduces a novel method for assessing peer perceptions, using a short-term longitudinal design to investigate how victimization experiences and classroom status hierarchies influence students’ perceptions of bullying by popular peers. Finally, the fifth paper assesses the impact of a field experiment aimed at shifting explicit and implicit peer attitudes and behaviors toward victimized classmates, employing an innovative field experiment to evaluate intervention outcomes. Overall, the symposium highlights the critical role of advanced analytic methods in capturing the nuanced group processes of bullying.
This symposium presents and discusses four systematic review studies that analyze contexts, impacts, and moderating factors in cyberbullying to advance a global understanding. They offer insights into the current state of cyberbullying research and outline different approaches to understanding cyberbullying among youths. These studies are conducted under the PARTICIPATE Marie Curie Research project, aiming to create new research evidence for effectively preventing cyberbullying involving various stakeholders such as youths, families, schools, and industry.
The first scoping review explores the tension between parental digital mediation strategies and children’s digital rights regarding children's online experiences and identifies factors influencing these strategies. The second scoping review takes a culturally sensitive approach by analyzing empirical studies that explore the cyberbullying experiences of ethnic minorities and Indigenous youth to broaden the understanding of cyberbullying within diverse cultural contexts. The third study aims to understand the connection between children's involvement in bullying and their exposure to violence or bullying by adults within their immediate environments, such as family members or authority figures. The final study is a meta-analysis investigating atypical family and school-related factors that may moderate the association between cyberbullying victimization and internalizing problems.
While the scoping review studies will help to identify research gaps in existing research and provide a background for further empirical studies, the meta-analysis is expected to provide broadly applicable results, contributing to evidence-based strategies for minimizing the psychological impact of cyberbullying on youths. The findings offer a comprehensive perspective on cyberbullying, aiming to inform future research and intervention efforts.
School bullying remains a serious issue with far-reaching consequences, sparking ongoing debates about the most effective interventions: Should we focus on promoting positive behaviors like empathy and defending, on condemning and punishing bullying behaviors? This symposium presents four empirical studies from diverse cultural contexts, offering nuanced insights into different approaches to intervention. The first study explored targeted interventions in Finland, evaluating the immediate and sustained impacts of three approaches—condemning bullying, fostering empathy, and combining both—on reducing victimization. Findings suggest short-term effectiveness across all approaches, though long-term benefits were limited. A second study with 860 Chinese early adolescents examined the impact of two brief school-based interventions: one promoting a positive classroom climate and another building understanding of bullying. During WABF, the findings of this RCT will be discussed, and it is expected that focusing on positive interpersonal climates offers more benefits. The third study, an RCT involving 95 Australian adolescents with peer problems, compared the new Teen Connect Triple P, which engages families in fostering supportive peer relationships, to an existing cognitive behavioral program for depression. Both programs reduced depression, and Teen Connect reduced victimization rates. Finally, research with 1,200 Canadian adolescents highlighted that 2SLGBTQIA+ youth witnessed more bullying, engaged in more defending, and experienced greater negative impacts of witnessing bullying on wellbeing, pointing to specific needs within these communities. These studies collectively underscore the importance of fostering supportive environments alongside targeted interventions to mitigate bullying’s effects.
Integrated statement
Research and political attention on bullying in Norway have largely been directed at schools, but after the release of the governmental Whitepaper “To Belong” (NOU 2015:2), Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) has been included in the overall work to develop safe and secure learning environments for children, both in school and ECEC-settings. The learning environment project is a national initiative that includes ECEC settings in handling and preventing bullying and other violations.
The Learning Environment project is a national initiative from the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, where the Learning Environmental Centre is responsible for helping to create safe and sound learning environments within both ECEC settings and schools in Norway. The project aims to prevent dissatisfaction, and violations such as bullying, violence, discrimination, and harassment. In this symposium, we will discuss the intentions, content, and outcomes of the project in ECEC settings related to viewpoints from project leaders, supervisors, and participants from different parts of Norway. The symposium also included Sami perspectives. This project has inspired a group of researchers, who will present their results in this symposium. Their project has investigated how the staff intervenes in play and activities and how they can foster peer interactions. This symposium aims to contribute to knowledge about how professional development, national strategies, and the practice field can collaborate and cooperate to improve the learning environment in ECEC and also inspire research.
Recently, smartphone bans in schools have become topical across the world, as parents, teachers and politicians expressed concerns that smartphones cause harm to children and adolescents. A big motivator for implementing smartphone bans in schools has been protecting children and adolescents against cyberbullying, as this online harm can cause negative impacts to their mental health and wellbeing. However international research has not conclusively shown that smartphone bans protect children and adolescents from cyberbullying. In this symposium, we will first present recent findings from Ireland on adolescents’ experiences of smartphone bans in their schools. We will specifically address how adolescents do not feel bans have prevented or reduced cyberbullying amongst their cohort, and how they feel their voices on bans have not been consulted. Following this, we will then present teachers’ experiences of how they believe smartphone bans have had a positive effect in their schools and prevented cyberbullying whilst students are in schools. Once we have presented these differing experiences, we will then discuss how digital media literacy skills are a better preventative approach than smartphone bans. The research will discuss how essential it is to teach children and adolescents these skills to prevent bullying behaviour. Finally, we will discuss how important it is to comply with seminal state parties’ obligation to mitigate risks and challenges adolescents face online whilst also fulfilling children’s rights to access the digital world. The discussant will address the presentations delivered and initiate a discussion with speakers and attendees.
School bullying is a worldwide phenomenon. It causes harm to those involved, and to the school community where it occurs. It has immediate but also longer-term negative consequences on mental health, and well-being. As a research area, publications and interventions have increased exponentially since the 1970s/80s, with now hundreds of articles appearing every year. Its importance is recognized by the annual international day devoted to this topic since 2020 by UNICEF: International day against violence and bullying at school including cyberbullying (unesco.org) Apart from a handful of isolated publications, this now very substantial research program owes its genesis, at least in western countries, to the work of Professor Dan Olweus. Dan Olweus died on September 29th, 2020, at his home in Baerum, Norway, at the age of 89. For some 50 years he had worked on the topic of bullying in school, right up to a few days before his death. He developed the first widely used questionnaire to survey the issue of bullying and victimization (the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire, or OBQ); was instrumental in designing the first intervention campaign against school bullying in Norway, in the 1980s; developed a multi-layered program of intervention, the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP), used in many countries; and inspired many other scholars across the globe to start researching and tackling this vitally important human issue. This symposium aims to honour the work and legacy of Dan Olweus, generally seen as the ‘founding father’ of this area of research.
The Omni model was developed in collaboration with the field of practice, as a response to a lack of tools for analysing what happens in schools with unsafe physical and psychosocial learning environments.
We who contribute to this symposium are all situated in Sápmi, and working in and with diversity is a central part of our work.
Omni means all-encompassing, and in cases related to bullying, we find that the cases are often complex and all-encompassing. Having a comprehensive understanding of the learning environment and good tools in the work of promoting safe and good learning environments, is therefore crucial for a good result. A comprehensive understanding that can help ensure early intervention, cooperation and dialogue between all parties.
The Omni model is a tool for creating common understanding and language related to children and young people's learning and upbringing environment. The Omni model is based on systemic thinking, and is linked to an understanding of bullying as social processes gone astray (Søndegaard, 2009)
The Omni model is constantly evolving, and now ranges from kindergarten to upper secondary education, and an Omni model has also been developed for sports.
To succeed in this work, it must be practice- and location-based. Everything starts with looking at oneself in the mirror and continuing to do so.
In this symposium, we will present the background thinking for the Omni model, some of the tools, an example of how the model is implemented in a municipality, and some thoughts on contemporary challenges.
Integrative Statement: Racist bullying in schools reflects and reproduces broader patterns of structural racism, yet its relationship to colorblind ideology remains understudied from a global perspective. This symposium presents findings from qualitative and quantitative studies conducted across three continents (United States, Sweden, and Chile), examining how colorblind racism shapes both institutional responses to bullying and everyday microaggressions and other acts of bullying in schools. In each study, we demonstrate how the minimization of race and racial inequity enables and perpetuates racist bullying across these diverse contexts. Our comparative approach reveals striking similarities in how colorblind ideology operates transnationally, while also highlighting distinct manifestations shaped by local histories and demographics. The symposium identifies key mechanisms through which colorblind racism operates in schools: the normalization of racial microaggressions, institutional resistance to naming racism and addressing bullying motivated by race, and the deployment of "culture-neutral" anti-bullying strategies that fail to address racial power dynamics. We argue that effective anti-bullying interventions must directly confront how colorblind racism permeates educational spaces at both interpersonal and institutional levels. The symposium concludes with recommendations for developing anti-racist approaches to school bullying that acknowledge structural racism while building solidarity across diverse student populations.
Three North Atlantic countries, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland, have been under Danish domination for several hundred years and only achieved a more independent status after the Second World War.
The education systems are still similar to the Danish-European ones, but they are surrounded by arctic Indigenous culture with small population groups—who have survived superbly for 1000 years in geographical conditions where the weather always decides.
In the three countries, there are forms of school bullying which can be recognized in other industrialized societies. At the same time, a history of colonialism and a history of secession provide special conditions for anti-bullying work.
How can inspiration be drawn from the country that dominates them - and how can the acquired expertise be reconciled with one's cultural wisdom about exclusion in local communities? Moreover, can Denmark and other European countries conversely draw inspiration from the close relationship indigenous people often have with nature and spirit?
We will give examples from Greenland, Iceland and the Faroes of the advantages and challenges of standing in cultural meeting places. All three countries have developed national versions of the Danish anti-bullying program 'Free of Bullying' - developed by Save the Children and the Mary Foundation. This program has expanded to the North Atlantic countries, where it shares everyday expressions and promotes a community-based approach to bullying. Each country adapts the program to reflect its unique context, recognizing that a more tailored, context-driven approach fosters greater ownership and engagement.
Description: This symposium will explore a multifaceted approach to combating bullying in schools, structured around four key components: background and rationale, theoretical foundations, effective strategies, and a case study.
The presentations are based on practical experiences from the Center for Good Psychosocial Learning Environments (TGL), which is part of the support system for Sandnes schools and kindergartens.
Bullying and cyberbullying are widespread phenomena, posing significant public health concerns due to their impact on mental well-being, academic achievement, and social relationships. However, emerging challenges—such as rapid changes in the digital landscape, evolving social dynamics, shifting societal norms, and new perspectives on mental health—call for innovative conceptualizations and methodologies to tackle the complexities of bullying and cyberbullying effectively.
The studies presented offer valuable insights into rethinking concepts and research methods in bullying and cyberbullying. In terms of conceptualization, Spears, Green, Taddeo and Tippet, as part of their larger systematic review of Australian literature 2014-2023, to inform the redesign of the National (Australian) website Bullying.No Way! consider the changing social/digital landscape over time and its implications for bullying research. Amadori and Brighi propose a socio-structural framework for understanding cyberbullying, enphasizing the importance of contextual factors such as future-oriented fears, peer pressure, social media popularity, and parental communication. On the methodological front, Menabò, Mameli and Guarini highlight the value of qualitative research, particularly visual methodologies, in grasping students’ subjective experiences and providing deeper insights into their perceptions of defending behaviour. Marinoni, Caravita and Zanetti point out the relevance of a longitudinal approach in examining the complex and dynamic association between bullying and maternal/paternal styles across three distinct developmental stages.
In conclusion, these studies suggested the importance of updating our understanding of bullying and cyberbullying, advocating for innovative methodologies and research designs to gain a deeper understanding of these phenomena and to inform the development of effective interventions.
This symposium draws together research conducted by colleagues based in six different countries with a shared focus on peer-directed aggression in pre-school and the early years of school (between 3 and 7 years). There has been comparatively less focus on peer-aggression during this period compared with bullying among older age-groups.
The papers presented in this symposium examine some of the risk/ protective factors for children’s involvement in peer-aggression at this age including executive functioning and theory of mind (Caput Langlois et al.,) social skills and family factors (Uysal Bayrak et al.,) as well as the importance of considering cultural differences in risk/protective factors (Uysal Bayrak et al.,). The third paper in the symposium (Rix & Monks) highlights the ability of young participants to provide perspectives on their own experiences in relation to peer-aggression through the use of appropriate methodologies. The final two papers focus on intervention and prevention programmes focussed on peer-aggression among this age-group. Lee and Lee report on the development of a new intervention/prevention programme using restorative approaches and the potential for this approach with young children. The final paper (Monks et al.,) reports on a systematic review and meta-analysis of programmes based in schools and pre-schools aimed at reducing aggressive behaviour among young children.
Taken together, the papers presented in this symposium highlight the importance of focussing research on this age-group and the potential for intervention and prevention programmes with young children to have a positive effect on reducing peer-aggression.
Background: The effectiveness of anti-bullying programs is often at risk due to low program fidelity, but evidence-based models supporting implementation do not exist. IMPRES-project addresses this gap by 1) developing a mentoring-based implementation support model, 2) assessing its impact on bullying prevalence, and 3) exploring the potential mechanisms of change involved using the Finnish KiVa program as an example.
Methodology: Using data from a cluster randomized control trial where 24 schools were randomized to either receiving implementation support or a control group, we evaluated the impact of the support on the implementation of universal actions (i.e., (1) lesson dosage, (2) wearing KiVa vests and (3) playing anti-bullying computer games; reported by students [N=2,240] and staff [N=466]) and students’ bullying perpetration and victimization prevalence.
Results: Using multi-level modeling, we found that students in the IMPRES condition reported receiving more preventive lessons and playing KiVa games more frequently at post-intervention. Additionally, staff in the IMPRES group were more likely to consistently wear KiVa vests during recess compared to staff in the control group. At the 1-year follow-up, being in the IMPRES condition was associated with lower self-reported bullying victimization (β = -0.16, p = .06), while effects on bullying perpetration were modest (β = -0.07, p = .10). Lastly, we will examine whether the impact of IMPRES on bullying outcomes is mediated by universal program components.
Conclusion: This study provides insights on whether mentoring leads to improved program fidelity, which may transfer to lower levels of bullying perpetration and victimization among students.
Collaboration between professionals and families influences children's behaviour from the mesosystem and is an important contributor to children’s development. Nordic countries have a long tradition of professional-family collaboration. However, there is still a gap in research investigating continuity in professional-family collaboration. The current study is a part of the extended scoping review investigating collaboration between educational settings (ECEC and school) and home. The study aims to synthesise the empirical studies on professional-family collaboration in creating a safe play and learning environment in Nordic countries. Specially, we aim to investigate:
1) How many studies investigate professional-family collaboration in creating a safe play and learning environment in ECEC and schools (when and in which country are they published; which research methods are applied)?
2) Which dimensions of professional-family collaboration are highlighted in these studies?
This review was conducted following the JBI methodology for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). Only a few studies related to this issue were found. However, those studies primarily focused on collaboration between professionals and families to buffer the negative effects of the risk factors for play and learning environment, including parents in the process of addressing bullying (Norway) or damaging factors of play environment (Finland) in ECEC. Collaboration between school and home involved collaboration in bullying prevention (Denmark and Norway) or issues related to school climate (Norway). Only one study explored collaboration between ECEC and home to create a sense of belonging among the children in preschool (Sweden).
Cyberbullying remains a critical online issue, often causing significant harm to victims. Although bystander intervention can help reduce its impact, promoting direct intervention remains challenging due to factors such as the effort required and limited confidence in expressing support. To address these barriers, this study developed EmojiGen, an innovative tool powered by a Large Language Model (LLM) designed to support bystanders in direct intervention efforts. To evaluate its effectiveness, we created a simulated social media platform featuring nine posts containing cyberbullying comments. A mixed-methods, between-subjects experiment with 90 participants participants was conducted to assess EmojiGen's impact on intervention behaviors and bystander perceptions. The results indicated that EmojiGen significantly increased supportive and resisting behaviors among bystanders. Additionally, it enhanced self-efficacy and intervention skills and reduced perceived workload and anxiety. This study provides valuable insights for fostering direct bystander intervention in cyberbullying and informs the design of supportive intervention tools for social networks.
School belonging encompasses emotional and behavioural components such as feeling personally accepted, respected and supported by others in the school social environment. Measures of school belonging relate strongly to important outcome measures, for example school bullying and victimization rates, academic achievement, and school attendance. Regular assessment is crucial as schools face unprecedented levels of mental distress and increasing inequality and disadvantage among underrepresented groups. This review provides a holistic understanding of school belonging within the UK educational context and internationally. It explores how belonging is defined, measured, and its impact on pupil outcomes, culminating in recommendations and policy implications. A scoping review was conducted on Web of Science and similar databases to identify relevant articles exploring pupils’ sense of school belonging. Peer relationships, teacher relationships, and school climate all significantly affect pupils’ school belongingness. Having a strong sense of school belonging positively contributes to pupil mental health and wellbeing. Unrepresented and marginalised pupils experience a sense of school belonging differently according to the group they belong to, with each group having its own unique approaches to nurture school belongingness. This literature review has revealed the importance of fostering an environment where all pupils feel a sense of belonging. It recommends that teachers are encouraged to nurture school belonging. School belonging acts synergistically with school climate to impact school bullying. School belonging needs to be measured routinely. Research is needed looking at school practices that affect it in either positive or negative ways, the need is particularly pressing in primary schools.
Bullying is a complex and relational issue. Teachers have a crucial role in addressing bullying in schools and they are typically the target of whole-school approach anti-bullying programs (Yoon, 2011). Teachers’ decision to prevent and intervene in bullying is predicted by several factors (knowledge about bullying, negative attitudes toward bullying, level of confidence, etc.). In the current study, we hypothesized that higher levels of teachers’ perceived effectiveness of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) are positively associated with their practices for bullying prevention. We also assumed that teachers’ socio-demographics (gender, age, work experience) and schools’ characteristics (school size, Olweus-certified school or not), are related to their perceived effectiveness of the OBPP.
Teachers (n = 1576) of 99 Lithuanian schools implementing OBPP answered a standardised online self-administered questionnaire. A multiple regression analysis indicated the coefficient of determination R2 = .449, (F = 215.09, p < .001), where teachers’ perceived effectiveness of such program was positively related to their practices to prevent bullying at school (β = .22), classroom (β = .21) and individual (β = .30) level (p < .001). The results also indicated that primary school teachers (β = .07, p < .001) from the Olweus-certified schools (β = .13, p < .001) having less working experience as teachers (β = -.05, p = .02) had perceived more positively the effectiveness of the OBPP than teachers from the lower secondary education and non-certified Olweus schools. No association was obtained between teachers' perceived effectiveness and their age, gender, or school size.
Introduction:
Bullying poses unique challenges in foster care homes, as these environments are not traditional school settings but rather family-like groups. Children in these homes often carry the weight of severe trauma, impacting their emotional, neurological, and behavioral functions. This project, conducted over two years in a Hungarian foster care home, aimed to develop a trauma-informed bullying prevention methodology suited to residential child care environments.
Method:
Five professionals specializing in bullying prevention, trauma therapy, and restorative practices led the project. Both the adult staff and the children in the foster care home were involved. The project began with situational assessments, including focus groups and bullying sociometry, to understand the dynamics within the home. Training sessions for staff and children focused on bullying, trauma awareness, and restorative approaches. The professionals also offered continuous case discussions, mentoring, and empowerment activities to the staff.
Results:
Operational challenges and the mental health struggles of the staff led to ongoing revisions of the original plans. However, significant achievements included building trust with staff, shifting their perspective toward trauma-informed practices, and introducing proactive and reactive restorative tools. These changes indirectly improved the prevention and management of bullying incidents.
Discussion:
The project highlights that implementing trauma-informed principles within children’s homes is crucial for effective bullying prevention. This shift requires not only new methods but a fundamental change in attitude. Many staff members face secondary traumatization and personal trauma, compounded by frustrations with systemic issues, which can impede bullying prevention.
This study explores how attribution styles impact the mental health of Chinese American youth facing bullying, drawing on Attribution Theory (Weiner, 1985) and Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006). Attribution styles—specifically characterological self-blame (attributing bullying to stable, personal traits) and behavioral self-blame (attributing bullying to controllable actions)—have been linked to mental health adjustment following victimization. This study further examines how contextual factors (e.g., school climate and parent communication) shape the development of these attributions, as these environmental influences are critical to understanding how youth interpret and respond to bullying.
Data from 230 Chinese American adolescents in California were collected in Summer 2024. Participants completed measures assessing four types of bullying—verbal, relational, physical, and cyberbullying—along with attribution styles and mental health outcomes. Regression analyses examined the effects of demographic and contextual factors on attribution development, while moderation analyses assessed whether attribution styles moderated the relationship between bullying and mental health outcomes.
Results indicate that characterological self-blame was associated with increased internalizing symptoms, while behavioral self-blame was linked to increased externalizing symptoms. Moderation analyses revealed that high characterological attribution intensified internalizing symptoms, while high behavioral attribution was linked to increased externalizing symptoms across bullying types. A positive school climate predicted lower characterological self-blame, while family communication was not significantly related to either attribution style.
Findings underscore the need for culturally responsive interventions promoting positive school climates to reduce internalized blame and mitigate mental health risks, fostering resilience among Chinese American youth in school and clinical settings.
Bullying and cyberbullying are interdisciplinary phenomena that involve the collision of fundamental rights between children and the limitations of schools to restrict those rights. Therefore, legal procedures are necessary as a last resort to handle bullying and cyberbullying events. This presentation aims to examine the available legal toolkit to deal with bullying and cyberbullying cases.
The limitation of free speech, the violation of several personality rights of the children, the discrimination procedures in case of bias-based bullying and cyberbullying, and the data protection procedures are all relevant and available legal tools to tackle these phenomena.
Within this framework, I would like to introduce in detail some of these available legal tools, which can provide a solution to the issue only as a last resort, when the softer prevention and tackling toolkit does not prove to be a sufficient instrument.
For instance, in the United States, the limitation of students' freedom of speech in school settings has been an issue since the Tinker v Des Moines decision of the Supreme Court (1969). In the European context, human dignity-based protection against harmful speech leads to different personality rights procedures both at national courts and at the European Court of Human Rights. In addition to these, many cyberbullying cases include sharing or posting images or videos, which are both personality rights violations under civil law and data protection violations under the GDPR.
In summary, the presentation intends to shed light on the availability of legal solutions concerning bullying and cyberbullying cases.
There is limited knowledge about time trends in cyberbullying involvement, and possible outcomes of cyberbullying may concern a wide range of areas. A better understanding of cyberbullying development over time, as well as of the possible consequences, is needed for effective prevention and intervention efforts. The aims of this study were (i) to gain knowledge of time trends in cyberbullying among Norwegian adolescents, and (ii) to better understand how different forms of cyberbullying involvement are related to a variety of outcomes. Data from the Norwegian Ungdata surveys (2014–2016) were used to assess involvement in cyberbullying. Associations with cyberbullying involvement and four outcome variables (belief in a good and happy life, loneliness, school thriving, and depressive symptoms) were assessed using logistic regression analyses. Across years of study, the prevalence rates for cyberbullying involvement were 1.5% for perpetration, 3% for victimization, and 1% for perpetration-victimization. Compared with non-involvement, involvement in cyberbullying in any role was associated with poorer outcomes on all variables. Cyber-victims who were also perpetrators were less likely to have high levels of loneliness and depressive symptoms, compared to cyber-victims only. In conclusion, the prevalence of cyberbullying involvement among adolescents in Norway was relatively unchanged between 2014 and 2016. Cyberbullying involvement is associated with a variety of negative outcomes. As maladaptive and aggressive coping attempts among victims may provide some emotional relief among victims, policies and interventions targeting adolescent victims of cyberbullying should also consider the potential risk among cyber-victims for becoming perpetrators.
Most studies of bullying have been quantitative. Smith et al. (2021) found little qualitative research, and a small but declining proportion of mixed methods studies. Qualitative data are likely to be most useful when some aspects of the phenomena are under-explored, for example cyberbullying where there are still disputes about definition and measurement, and the phenomena are changing rapidly.
This was acknowledged by the Medical Research Council in the UK (Moore et al. (2015), with Key recommendations for process evaluation: ensure that the research team has expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methods; and select a combination of methods appropriate to the research questions: Use quantitative methods to measure key process variables and allow testing of pre-hypothesised mechanisms of impact and contextual moderators and Use qualitative methods to capture emerging changes in implementation, experiences of the intervention and unanticipated or complex causal pathways, and to generate new theory/ Ensure that quantitative and qualitative analyses build upon one another (eg, qualitative data used to explain quantitative findings or quantitative data used to test hypotheses generated by qualitative data)
This has been partly acknowledged by bullying researchers: e.g. Spadafora et al (2022), Hong & Espelage (2012). Palinkas et al. (2011) delineate 7 different structural arrangements of qualitative and quantitative methods.
This paper will review these issues, and argue that a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods should be the norm in bullying research. Rather than justifying mixed methods, any article or research proposal should justify why mixed methods are not being used.
Since the early 1970s sociological perspectives have provided a lens for understanding school bullying as an essentially a social phenomenon. Bourdieusian, Foucauldian and Symbolic Interactionist approaches have been particularly popular owing to their capacity to demonstrate the complex interweavings of power and status in social relationships. This paper offers consideration of Norbert Elias's work which has been much scarcer in scholarly research on school bullying. I will address three core contributions of an Eliasian approach. Firstly, the central role that emotions play in understanding social interactions, which are often neglected in sociological research. Sentiments such as pride, resentment or shame, for example, are the result of evaluations made about interpersonal situations, and the imagined effects upon those other social actors. Second, how these are part of ongoing civilizing processes which are entrenched in historic norms, changing very gradually for the most part but at different points of history experience specific spurts. These spurts go some way to explaining the difficulties pressures that young people face in managing and navigating school interactions under changing school climate norms and policies. Finally, I propose that this viewpoint directs us to the unintended directions that school bullying has taken, contrasting it with more critical sociological perspectives. Schools in this sense are not scheming, conspiring, disciplinary institutions, but rather they respond in the only way possible to changing sensibilities in acceptable public behaviour. I close the paper with suggested areas in which a figurational approach might be empirically applied to school bullying.
When conducting academic research, scholars tend to focus on the analysis of data that have been collected and on the valorization of the results. A description of the research process is often only mentioned in passing and to the extent that allows other scholars to understand broadly the research processes that led to the research outcomes, usually presented in international journals under the constraint of strict word counts. Much more rare, are academic contributions that treat the research process as the subject of investigation. In this contribution, we shed light on our experiences conducting research on identity-based bullying in pre-and primary school. The project’s uniqueness lies in the fact that contrary to mainstream research on bullying, it included children from the age of 4 to 12, an age group that research often refrains to include due to the multi-layered ethics and challenges involved. We used a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods adapted to the target group's appropriateness by embedding a children’s rights perspective. To include children more actively in our research endeavour, we sought to understand how the children involved experienced our research, their unique views on the subject, and their recommendations for our next research steps in the project. In what follows, we discuss the multifaced challenges on an ethical and methodological level, detangle the influence of relationships and interactions in school environments and discuss how the children’s right to participate in research projects is not always as straightforward as it seems, especially in quantitative research designs.
Research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adolescent peer relationships, including bullying, has three key limitations that include limited attention on co-occurring ACEs, insufficient studies on the timing of ACE exposure during adolescence, and the lack of consideration given to the multifaceted nature of peer relationships. Informed by a developmental life course perspective, this study addresses these gaps by examining the effects of co-occurring ACEs experienced during early adolescence on bullying and peer relationship outcomes in late adolescence. Data were from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (N = 883). Using the ten ACEs from the original CDC-Kaiser study, latent class analysis identified three theoretically supported ACE classes in early adolescence (threat, deprivation, low ACEs). The study assessed associations between the ACE classes and ten peer relationship outcomes in late adolescence, adjusting for demographics. Results indicated that adolescents in the threat ACE class had higher rates of bullying perpetration and victimization, peer conflict, peer substance use, peer delinquency, and lower popularity and positive peer behaviors. Conversely, adolescents in the deprivation ACE class reported lower levels of peer companionship, satisfaction, intimacy, and conflict. Adolescents experiencing threat ACEs exhibited negative peer status and characteristics, including being a bully-victim, while those with deprivation ACEs showed lower peer relationship quality. Findings highlight the importance of examining co-occurring ACEs during adolescence and underscore the need for trauma-informed care that addresses diverse ACE exposures. The distinct peer-related outcomes linked to threat versus deprivation ACEs emphasize the need for tailored, rather than universal, prevention efforts.
There is a gap in international research on linking school processes that promote or prevent bullying (Bevilacqua et al., 2017). While some have explored the relationship between bullying and learning outcomes (Brown & Taylor, 2008; Eriksen et al., 2012), less is known about how schools contribute to both learning and bullying prevention. Do schools that excel in student outcomes also prevent bullying effectively? We use Norwegian register data from primary and lower secondary students to evaluate this. The data comes from a national compulsory student survey covering all schools, with a sample of over 200 000 seventh graders from 2015-2022. We merge our estimates on schools’ value-added measures for preventing bullying with indicators for learning outcomes from the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training.
We use register data to estimate schools’ contributions to preventing bullying using value-added methodology. This approach is commonly used to construct indicators of teachers’ or schools’ contributions to student achievement on tests/exams. Koedel et al. (2015) review the literature and evaluate applications of this approach in compulsory and secondary schooling and teacher effectiveness studies.
Main findings suggest no association between schools’ contributions to preventing bullying and learning outcomes. We explore several mechanisms to explain the differences in schools’ contributions. The lack of association between school contributions to grades (value added) and bullying prevention is interesting but not surprising. However, understanding the factors that contribute to differences in schools’ effectiveness in bullying prevention and learning outcomes is highly relevant for practical efforts to prevent bullying in schools.
I am a preschool-teatcher with a master in drama and theatre. I have worked for several years as an Olweus instructor: my theoretical bakground is based on Dan Olweus and the Olweusprogramme, such as his "Bullying circle" (RKBU Vest). I also have knowledge from Sammen mot mobbing/Be-Prox., also at RKBU Vest, in Bergen. After several years of experience - after carrying out Classmeetings with pupils in year 1-4 at our local school - I decided to write down my experiences in a book: "Lekende læringsverktøy - mobbeforebyggende arbeid i barnehagen ved bruk av dukker", which also is the title I chose for my abstract. My method is using Theatre of the oppressed (Augusto Boal), The bullying circle and a clear structure at what I have called Group meetings: the children sits in a half circle and there is a table in front of me with four objects. Each object indicates and visualizes the structure. 1.An instrument=we start this meeting with a song, to indicate what kind of meeting this is. 2.A stone=we are to talk about the rules of this meeting, 3.A puppet=we will observe a dramatisation of an bullying situation, and 4.A box=contains a prop to reveal todays playful activity/game. My experience is that the puppets protects the childrens role in real life and that they see the bullying situation more clearly when I use the puppets. Everybody should try out puppets in their bullying-prevention work in primary school or kindergarten.
Background
In 2019, a new strategy plan for bullying prevention in kindergartens and schools was introduced politically in the municipality of Bergen. Bergen is Norway’s second largest city, and the municipality owns 80 schools and 92 kindergartens. One of the strategies in the plan was to establish Team Skyfritt.
Objectives
Team Skyfritt aims to support schools in preventing and stopping bullying through skills development and counselling. The team’s main objective is to support the school or kindergarten with effective measures without taking over responsibility. Team Skyfritt aims to work in parallel with both a child-centered approach and a whole school/kindergarten approach.
Implementation
Team Skyfritt consists of six counsellors, working in kindergartens and schools. The team was established within Bergen kompetansesenter for læringsmiljø, an established organization for supporting schools in the municipality of Bergen. A website for parents called Skyfritt was also set up, so it was possible for both schools and parents to contact the team. Both the school department and the kindergarten department in the municipality were actively involved in the implementation of the strategy.
Outcome
After 4.5 years of practice, Team Skyfritt has visited approximately 85 % of all schools and kindergartens in the municipality of Bergen. Some of the success factors are that the team comes in as mediators when schools and parents experience conflicts, that the team guides schools and kindergartens in finding successful measures for preventing and reducing bullying, and that the team supports already existing programs in schools and kindergartens (e.g. Olweus, ICDP).
Article 12 of the Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC) upholds children’s right to be heard and to express their views freely in all matters that affect them. They have the right to be listened to and taken seriously, they are entitled to give their opinion, and they have unique insights and information to offer in the efforts against bullying. Listening to childres voices, their experiences and reflections, is crucial for understanding the social processes of which they are a part when bullying processes are in motion and establish efficient
measures in kindergartens and schools.
The presentation will use results from two different research projects: “Dialogue-meetings as a preventing method against bullying in kindergarten” and “Dialogue and cooperation against bullying in school”. In this presentation data from individual interviews and focus group interviews with a total of 31 children, 5 year- olds, in 4 different kindergartens, focus-group interview in grade 1 and 6 and evaluation questionnaires from children in grade 8 in 6 different schools will be used in order to present childrens voices on bullying.
Findings: a) In kindergarten children describe bullying as doing or saying “something mean”. Exclusion from play is what all the children fear the most, b) In school is the feeling of being left out the main topic related to bullying, d) The fear and experiences that the adults will not believe them hinders them from speaking up in school.
This study explores how parental concerns about children’s future sense of self and belonging is experienced and constructed in diverse societies, focusing on kindergarten as a shared space where family, community, and state intersect. Using semi-structured interviews with interethnic parents in Norway (N=9), analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022), this study examines how parental reflections on identity, belonging, and kindergarten choice engage with notions of difference/sameness and vulnerability.
To theorize how social identity is influenced by the imagined gaze and judgment of others, I draw on Cooley’s (1983) concept of the “looking-glass self,” extended here to a “looking-glass child.” Jenkins’ (2014) social identity theory further addresses group identity dynamics shaped by external categorizations, while a vulnerability lens informed by Butler (2016) highlights parents’ sensitivity to potential future threats to their children’s well-being.
Findings indicate that parents perceive their children’s identity as affected by social dynamics, including others’ attitudes and categorizations. Parents believe these external perceptions can influence their children’s experience of intrinsic value and belonging. Parents own experiences of vulnerability, such as bullying or discrimination, informed how they imagined their child’s future, suggesting that these experiences may have generational effects. These imagined vulnerabilities create tangible emotional consequences, shaping how parents navigate their child’s imagined future based on their own past. Respondents also feared that imagining their children as vulnerable could itself foster vulnerability. Findings underscore the need for supportive structures in early childhood settings to address the impact of shared normative spaces in diverse societies.
INTRODUCTION
In an ongoing collaboration between PDA Bullying and SEER Salut i Educació Emocional, we offer a model of intervention which focuses on developing socioemotional skills as a protective factor against violence. This model includes the Service for Integral Approach to Conflict through which we counsel a variety of teams in the assessment of cases, designing socio-educational action plans for emotional reparation.
OBJECTIVES
To describe the key guidelines and necessary steps that help determine the pedagogical needs of all roles implicated, focusing on reparation, restoration and self-care.
To accompany the emotional complexity generated by violence, following a three-phase strategic plan that addresses the healing of emotional wounds.
METHODOLOGY
The design of an action plan that tackles the consequences of bullying and cyberbullying from a comprehensive perspective, projects intervention within the framework provided by the PDA phase model, structuring the intervention phase (action) in three key moments: the cessation of violence and protection of those involved; the reactivation of the well-being perspective through the involvement of the entire community towards the resolution and the reparation of pain and the restoration of healthy relationships.
CONCLUSIONS
The guidance carried out in the response to a case must be translated into educational actions with students, professional teams and families, responding to pedagogical needs and opportunities where healing emotional wounds is the starting point, the process and the aim itself. From this framework, interventions are focused on ensuring that all roles contribute to the promotion of peaceful coexistence, reconciliation and the immediate cessation of violence.
Research highlights that LGBTQI+ students are more likely to experience bullying than non-LGBTQI+ students (Bergqvist et al., 2023), but research on LGBTQI+ students’ experiences remains limited in the Swedish school context (Odenbring, 2022). In our ongoing qualitative study, we contribute to this body of research by using in-depth, semi-structured interviews to explore LGBTQI+ young people’s lived experiences of homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying. The results in this paper are based on interviews with 18 LGBTQI+ young people, aged 15-19, from across Sweden, and have been thematically analysed (Braun & Clarke, 2021). Our analysis was guided by three theoretical concepts: misrecognition (Fraser, 2001), affect (Ahmed, 2010), and stigma (Goffman, 1963). Our preliminary findings show how LGBTQI+ students experience acceptance struggles at school related to their LGBTQI+ identities. While some face acceptance struggles due to systematic bullying, others encounter struggles related to homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic language use and microaggressions. These acceptance struggles were found to be ongoing and to impact young LGBTQI+ people’s life trajectories, including their openness about their identity, their involvement in making LGBTQI+ voices and perspectives heard in school, their well-being, and their choice of school. These findings point to the importance of increasing awareness about (mis)recognition processes, the importance of positive school climates, the need to provide space for LGBTQI+ issues in school, and how the school as an institution and the social dynamics within it impact LGBTQI+ students’ experiences of acceptance struggles and their life trajectories.
While research has shown that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) students are at more risk of being bullied than their heterosexual and cisgender peers (e.g., Espelage et al., 2019), relatively little is known about the lived experiences of these young people at school. Drawing on the theoretical concepts of misrecognition (e.g., Fraser, 2001), stigma (e.g., Goffman, 1963) and affect (e.g., Ahmed, 2010), this paper explores the direct and indirect experiences of bullying that young transgender people have had at schools in Sweden. The results stem from on an ongoing qualitative research project based on semi-structured interviews with LGBTQ+ young people (aged 15-19) around Sweden. The preliminary findings presented in this paper are based on interviews with 18 of those young people, which were transcribed and thematically analysed (e.g., Braun & Clarke, 2021). They highlight that the transgender young people in our study have had stigmatising experiences of being deadnamed and misgendered by students and teachers, who have subjected them to misrecognition by calling them by their former name or by the wrong pronoun. The findings also demonstrate how deadnaming and misgendering are experienced as emotional triggers and thus serve to affect the young people in particularly harmful ways. Taken together, the results of the paper demonstrate not only the importance of actively preventing and combatting transphobic bullying, but also the need for increasing awareness about gender complexity, correct pronoun usage, and the various forms transphobic bullying can take in schools.
This paper incorporates both research on bias-based bullying and research on religious education aiming to establish a closer link between prevention of bullying and the core activity of teachers, i.e., teaching and learning in specific subject areas. Within bullying research, context sensitivity has resulted in an increasing interest in what is often called “bias-based bullying” to better understand stigma processes, to prevent and stop such bullying, and to create a safe and good learning environment. In the research on religious education, the increasing emphasis being placed on teaching and learning about a diversity of religions and worldviews has led to a research interest in creating inclusive learning environments, which are often referred to as “safe spaces.” In this paper, we build on both of these research traditions while discussing subject-specific possibilities of addressing bias-based negative behaviour in the Norwegian context.
Theory background and objective
Previous research has identified community-building didactics (Schott & Søndergaard, 2014; Plauborg, 2016; Rabøl Hansen 2014; 2023, Restad & Sandsmark 2022) as a promising approach to prevent bullying in schools. Research on how and why such strategies might work, is however lacking. In this paper we draw on data from an ongoing practice-research partnership involving two teachers in one lower secondary school, to investigate how new strategies of community-building and bullying prevention are integrated into the teaching of school subjects.
Methodology
We employ action research methodology (Efron & Ravid, 2019; Tiller, 2006; Tiller & Gedda, 2017), interviews (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2015) and observation (Olsen & Wølner, 2017) to generate data on teachers’ development of new strategies. We use thematic analysis (Tjora, 2021) to analyze this data.
Results
The study identifies new strategies of bullying prevention in the subjects of religion and mathematics, and discuss opportunities and challenges related to such practices. We also identify and discuss conditions for developing new knowledge and practices to prevent bullying in partnership between schools and teacher education institutions.
Conclusion and implications
The concept of community-building didactics has gained prominence in research and practice over the recent years. A critical examination of how teachers adopt and develop this concept into their teaching is vital to further develop our understanding of this concept, and how it can be leveraged as a sustainable strategy to prevent bullying in the classroom.
‘No hate against Sámi people’ (Sammen mot samehets) is a Norwegian project that aims to strengthen the competences and commitment of youth leaders and local decision-makers to prevent hate speech and discrimination against the Sámi people. The project is organised by European Wergeland Centre, The Narvik War and Peace Centre, Noereh and regional Youth Councils in Norway.
The Sámi people is an indigenous group in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia (the area called Sápmi). They have experienced a history of assimilation in all countries. Discrimination, racism and hate speech remain a challenge. According to recent research, 3 out of 4 young Sámi in Norway have been discriminated against at least once, and 33% of the population in Northern Norway has observed hate speech against the Sámi.
With support from the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) we gathered Youth Councils for trainings to strengthen their knowledge about the Sámi people, understanding of the harmful effects of hate speech on young people and democratic participation, and to plan and implement local initiatives.
One outcome a democratic checklist for local authorities. The checklist function both a conversation starter in local communities and as a tool for concrete actions to secure the rights and participation of Sámi people and other minorities.
We believe there are lessons to be learned for local communities – not only in Norway - from the engagement of the Youth Councils to address the issue of prejudice, hate speech and discrimination against Sámi people’.
The Norwegian Education Act states that everyone working at the school must report to the principal if they suspect or know that a pupil is not feeling safe at school, or in worst case being bullied. The school must investigate the case as soon as possible and rectify the situation with appropriate measures.
The regulation in the Education Act also applies in After School Programs (ASP), where more than 70 percent of all Norwegian school children aged 6-9 attend before and after school. In Norway, ASP is usually part of the school organization. Because mostly of the youngest children attend both school and ASP, and it is most likely to assume that if a child is bullied at school, this increases the risk for being bullied at ASP and vice versa. Despite this, there is little or no research on whether and how ASP is involved in schools' efforts to detect and stop bullying. This study aims to fill this gap, as it investigates how the schools involve ASP in their efforts to detect and stop bullying.
The study is based on semi-structured interviews with a convenient sample of principals and ASP leaders, focusing on how these leaders promote that personnel from both arenas closely work together to detect and stop bullying.
Practical implications for schools involving the ASP in the work to detect and stop bulling and future research will be discussed.
The Norwegian Education Act states that all pupils have the right to a safe and healthy school environment that promotes health, inclusion, well-being and learning. Further, the school must not accept offensive behavior, such as bullying, violence, discrimination and harassment.
The law also applies to after-school programs. More than 70 percent of all Norwegian schoolchildren aged 6-9 attend the after-school program before and after-school. Although they are under the same legislation as the school there are great variations in how these after school programs are run, regarding where they are held, what activities are offered how many adults per child and requirements for employees' competences. In order to be more successful in bullying intervention, it is necessary to include all actors in children's lives. Therefore, including the after-school program in the work of bullying intervention could be seen as crucial regarding the whole school community approach, first presented by Mona O’Moore (2010).
Research regarding the practice of bullying intervention in the Norwegian after-school program is needed as this is close to non – existing. The aim of this research is therefore to explore what work is done with regards to bullying intervention in the after-school program.
This research project is based on semi-structured interviews of a convenience sample of school principals, leaders of the after- school program in addition to assistants working in the after-school program.
Practical implications for working with bullying intervention in the Norwegian after school program and future research will be discussed.
In the recent surveys by Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL), we have explored what cyberbullying is in the lives of Finnish children and adolescents. We have examined the ways young people react when encountered with different forms of cyberbullying and additionally the impacts cyberbullying experiences have on their well-being. The central focus of the presentation is on the perspectives and experiences of young people themselves, particularly those highlighted in recent surveys conducted by the MLL (2021, 2024 & 2025). The presentation is based on a recent article by experts at MLL*.
MLL has recently conducted surveys for young people aged 12–17 that shed light on Finnish youth's views and experiences of cyberbullying and their wishes for the adults around them in the prevention of cyberbullying and the online platforms themselves. The latest survey results will be published in the spring of 2025.
In the presentation the importance of supporting media literacy and socio-emotional skills of youth is also considered, as well as practical approaches in media education to help prevent online bullying. In the media educational work of MLL, we have provided materials and strived for ways in which educators can promote a culture free from bullying and strengthen the well-being and positive interaction of children and adolescents living in the digital age.
*Rahja, Rauna & Pöyhönen, Virpi (2024). Nettikiusaaminen lasten ja nuorten hyvinvoinnin haastajana. Teoksessa Airola, Ella ym. (toim.) (2024). Mediakasvatus osallisuuden ja hyvinvoinnin tukemisessa, 12-37. Kansallinen audiovisuaalinen instituutti KAVI & Kulttuuripolitiikan tutkimuskeskus Cupore. https://medialukutaitosuomessa.fi/mediakasvatus2024.pdf
This paper draws on insights from a qualitative study based on empirical data from a fieldwork conducted as part of a completed follow-up research project. The project aimed to investigate how a tool for managing bullying from "Our School Strength" (The Alliance Against Bullying, Denmark) is experienced and utilized by teachers. Additionally, the study explored how the use of the tool can influence bullying patterns among students. The follow-up research examined the conditions that both facilitate and hinder the teachers’ ability to work successfully with the tool (Hein and Jørgensen, 2023).
The theoretical background is based on the framework from eXbus (EXploring BUllying in Schools), which emphasizes that bullying is linked to the culture of a school or classroom, as well as to social processes and group dynamics (Kofoed & Søndergaard, 2009; 2013; Jørgensen 2019). The study involved 20 qualitative interviews and 180 hours of observations across two schools.
Results indicate that three key factors complicate the recognition of bullying: first, the covert nature of bullying patterns creates significant barriers to identification; second, professional perceptions of victims and perpetrators are often shaped by stereotypes; and third, the working conditions of educators—characterized by high workloads and limited resources—impede their ability to identify bullying and effectively respond to it.
Conclusions suggest that fostering a deeper awareness of hidden bullying patterns, challenging stereotypes, and improving working conditions for educators are crucial for developing effective anti-bullying strategies. By addressing these complexities, schools can create safer and more supportive environments for all students.
The Current Study: This study investigates the pressing issue of online risks affecting adolescents, aiming to develop Chirp (formerly CILTER), a mobile phone-level software designed to enhance online safety. Grounded in the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the study emphasises the importance of involving adolescents in the co-design process to ensure that solutions are tailored to their real needs.
Method: We will employ a qualitative methodology, utilising focus groups to gather insights directly from adolescents (aged 12 to 17 years). Guided by the Lundy model of participation, this approach will enable us to explore their experiences with online risks, identify essential safety features, and understand how direct messaging influences their perceptions of online safety. By fostering digital literacy and resilience through in-person engagement, we anticipate richer data and a deeper understanding of adolescents' online interactions.
Anticipated Results: Expected results include the identification of critical software features that adolescents deem necessary for effective online safety solutions. Additionally, insights on harmful online interactions and the potential application of machine learning to mitigate these risks will be explored.
Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings will not only inform the development of user-friendly safety solutions but also advocate for informed policy-making that protects young internet users. The implications for practice emphasise the need for collaborative efforts in creating safer online environments, ultimately empowering adolescents to take an active role in shaping their digital experiences.
Cyberbullying is a prevalent issue among university students (Abaido, 2020; Faucher et al., 2014; Kokkinos & Antoniadou, 2019), and cyberbullying is a problem that has negatively impacted students’ mental health (Cassidy et al., 2017; Faucher et al., 2014; Martínez-Monteagudo et al., 2020). Thus, it is important to study university cyberbullying, including moral processing. In more detail, the research aimed to investigate whether cyberbullying involvement (as a bully, victim, or bystander): (a) predicted moral injury (MI, Litz et al., 2009) directly, and (b) whether moral distress (MDIS, Jameton, 1984), collective moral disengagement (CMD, Bandura, 2002) and moral disengagement (MD, Bandura, 2002) indirectly influenced this relationship. The research was conducted with 357 university students in the UK who completed an online survey to assess their involvement in cyberbullying as a bully, victim, and bystander and their MI, CMD, MDIS and MD. The results showed that being a victim and a bystander positively predicted MI directly. Also, being a bystander positively predicted MI indirectly through MDIS. The other relationships were not significant. These results will hopefully help the scientific community understand cyberbullying more and find solution to alleviate the issue among university students.
In Norway the core curriculum states that students shall learn to respect differences and understand that all students have a place in the class- and school community. All teachers are obliged to work for cohesion and belonging in their class to make a safe and supportive learning environment.
Although the students have a legal right to a safe and secure learning environment, and that the staff/ teachers have an obligation to create a feeling of belonging and acceptance among students, little is known about how the schools foster this. The aim of this study is to investigate if and how teachers proactively put fellowship and didactics together to build a feeling of a “collective we” or a class fellowship. Theory about friendship in schools, belonging and peer acceptance is included.
The selection is 24 Norwegian students, 7 teachers and 2 head teachers, in two different secondary schools. Semi structure interview guides was used. The results identify strategies that may be used to improve and develop the class community where students have a feeling of belonging and acceptance of each other. All informants agreed that building “a collective - we” or a good class fellowship is possible, but hard work. The combination of didactics and fellowship are used to build a safe community, in the class, at each level and for the whole school. Teachers and headteachers must bring focus on the “the collective we” into the professional community to gain a safe and secured environment for all students.
Guided by the social-ecological model, this study employed growth mixture models to examine (1) the trajectories of student perceived school-wide bullying, traditional bullying victimization and cyberbullying victimization aggregated at school level; and (2) the longitudinal impact of four domains of social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies, school level, ethnic diversity index, and school size, on these trajectories. Through the analysis of a four-year (2016-2020) longitudinal data collected from 142 schools (over 30,000 students) in the state of Delaware, United States, we found that school-wide bullying followed four growth trajectories: high-start-high-growth, moderate-start-high-growth, moderate-start-low-growth, and low-start-low-growth. Cyberbullying victimization showed two growth trajectories that include high-start-low-growth, and low-start-high-growth. Traditional bullying victimization showed a linear growth over four years. In terms of the longitudinal impact of SEL competencies, only social awareness negatively contributed to the growth of school-wide bullying. School levels and ethnic diversity index were also associated with certain growth trajectories for school-wide bullying and cyberbullying victimization. Findings supported the argument to treat cyberbullying victimization separately from the traditional bullying behavior and victimization, and findings also highlighted the importance of school-wide SEL interventions with the focus on social awareness to address bullying. Practical implications for school-wide efforts in bullying interventions and programming are discussed.
Experiencing bullying during the school years may produce lingering negative effects on peoples’ health, self-worth, and quality of life compared to those who were never bullied. These long-lasting consequences can perpetuate the impact of bullying on the individual. Further, ongoing bullying in a school classroom fosters social and mental dynamics that are likely to persist under the surface even after a successful intervention stops the manifest behavior, also for the whole school class. This not only suggests that anti-bullying initiatives alone may be inadequate in mitigating the potential consequences of bullying but also underscores the importance to follow-up students after bullying. Hence, some form of following-up actions is necessary, and these actions should take place in the class community.
The intervention carried out in this Single Case Experimental Designed study, focused on individual support for the previously bullied student in combination with actions taken to restructure negative social dynamics within the peer ecology, and reframing an inclusive class- culture to enable an appropriate re-socialization of the previously bullied student.
In this paper we will present results from systematic observation of quantitative and qualitative measures on interaction between the previous bullied child and the peers in five school classes (age 10-12 yo) in Norway. Preliminary analysis indicates promising results on the interaction between the previous bullied student and their peers. For practice this may have a great impact in the way we understand why and how we can take care of students and classrooms after bullying has been stopped.
Bullying in schools is universal and widespread problem with average of 20% of Estonian students suffering from victimization every year. KiVa Program was introduced in Estonian schools in 2013 as a comprehensive school-based initiative, encompassing KiVa lessons for students in grades 1-9. Additional support options for schools have been created to enhance the implementation quality. Schools have been closely followed through the years. This presentation aims to delineate the various implementation strategies and their correlation with observed changes in bullying and victimization prevalence.
A three-year cohort-longitudinal study was conducted from 2022 to 2024, encompassing 32 schools with a total of 10742 students. The study commenced with the implementation of the KiVa program and subsequently included an additional 117 schools that had already adopted the program, with a total of 37 391 students and 1010 staff members enrolled in 2024. In annual web-based student surveys, the prevalence of bullies and victims with the general items from the Olweus/Bully Victim Questionnaire was assessed. Program implementation data from student and annual staff surveys were included to describe the predictors for program success.
The changes in bullying and victimization rates in schools differed across age groups – KiVa effects appeared larger in younger Grades. Several aspects of program implementation dosage were related to reductions in victimization. The implementation fidelity of KiVa Program in schools needs to be supported to achieve expected results.
There is no federal law in the U.S. that directly addresses bullying. However, when bullying involves race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, disability, or religion, it may be considered harassment, which schools are legally required to address. In December 2010, the U.S. Department of Education created a framework highlighting key elements in state laws, policies, and regulations related to bullying. This framework outlined how schools were working to prevent and manage bullying cases. Over time, these state laws, policies, and regulations have evolved to include definitions of bullying, common characteristics targeted in bullying, and specific guidelines for school district policies. This review will use microcoding to understand the components of all 50 state bullying laws and regulations. The components of state bullying laws will be coded into seven categories: 1) definition, 2) a model policy, 3) teacher training, 4) documentation, 5) reporting, 6) investigation, and 7) protected classes. Statements within the policy specifically addressing or aligning with each of the seven critical components will be retained and sorted. The session will include discussion regarding how state policy impacts bullying involvement in schools.
The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) is one of the most widely researched and implemented interventions designed to reduce bullying among children and youth.
This presentation outlines the professional support given by OBPP in schools, to ensure teacher and staff have knowledge, skills and attitude to cope with bullying and bullying-prevention. We will highlight the importance of dialogue between researchers, advisors and practitioners. We will argue that the systematic approach in OBPP is the foundation of the professional support system for teachers, health care workers and social workers in the school support system in a whole-school-approach.
The OBPP is built on clear guidelines and systematic procedures that ensure staff in educational institutions can identify, prevent, and intervene in cases of bullying. The program aligns with national policies on bullying prevention and integrates recent findings from research on bullying and cyberbullying. By focusing on concrete examples, this presentation will demonstrate how research-based components can be effectively translated into everyday practice. We will demonstrate how some of the components OBPP is communicated and worked on by our staff-in-training, and how they use this in their professional practice.
Our contribution highlights how evidence-based programs like OBPP can bridge the gap between policy, research, and practice to create lasting change in educational environments.
Bullying in school contexts across countries is a layered and complex construct. While research on school bullying in India is scarce and influenced by its vast socio-cultural diversity; child legislation and schools are engaging with issues of fostering safe learning environments in more active ways. In this larger national narrative, we identify as a small yet culturally diverse school community in the South of India, having to navigate, architect and implement a range of child protection policies. The school offers an international and national academic curriculum.
The objective of this presentation is to highlight the role of social ecological frameworks with specific reference to the Whole Education Approach (WEA) in the development and implementation of an inclusive and sustainable anti-bullying policy. As recommended by UNESCO Scientific Committee, International Conference on School Bullying, 2020, the WEA attempts to go beyond a whole school approach and refers to a multi component and systemic approach to reduce violence and bullying in schools. The comprehensive lens that this approach offers, best aligns with our experience in constructing policy and process that is culturally relevant.
In sharing our journey, we hope to contribute to discussions that explore the critical intersection of positive school climate initiatives and robust child protection policies through examining key components of our policies.
The presentation underscores the need to acknowledge the relational contexts of bullying by leveraging active stakeholder involvement in nurturing supportive connections.
Furthermore, the presentation advocates for policies to be responsive in ways that are relevant to the community.
During 2019, 70 former and present students from the period 1970 - 2019 considered to take legal steps against the municipality because of their experiences of having been subjected to bullying. Several cases exploded in the media.
At this point politicians and school administrators sensed an urgent and radical need of change and decided to enforce a long-term school developmental project collaborating with the University of Stavanger.
Objectives:
Ensure a good and safe learning environment in kindergartens and schools without bullying or other kinds of violations
Engage the whole school and kindergarten community to raise awareness, build capacity, competence and the ability to sustain effective measures for solving and preventing bullying cases
Measures prioritized to early years and parents, children and supporting bodies are directly involved.
The municipality grounded their implementation strategies on the models for change and development from Fixen et al. (2019) and Fullan (2014), former experience and to be sensitive to the organizations and have right timing.
Project phases:
1. Partnership
Establishing the partnerships between politicians, administration, The University of Stavanger and practitioners
2. Preparatory
Meetings, establishing resources, motivational work etc.
3. The Learning environment Project
Institutional identity, good start, wellbeing, handling bullying, organizational development etc.
4. Sustainability
Developed and enrolled a locally customized quality assurance system.
As we speak schools and kindergartens experience considerable lower levels of bullying than the national average
Aim
This study presents a logic model to represent Abu Dhabi’s current anti-bullying initiatives in schools, mapping out resources, activities, and stakeholder roles to build a cohesive prevention framework.
Methodology
Using a mixed-methods approach, the model draws from a scoping review, a cross-sectional survey, 27 in-depth interviews, and three focus group discussions. The survey identified bullying prevalence, while interviews and discussions informed key inputs, outputs, outcomes, assumptions, and external factors influencing anti-bullying efforts.
Results
The model indicates a high prevalence of bullying, with significant cases of both physical and cyberbullying; only 25% of students report incidents to teachers. Inputs include legislative backing (Wadeema Law), support from government and international organizations (UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO), funding, trained staff, and ongoing data collection. Core activities involve awareness campaigns, staff training, curriculum integration, and data-driven evaluations. Outputs target heightened awareness and enhanced reporting, while long-term outcomes aim to reduce bullying, improve mental health, and ensure a safer school environment.
Implications
The model is grounded in assumptions that awareness, standardized policies, and parental involvement will improve reporting and intervention. It accounts for cultural and technological factors as potential influences, incorporating a feedback loop for ongoing refinement. This structured, collaborative model highlights Abu Dhabi’s commitment to establishing a non-violent school culture through comprehensive, evidence-based strategies, providing a replicable framework for other regions.
Hate speech (HS) is a global issue. The intentional expression of group-related derogation has become more widespread in recent years and potentially bears negative consequences for individuals, communities, and societies (Kansok-Dusche et al., 2023). After the internet, the school is a context where children and adolescents perpetrate and witness HS or become victims of it (Castellanos et al., 2023). However, schools also represent a suitable location to address HS incidents and to prevent future HS. To date, there is limited evidence on the availability, quality, and effectiveness of school-based programs to deal with HS.
This systematic review aims to compile a catalog of available school-based programs on HS that particularly target children and adolescents. Two independent reviewers evaluated the programs’ quality on a criteria-driven basis. The quality criteria combine perspectives from science (e.g., Nation et al., 2003) and secondary school teachers, and from students. The perspectives of the school practitioners were collected in qualitative interviews and focus group discussions. Two coders extracted the quality criteria using grounded theory methods.
Of the 27 programs identified, 25 originate from Europe. The presentation will provide an overview of the programs and their quality results. Recommendations will be given for program implementation in schools and for further program improvement.
The current study examines the buffering role of family strengths, such as parental competence and parent-youth time spent together, in the linkage between bullying victimization and internalizing problems of children with various types of disabilities. Data were derived from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health. The analytic sample included 5,080 participants who responded to all relevant items. Measures consisted of internalizing problems (dependent variable), bullying victimization (independent variable), types of family strength (moderator), types of disabilities (grouping variable), and covariates (age, sex, race, education level, marital status, and employment status). A latent class analysis was conducted to classify the types of disabilities and latent profile analysis was used to classify types of family strengths. bullying victimization was positively associated with internalizing problems. Moreover, children with all types of disabilities had the highest percentage of bullying victimization and internalizing problems compared to those with only one type of disability. Family strengths moderated the association between bullying victimization and internalizing problems among those with multiple types of disabilities. Findings suggest that family support can buffer the negative effects of bullying. Family-centered approaches are important, as strong family support can mitigate the adverse effects of bullying. Clinicians can work with families on how to strengthen bonds and improve communication, incorporating family therapy or parental training to better meet the adolescent’s needs. Schools and mental health professionals should collaborate to implement bullying prevention programs that consider the specific risks for students with disabilities.
Prior research shows that students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) are at higher risk of bullying involvement and negative outcomes when compared to peers without disabilities. However, limited research has examined the forms, frequencies, roles of involvement and associated outcomes of bullying involvement in this sample. To address these gaps, this study drew on the Social–Ecological Diathesis–Stress model to explore the profiles of bullying involvement that exist amongst students with SLD, and to what extent one’s bullying involvement profile is associated with mental health and school engagement outcomes.
A total of 221 students ages 7-18 in Special Education with a primary classification of SLD participated in this study. Participants completed survey items to assess bullying victimization, perpetration, school engagement, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. This study utilized Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to model bullying victimization and perpetration. Multiple linear regressions were performed to look at associations between bullying involvement and mental health and school engagement outcomes.
The four–profile solution was selected as the best fit solution. The four profiles were: 1) low–involvement group; 2) mildly involved group; 3) moderately/highly victimized group; and 4) moderately frequent bully/victims. The largest profiles were Profile 1 (low involvement) and Profile 4 (moderately frequent bully/victims). Results indicate negative effects on school engagement and internalizing and externalizing symptoms associated with higher bullying involvement. In particular, youth who engaged in perpetration and experienced victimization experienced the most negative outcomes, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to support subgroups of youth with SLD.
Bullying and victimization are global phenomena that occur in different contexts, even in catechetical gatherings of Greek Orthodox Church. There, children and adolescents from different backgrounds come together once a week to learn the values of the Orthodox faith. Even there, phenomena of bullying and victimization are evident. The present study implemented the socioemotional lessons of ViSC anti-bullying program, which have been enriched with texts from New Testament that highlight forgiveness and empathy. The goals are: (a) to examine if the phenomena of aggression, bullying and victimization could be reduced and (b) if social skills are enhanced in the catechetical school that implement the program.
The sample is consisted of 45 catechetical students between 11 and 17 years old (M=12.28, SD=1.86), 27 girls (60%). The participants were divided into two groups, where 25 catechetical students took part in the ViSC preventive program, while the remaining 20 students took part in the control group (no intervention). Self-report questionnaires were used for data collection, which were completed before and after the intervention by both groups.
The results showed that the students who received the spiritually enriched ViSC lessons, significantly reduced bullying, aggression and victimization behaviours and significantly increase their social skills in comparison with the students from the control group.
The enriching of anti-bullying program with spiritual values open new pathways within the ecclesiastical community and within other psycho-educational programs.
Studies indicate a significant association between bullying and school refusal in autistic students (Bitsika et al., 2020; Ochi et al., 2020). A recent systematic review identified bullying as the most frequently studied factor influencing school absenteeism and the most significant risk factor (Sasso & Sansour, 2024). However, previous studies used quantitative methods, relying on proxy surveys. This study shifts focus to the perspectives and experiences of autistic youth regarding their school absenteeism and the role of bullying.
Twenty interviews were conducted with autistic students in Germany (aged 7-20), all of whom had experienced school absenteeism. The grounded theory that emerged revealed bullying as a key causal factor. Crucially, it is not bullying itself but the response (or lack thereof) from adults, particularly teachers, that significantly affects absenteeism. The study also found that the lack of adequate adult intervention and support had a direct impact on the students' mental health, contributing to their decision to avoid school. Discrimination or inadequate support from adults directly led to absenteeism, with responses failing to meet the students' specific needs.
The findings highlight the importance of active intervention in stopping bullying and addressing the needs of autistic students to prevent absenteeism.
Bullying in schools remains a difficult problem to solve (e.g. Gaffney et al., 2019). Interventions are almost all developed by adults and, although mostly based on scientific research, they do not always do justice to what children consider bullying (e.g., Yabarra et al., 2019). This difference may be a major reason why existing approaches do not work well. The first aim of the current study was therefore to better understand children’s perspectives on (targeting) bullying. The second aim was to find out whether theater is a way to systematically gain insight into children's perspectives.
Theater sessions were held in three schools in the Netherlands. 65 children (grades 3 and 4) participated. They were asked to make-up a bullying scenario and to play it. The sessions had a fixed structure and were video recorded.
Scenarios were mostly about physical or verbal forms of bullying. The concept that bullying is intentional was represented, power imbalance and repetitiveness were not. Children showed clear disapproval of bullying and think that repressive measures work best to target bullying. Children found it difficult to play and to empathize with a role. Yet, they also indicated that playing helped them understand how another person might feel.
This research shows that (scientific) definitions and underlying assumptions about bullying are not fully reflected in children's perspectives. It also shows that theater can be used as a tool in research and interventions, but time need to be spent on learning children how to play and to empathize with roles.
Background/ Objective: The harmful effects of peer bullying are well-established, but bullying by teachers has received little attention. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that bullying by teachers is a serious problem comparable to bullying by peers and that an authoritative school climate (characterized by high disciplinary structure and high staff supportiveness of students) might mitigate its impact.
Methods/ Results: This study extended the limited previous research on teacher bullying in a sample of 200,000 Virginia (USA) high school students who completed a statewide survey with measures of school climate, bullying by peers and teachers, and suicidal thoughts and attempts, in the past year. Students were classified into four victim groups: no bullying (n = 182,503; 83%), peer bullying (n = 20,028; 9%), teacher bullying (n = 9,754; 4%), and dual bullying (n = 6,889; 3%). Approximately 9% of non-victims, 30% of peer victims, 22% of teacher victims, and 45% of dual victims reported suicidal ideation. A logistic regression model found that the odds of suicidal ideation for students with average perceptions of school climate were 3x greater for peer victims, 2x greater for teacher victims, and 5x greater for dual victims compared to non-victims. A positive school climate was associated with less suicide ideation among all victim groups. Additional analyses on suicide attempts, the measurement of school climate, and interaction effects will be presented.
Conclusions: Teacher bullying is a serious, pervasive problem that warrants more attention. Implications for practitioners and future research will be discussed.
Bullying continues to be a serious problem in schools, with evidence linking bullying involvement to adverse health effects in children and adolescents (e.g., Ossa et al., 2023). While numerous media reports and some research have linked bullying to suicide (e.g., Hinduja & Patchin, 2010), the magnitude of this relationship remains unknown. Accordingly, this meta-analytic study investigated the synthesis of the results of existing research on the association between bullying experiences and suicidality.
A total of 46 independent studies (185,694 students), spanning from 1970 and 2014 (to be updated for the final presentation), were included in this meta-analysis. Data were converted into odds ratios (ORs) and the weighted effect size estimate was computed for each of three different bullying involvement groups: (a) victimized, (b) bullying others, and (3) bully-victim (i.e., being both a bully and a victim).
Results from the random-effects model revealed a significant overall weighted effect size for victimization experiences, OR = 2.22, indicating that victims were twice more likely to report suicidal experiences than those not involved in bullying. Further, suicidal experiences were not only associated with being a victim, but also being a bully or bully-victim, whereby bully-victims appeared to be at the greatest risk for suicidality, OR = 2.31, p < .001.
Overall, findings suggested that students involved in school bullying, whether as victims, bullies, or bully-victims, were all at greater risk for suicidality compared to students who had not been involved in bullying; highlighting the pernicious influence of bullying on children’s health and lives.
SOS – is a three-year project funded by the Swedish Inheritance Fund, aimed ato provide children with support and protection in situations of bullying. As part of this initiative, we conducted a survey among children and adolescents.
The results indicate that those with experiences of bullying primarily seek assistance in improving their self-esteem, managing difficult emotions, and discussing their experiences.
Research shows that anxiety serves as both a risk factor for victimization and a consequence of having been victimized. Consequently, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focused on addressing anxiety and catastrophic thinking has proven to be beneficial.
Florida State University has developed a school-based program (Intervention for victimized youth) for students with experiences of bullying.Building on the Florida model, we have further developed our own CBT framework, which, while based on similar principles, specifically aims to address children's desires to discuss their experiences, learn to manage challenging thoughts and emotions, and enhance their self-esteem. We believe that this model will positively impact children who have been subjected to bullying and who experience increased suffering in their daily lives as a result.
In the autumn of 2024, we will pilot this model, which consists of ten modules centered around the child’s perspective, allowing them to influence how the treating psychologist guides the process. The CBT pilot will be conducted digitally, ensuring that all children have equal opportunities to participate, regardless of their geographical location.We intend to share further insights into the CBT model during WABF 2025.
Introduction: Humour plays an important role in school bullying (e.g., Burger, 2022), as bullies may use humour to maintain power (e.g., Søndergaard, 2018), whereas victims may use humour to cope (e.g., Nixon et al., 2020). This study investigated student perceptions of the overlap between humour and bullying roles, and how these overlaps relate to students’ coping strategies.
Methods: Canadian students in grades 5-7 (N = 312; age = 9 -13 years; 52% girls) from 14 classes completed self-report questionnaires on coping strategies (active, avoidance, distraction and support seeking) and peer nominations for bullying, victimization, and sense of humour. Jaccard indices through peer network analysis were calculated to determine the proportion of humorous students who were also bullies or victims in each class.
Results: Network analysis revealed that, on average, 55% of bullies and 45% of victims were perceived as being humorous. Further, students in classes with higher victim-humour overlap were less likely to use active coping (Est = -0.69, SE = 0.21, p = .001). However, there was no significant relationship between the degree of bully-humour overlap and students’ coping strategies. Although results did not show significant sex differences, we found unique patterns of the relationship between bully- or victim-humour overlaps and coping strategies within boy and girl subgroups.
Conclusions: Altogether, this research indicates that humour plays an important role in how victims of bullying cope with stress. These findings have implications for promoting more adaptive coping skills for bullying victims.
Cyberbullying, a major issue among teenagers, involves online violence repeated or sustained over time toward a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself (Smith et al., 2008). Often overlapping bullying, it leads to a hybrid social phenomenon with different bystander’s roles (Salmivalli, 2010). The upstanders defence or support victims, facing a complex dilemma about whether, how, and with what consequences to act. Though typically a minority, upstanders’ contributions are crucial (Sarmiento et al., 2019).
Methodology
This study uses qualitative methods to deepen the understanding of the upstander role in cyberbullying. Conducted with 25 Spanish youth (13 girls) aged 12-16 years, the study involves 3 focus groups and 6 communicative daily life stories.
Results
Upstander interventions are always courageous. Although research in this realm has looked for factors that are present in upstander persons, upstanders are more than single individuals acting alone or even in a group. The findings suggest upstanders usually have supportive relationships, access to resources and information and social norms based on solidarity and mutual aid. Meaning that the upstander own the needed social capital for carry out solidarity actions.
Conclusion
Upstanders are not extraordinary men and women, they are ordinary people carrying out extraordinary actions. But they need to be provided with enough support, resources, strategies and quality relationships to build their social capital, ease their dilemma and help the victims. Creating supportive and safe environment for both victims and upstanders prevents the latter from becoming the next victims and alleviates the suffering of the former.
While research traditionally emphasizes the role of school and family in fostering youth anti-bullying behavior, sports can also help youngsters develop social skills (Bisagno et al., 2024). In youth sports, a key environmental factor is the motivational climate initiated by coaches and peers (Atkins et al., 2015). A mastery climate, emphasizing commitment over performance (Duda et al., 2014), promotes task orientation and reduces antisocial behavior (Kavussanu et al., 2007) while a prevailing performance-oriented climate can lead to opposite outcomes. Despite evidence linking motivational climate with social behavior during competitions, its influence on anti-bullying behavior on- and off-field is less known. To address this, we studied 690 youth athletes aged 8 to 13 years old (332 girls, Mage: 11.00 ±1 .53) to examine links between coach- and peer-initiated motivational climate (mastery vs performance), individual motivational orientation (task vs ego), and youngsters’ anti-bullying behaviors and intentions to defend victims, also considering the type of sport (individual vs team).
Mediation analyses (R Core Team, 2024) showed that coach- and peer-initiated mastery climate was positively associated with anti-bullying behaviors and intentions to defend victims, both directly and through task orientation. Conversely, performance climate was indirectly and negatively associated with anti-bullying behaviors and intentions to defend victims via ego orientation. Multigroup analyses did not reveal differential associations between individual and team sports.
These results highlight the role of sport as an educational agency influencing youth’s anti-bullying behaviour on- and off-field and support the involvement of different social actors (coaches and peers) to achieve this result.
Cyber bystanders can choose from three different strategies during cyberbullying incidents (reinforcing behaviour, ignorance, and direct/indirect intervention) and these responses influence the outcome. Hence, cyber bystanders are specifically targeted by prevention programs and research investigating variables influencing bystander responses is crucial for such programs. The aim of our study was to explore which context makes cyberbullying incidents more severe and what are the most frequent bystander responses. We also aimed to learn how the context of cyberbullying incidents affects bystander responses and the last study aim was to investigate the joint effect of individual and contextual variables on bystander responses. In our online survey, 314 Hungarian high school students participated (age range= 14-20 years, mean age=16.15, SD=3,28). The respondents filled in self-administered questionnaires that measured cyber bystander responses, severity of different cyberbullying incidents (publicity, anonymity, type and victim response were altered across descriptions), empathy, moral disengagement, social desirability, and cyberbullying engagement. According to the results, respondents deemed public and visual cyberbullying, and when the victim was upset the most severe. In almost every condition, the two most likely bystander responses were ignorance and emotional support for the victim. At last, the individual and contextual variables had a joint effect influencing bystander responses except for emotional support that was only influenced by individual variables (empathy, moral disengagement, social desirability). All in all, our results suggest that cyberbullying prevention should focus on empathy training, decrease of moral disengagement, and education about the effects of online contextual variables.
Bullying is a highly prevalent phenomenon that can have an array of negative impacts on both victims and perpetrators' long-term health and wellbeing. Despite the widespread assumption that empathy should be a key target for anti-bullying interventions, research examining this relationship is surprisingly scarce, and the evidence base informing the implementation of empathy-focused interventions remains in its infancy. Our study examined how affective and cognitive empathy predict the status of victim, bully, and bully-victim, using data from the Stand Together trial. This is a longitudinal trial with data collected in 2021 and 2022 from 5167 primary school children aged 6-11 years, including measures of empathy, victimisation, and involvement in bullying. We conducted a secondary data analysis using propensity score matching and multinomial logistic regression to explore how children’s self-reported empathy towards victims of bullying at baseline predicted their role in bullying at one year follow-up. Consistent with existing literature, we found that low affective empathy was a significant predictor of bullying at follow-up (OR = 0.89, 95% CI [0.84, 0.95], p < .001), but so was low cognitive empathy (OR = 0.90, 95% CI [0.83, 0.98], p < .05. Surprisingly, we also found that both high affective (OR = 1.07, 95% CI [1.06, 1.10], p < .001) and cognitive (OR = 1.12, 95% CI [1.09,1.15], p < 0.001) empathy predicted later victimisation. We also discovered some evidence that high cognitive empathy is a predictor of a later status as a bully-victim (OR = 1.05, 95% CI [1.00,1.10], p < 0.05). The findings identify a new risk factor for peer victimisation. We discuss how these findings can inform the strategic integration of empathy training to enhance the effectiveness of bullying prevention efforts.
INTRODUCTION
Digital literacy is a potential factor influencing cyberbullying, though it is mostly studied at the individual level. While stronger digital skills can help students manage online risks and recognize harmful behaviour, reducing their risk of becoming cyber victims, increased online access and frequent use may raise the likelihood of cyberbullying. This study aims to explore the relationship between national-level digital skills in adults and cyberbullying involvement among adolescents.
METHODS
The analysis used nationally representative data from the Health Behaviour of School-Aged Children (HBSC) study across 27 EU member countries. Data collection was conducted in 2021/2022 among school-aged children aged 11-15, following the international protocol of the HBSC study. The overall sample size was N=152,693. We applied multilevel binary logistic regression models to assess the association between country-level indicators of basic digital skills and cyberbullying perpetration/victimization.
RESULTS
In addition to age and gender, national-level data on basic digital skills showed an association with cyberbullying involvement. Being male, older, and living in a country with higher basic digital skills was associated with a lower likelihood of cyber victimization. Conversely, being female, 11 years old (compared to 15), and living in a country with higher basic digital skills appeared to protect against cyberbullying perpetration.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that improving digital skills on a national level could help reduce both cyberbullying victimization and perpetration. Further research is needed to investigate the role of other macro-level factors (such as GDP) and the impact of different aspects of digital skills.
Theoretical background and objective of the study
Victimization during adolescence is associated with a range of mental health issues, including a heightened risk of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). While the social dynamics surrounding NSSI have been empathized, the direct relationship between NSSI onset and subsequent victimization remains unclear. Engaging in NSSI may evoke discomfort, fear, or misunderstanding among peers, potentially disrupting social dynamics, and attracting unwanted attention. This disruption may manifest as social isolation, peer rejection or stigmatization. Therefore, this study explored whether the onset of NSSI in adolescents is associated with an increased likelihood of victimization, shedding light on the potential directional relationship between NSSI and social challenges.
Methodology
Data on NSSI, victimization, and emotional and conduct problems were collected over one year from two community cohorts (mean age 14 at baseline): 2007–2008 (n=1070) and 2023–2024 (n=1063). Regression analyses, controlling for emotional and conduct difficulties, assessed whether NSSI onset predicted later victimization.
Results
The findings indicated that adolescents who reported the onset of NSSI experienced increased victimization. This pattern was consistent for both boys and girls in Cohort 1, and for boys only in Cohort 2, even after controlling for emotional and behavioral difficulties.
Conclusion
These results highlight the importance of considering the social repercussions of NSSI in adolescents. NSSI may increase vulnerability to victimization, potentially reinforcing a harmful cycle of social challenges and distress. Further research should investigate the mechanisms underlying this relationship to inform school-based strategies that support adolescents dealing with NSSI to reduce the risk of victimization.
Theoretical Background and Objective of the Study
When children describe unsafe places in school, certain areas are mentioned more frequently as sources of discomfort and fear. Research indicates that children who feel unsafe at school are more often subjected to bullying. For children who are already vulnerable or bullied, unsafe spaces can intensify feelings of insecurity. This study aims to explore experiences of unsafety in school spaces from children’s perspectives.
Methodology
This study is based on qualitative interviews carried out in 2024 with students in grades 4-9 in Swedish schools. The analysis, guided by grounded theory, centers on identifying and understanding specific spaces within schools where children report feeling unsafe.
Results
The school changing room emerged as a space where experiences of unsafety were common. Children described being subjected to exclusion, mockery, gazes, intrusive comments about their bodies, gossip, and the risk of being recorded while undressed. Initial analyses emphasize that the absence of supervising adults further exacerbating the feelings of vulnerability. The result also explores strategies children adapt to navigate the challenges of the changing room environment, which appear especially problematic for bullied children.
Conclusion with Implications for Practice
The compulsory education system requires children to spend a significant portion of their childhood in school environments. By expanding knowledge on children’s experiences of unsafety in specific school settings, this study aims to inform strategies that enhance security, reduce anxiety, and ultimately foster a more positive school experience for vulnerable or bullied children.
Participant role theory describes the designation of social roles and the use of contextually appropriate social scripts and provides a context for the
interpretation of a range of social and interpersonal issues, including bullying in the school setting. This study uses participant role theory to analyze
interpersonal engagements in a 10th grade class in a high school in central Israel. Data were drawn from ethnographic observations conducted by the first
author of the cohort over the course of a school year, together with in-depth semi-structured interviews with the students and teachers. The findings suggest
that students apply “role switching” (the flexible presentation of multiple social roles, depending on context) to negotiate the challenge of bullying in the
school setting. The study also assesses the influence of individual teachers on role switching, positing that a teacher’s relationship with individual students
can serve as a catalyst for role-switching in three specific circumstances: where the teacher–student relationship instigates bullying against a specific child;
where the teacher is a bully; and where a supportive relationship enables positive role-switching on the part of specific classroom actors. These findings
have theoretical and applied significance in both pre- and in-service training for teachers and school administrative staff
According to socio-ecological theories and analytical models, school bullying is a phenomenon both affecting and affected by factors from individual, family, peer, school and community contexts. A vast number of quantitative studies have investigated both impacts of different factors on bullying, as well as different forms of impacts of bullying on a variety of outcomes. However, the number of qualitative studies focusing on pupils’ own experiences with bullying is still disproportionately low. In this paper we will explore how victimized pupils relate school bullying, school well-being and school absence/presence, and what factors in and outside the school context are emphasized in their narratives. The empirical analyses are based on qualitative data, including a) digital chat conversations from two online help services for young people, (snakkommobbing.no [“talk about bullying”] and snakkompsyken.no [“talk about mental health”]), and b) semi-structured interviews with pupils having experienced negative spirals of bullying, decreased school well-being and school absence. With transnational trends of negative developments as regards bullying, school well-being and absenteeism, an important aim of the paper is to contribute with new insights into pupils’ experiences of how these challenges interconnect, and discuss implications for policy, practice and further research.
This workshop will explore the critical role of empathy and social-emotional learning (SEL) in addressing and preventing bullying in educational settings. As bullying continues to affect students’ mental health, academic performance, and overall well-being, developing a compassionate and emotionally intelligent school environment is essential. The session will introduce participants to the key components of SEL—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making—and how these competencies contribute to a culture of empathy.
Participants will learn how to integrate SEL into their daily interactions with students to foster emotional resilience, empathy, and conflict resolution. By focusing on cultivating emotional intelligence, educators can empower students to recognize the emotions of others, understand different perspectives, and build positive relationships, which can significantly reduce bullying behavior. This workshop will explore practical strategies, such as role-playing activities, classroom discussions starters, and peer mentoring projects. These activities will help educators create safe spaces for students to express their feelings and experiences.
The workshop will also address how empathy-based approaches can transform school climates by promoting inclusivity, kindness, and respect among students, with the goal of mitigating the harmful effects of bullying. Through case studies and interactive exercises, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how to implement empathy-driven SEL programs and create a supportive learning environment where all students feel valued and understood. This workshop is suitable for educators, school counselors, and administrators aiming to build healthier school communities.
INTRODUCTION
PDA Bullying presents the experience in implementing the Alert Level Assessment System, a model that responds to:
1)The need to organize a high volume of resources involved in deploying an effective and efficient interprofessional response strategy to the growing number of cases.
2)The importance of a shared model with interprofessional consensus that identifies, defines and classifies the different types of violence.
3)The moral and legal responsibility to respond to national and international laws that make us accountable for the protection of children and adolescents from a community level, making collaboration between different agents essential.
OBJECTIVE
We offer a practical workshop to understand the keys of early detection from a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach. We present the Alert Level Assessment System which provides a model with various practical tools that organize the different steps of this detection phase, helping to empower the different agents, assessment teams as well as in promoting the autonomy of children/young in the detection of violence.
METHODOLOGY
The Alert Level Assessment System will be presented with a practical methodology, using map pedagogy and set within the PDA framework (Prevention, Detection and Action), a model which provides solutions to act from the minute zero from a comprehensive response to violence.
CONCLUSION
The Alert Level Assessment System is a validated model which is being implemented by several institutions in Spain, bringing an interprofessional consensus that allows approaching bullying from a shared perspective, improving the application of existing protocols and validating good reference practices.
Schools in Stavanger have reported increased unrest and disruptive behavior among students. National reports show a rise in bullying and a decline in students’ motivation (Udir, 2024). School health services aim to explore the interconnection of these challenges and identify possible preventive strategies. The "Brain-friendly school" project is an interdisciplinary initiative where school health services and schools collaborate to create environments that improve mental health and learning. Inspired by the neurosequential model (www.neurosequential.com), which recognizes regulation and relationships as prerequisites for learning, the project ensures children’s biological needs are met through sensorimotor activities, positive relational experiences, and a supportive school structure. “Brain-friendly school" emphasizes bottom-up regulation, where you learn through sensorimotor and relational experiences, rather than being told what to do or not to do. These interventions aim to create a more inclusive environment, fostering a better understanding of challenging behaviors and helping more students thrive, and further reducing unrest, disruptive behavior and bullying.
In 2024, the project was introduced in three schools in Stavanger. The implementation included staff lessons, monthly meetings with school leadership, the appointment of school mentors and age-appropriate teaching for every grade level. Additional counselling was provided for select classes. In 2025, a research collaboration between Stavanger municipality and the University of Stavanger will investigate the impact of the project. The study will focus on students' perceptions of adult-child interactions and examine whether regular sensorimotor activities influence student engagement and level of stress. It will also explore the experiences of both students and teachers.
This workshop will equip educators and youth practitioners with a relatable understanding of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), its potential risks and harms, and effective strategies for mitigation. First, an empirical backdrop will be provided on the usage of different types of GenAI technologies. The workshop will then cover how this technology can be misused to facilitate cyberbullying, including harassment and cyberbullying through the creation and spread of harmful content; hate speech through the generation and propagation of biased, discriminatory content; deepfakes through the creation of realistic but fabricated images and videos; doxing through the collection and exposure of someone's personal information online; and the orchestration of mass harassment or false reporting campaigns. The workshop will also address how catfishing, sextortion, and identity theft can have serious consequences for young people and can be facilitated by GenAI's ability to create fake identities and generate manipulative content.
This workshop will then present practical strategies for various stakeholders, highlighting the importance of media literacy, critical consumption of online content, and recognizing signs of AI-generated harm. We will discuss platform accountability in detecting and labeling AI-generated content, verifying users, and restricting harmful outputs. This workshop will provide attendees with actionable takeaways and practical implementations to proactively address the emerging challenges of GenAI among youth. Finally, the workshop will provide updated, relevant resources for youth, parents, and educators to address GenAI harms and promote prosocial interactions and experiences online.
This workshop introduces innovative, arts-based methods including but not limited to PhotoVoice, Storytelling, and collaborative Zines to creatively engage youth in exploring and addressing (cyber)bullying. Grounded in the belief that young people are essential knowledge-holders, this workshop acknowledges the challenges of conducting research with youth - particularly in their digital lives. While capturing the diversity of their experiences, we demonstrate how creative methodologies can empower young people to express their lived experiences, unpack complex issues, and envision solutions. Drawing from experiences conducting (cyber)bullying research among youth in Denmark, Greece, Ireland, and Italy, this workshop equips educators, researchers, and practitioners with adaptable tools for fostering meaningful, youth-centred inquiry.
Participants will actively engage with creative techniques to elicit genuine insights and build trust with youth. This workshop aims to showcase how such methods can be used in distinct cross-disciplinary settings. We will discuss how to adapt art-based qualitative approaches to different cultural and social contexts and involve youth voices effectively in research and policy. The workshop aims to expand participants’ capacity to use creative methods as a powerful approach to uncovering and addressing the complex dynamics of (cyber)bullying among youth.
Ultimately, this workshop introduces alternative, complementary approaches that engage youth's creative imaginations. These methods offer additional pathways for youth to express information and experiences, enriching traditional research methods by enabling them to share insights they may, otherwise, find challenging to articulate.
The Department of Education in Ireland published Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying 2023-2027 on 1 December 2022.
Cineáltas, meaning Kindness, is dedicated to preventing and addressing bullying behaviour including, cyber bullying, racist bullying, gender identity bullying and sexual harassment, among other areas, in schools.
This presentation outlines how the Department of Education developed and is implementing Cineáltas.
The presentation will outline how UNESCO’s Whole Education Approach to preventing and addressing bullying and cyberbullying was used to develop Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying.
Cineáltas was informed by an extensive consultation process involving significant engagement with members of the education community, including children and young people, parents, school staff, education partners and members of the public.
The presentation will also discuss how the sixty-one actions contained in Cineáltas are being implemented and how implementation forms part of the Department of Education’s broader work to support wellbeing promotion in schools.
During a participatory research project on inclusion, in cooperation with pupils and teachers in an elementary school in Norway, we uncovered cyberbullying. We want to present how practitioners intervened based on the information they got during the research project. We also want to suggest possible proactive strategies, based on reflections that emerged through practitioner-researcher-cooperation.
According to Messiou (2019) it can be argued that pupils can become resources for change and the development of inclusive practices. Arnesen (2020) found examples of processes that pupils experience as including or excluding in their investigations into how pupils themselves experience school. Tangen (2022) emphasizes that children are important voices in research and argues that listening to pupils' voices promotes inclusion.
The starting point of the study was the following research question: How can pupils’ voices contribute to the design of a research project about inclusion in primary school?
While researching this question in a preparational meeting, a focus group interview, and two following up meetings with a group of five 6th graders, two central topics emerged: friendship and social media. It was during the dialogues with the pupils, teacher and researcher that cyberbullying was uncovered.
The objective of our contribution is to present our preliminary findings regarding social media and cyberbullying from the pupils’ perspectives. We also want to invite others to join us in our reflections on how one can intervene when cyberbullying occurs and what proactive strategies might be useful to prevent cyberbullying.
A practical workshop where you will get the chance to try two different “boxes” in how to combine a theoretical knowledge about bullying with different tasks on how to implement the Norwegian Education Act chapter XII and the Norwegian Kindergarten Act chapter VIII.
By using Escape room methodology, we give teachers in both kindergarten and schools a practical knowledge of how to full-fil the intention of the Education and Kindergarten Act ensuring giving all children and pupils a safe school environment.
By combining a theoretical and practical approach you’ll get tool on how to use a new pedagogic method / didactic. By working together under stress, you’ll hopefully learn how to handle situations when bullying occurs and become more aware of your role as a professional.
The workshop will be held in English and Norwegian. The different tasks/puzzles you have to solve in the “Escapebags” are all in Norwegian.
Further reading about the methodology:
Escape Room as Game-Based Learning Process: Causation - Effectuation Perspective https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/211327239.pdf
A brief history of serious games in Entertainment Computing and Serious Games (pp. 17-41)
Entertainment Computing and Serious Games: International GI-Dagstuhl Seminar 15283, Dagstuhl Castle, Germany, July 5-10, 2015, Revised Selected Papers | SpringerLink
Fagfornyelsen – en anledning til å tenke nytt om vurdering https://utdanningsforskning.no/artikler/2021/fagfornyelsen--en-anledning-til-a-tenke-nytt-om-vurdering/ (article in Norwegian)
During the workshop we will show the hand puppet and explain how to introduce it in the preschool classroom and how it can be used throughout the year in any situation.
'Chatbuddy Victor' is a package performance for preshoolers. The actor visits the kindergarten class and playfully explains how the hand puppet Victor can become their 'talking buddy'. They can share pleasant and less pleasant feelings. The hand puppet who has a hat on his head with a green-red spinning ball makes it very accesible for them to talk about their 4 basic feelings ' angry, sad, happy, scared'. Victor stays in the classroom after the short performance and will be given a prominent place. The A3 prints with the 4 basic feelings and the story collection 'sad and happy' (in kamishibai format) facilitate discussion and help develop social and emotional skills.
We explain how to use the puppet in any situation and give some examples. :
- when the teacher sees something they don't think it's ok, they can turn the puppets ball to red. Together with the class she/he will figure out how to make 'Victor' back to green. That way they solve their own problem.
- Children tell much more to the puppet than when the do to an adult.
- The puppet helps in discussing difficult situations: death, divorce, ilness etc.
In cooperation with KUL Leuven (university) and Prof. Colpain.
We are succesfull for 17 years in Belgium. www.schoolwithoutbullying.eu - www.schoolzonderpesten.be
Bias-based peer victimization (BBPV) occurs due to socially stigmatized or devalued characteristics including minoritized disability status, gender, racial/ethnic identity, national origin, sexual orientation, or body size. BBPV is pervasive, and researchers from different sociopolitical and cultural contexts have studied the correlates and effects of BBPV, yet many unknowns that may affect research on, prevention of, and intervention regarding BBPV have not been fully explored. We propose a timely workshop discussion about BBPV to catalyze future work by a global team of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. Moderators include Drs. Sevgi Bayram-Özdemir, Kelly Lynn Mulvey, Alaina Brenick, Helen Cahill, and Diana Meter, who conduct BBPV research in unique socio-political contexts.
Objectives:
• Attendees to leave with fresh ideas for how to tackle this complex and difficult issue
• Collaborative relationships between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers will be built
Outline:
• Moderator flash talks on current research and practice in this area
• Small group discussions:
o Is BBPV are globally universal?
o What can we learn from research in bias, prejudice, and discrimination that is missing from current perspectives of BBPV
o How do specific socio-political factors impact who is at risk for BBPV? How might these factors affect prevention and intervention efforts?
o What are promising prevention and intervention efforts?
o In what ways the underlying processes of BBPV are similar to or different from general victimization?
• Small groups report back and larger discussion will take place
• “Speed dating” to develop collaborations and keep the conversation going post conference
Start with a Video (3 min): Where we are asking different students from 14-18 years old → What makes students feel happy at school?
Introduction from the Norwegian Student Organization:
When students are seen as resources, Basis from R&D on Student Participation (FoU 214002 Elevmedvirkning)
Workshop (Group Discussions, Experience Sharing):
Plenary Summary
This workshop will detail the Australian eSafety Commissioner’s focus on prevention and early intervention via a unique initiative known as the Spotlight on Cyberbullying. Community awareness of children’s cyberbullying how to respond grew over the past year with reports to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner rising by 37 per cent. Marking the 2024 Bullying No Way: National week of action, eSafety launched the Spotlight on Cyberbullying, designed to promote a whole-school approach to cyberbullying prevention and response, and support educational decision makers to enhance online safety policies and practices.
The Spotlight on Cyberbullying was co-designed with members of eSafety’s National Online Safety Education Council (NOSEC) and prepared in collaboration with child wellbeing expert and Chief Behaviour Advisor, Professor Donna Cross. An evidence review of risk and protective factors, and effective interventions related to cyberbullying provided the evidence base for the Spotlight’s resource development.
eSafety’s Spotlight on Cyberbullying supports:
• educators to access teaching/learning activities and professional development resources to integrate cyberbullying awareness into online safety education programs and curriculum.
• parents/carers to receive practical advice on monitoring and supporting their children’s online activities.
• children and young people to access interactive content to learn about online safety and how to report incidents.
This workshop will lead participants through the steps involved in developing the Spotlight on Cyberbullying, share its core content, and present data on its uptake. Workshop participants will learn about eSafety’s work to empower individuals, families, and communities to be safer online
Peer defending, or actions taken to help victimized youth, continues to be an active field of research and a core component of many antibullying interventions. This symposium presents a collection of novel studies on peer defending, focused on the antecedents of defending, the strategies students use to intervene in bullying, and the consequences of being defended for victims. Together, our studies examine peer defending at multiple levels. Three of our studies discuss the antecedents of peer defending. One study investigates whether moral disengagement and defender self-efficacy (individual), and collective efficacy (classroom) were related to peer defending, unconcerned passive bystanding, and guilty passive bystanding. Another investigates whether the relationship between popularity and peer defending is influenced by social norms about dominance acquisition and gender. The third uses virtual-reality to investigate whether person-in-context factors influence if and how students defend. Two of our studies are focused on the outcomes of defending. One evaluates the efficacy of peer defending by comparing the strategies typically used by defenders (direct, indirect, both), their social dominance, social preference, and prosocial orientations. The other examines whether victims of bullying experience a within-person reduction in later victimization and changes in self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and loneliness. We will present novel research employing a variety of empirical methodologies (e.g., virtual reality, peer-nominations), conducted in both Europe and Canada, to examine the phenomenon of peer defending from multiple theoretical and practical orientations. This knowledge may contribute to the development of interventions aimed at reducing bullying by promoting peer defending in schools.
Teachers' reactions to bullying incidents significantly influence the occurrence of bullying in schools. Although there are many bullying prevention programs available, they are primarily student-oriented. Teachers are seldom taught the skills to intervene, recognize the negative consequences of bullying on mental health, and deal with it. When teachers are addressed in anti-bullying programs, there is a lack of evidence of the specific effectiveness of this component.
This symposium presents a research project that aims to investigate the additional effect of a teacher training course. The underlying premise of the study is that student-oriented bullying prevention and the promotion of teachers' responses to cases of bullying must go hand in hand.
Therefore, a cooperative, teacher-centered intervention approach against bullying was developed, the effect of which is to be investigated in a randomized, comparative control group design. A sample of 225 German teachers and around 4,000 students will be used to analyze the additional benefit of combining an established student-centered program with the new teacher training (intervention group) compared to a sole student-centered program (control group) and another waiting control group.
The first paper of the symposium will present the details of the study design of the project, whose field work will start in 2025, the second paper the new teacher training, and the third paper the used student-centered approach (Fairplayer.Manual). The fourth paper will present the first psychometric results of a revised version of the Handling Bullying Questionnaire, which is to be used in this project.
Integrated statement
With UNESCO's new bullying definition (2024) and updates to Norwegian education laws (2024), school professionals face new challenges. These changes, along with an increase in bullying reports from Norway’s annual student survey (Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, 2024), highlight the need for proactive solutions and a shift from “repair” to “prevention” in schools and kindergartens. Long-term collaborations between researchers and educators are now standard for school improvement and professional growth (Coburn & Penuel, 2016; Smith & O’Leary, 2015). Research–practice partnerships (RPPs) are promoted by scholars and policymakers, offering mutual benefits (Coburn et al., 2013). Partnerships between higher education institutions (HEIs) and schools can support development initiatives aimed at creating inclusive, community-oriented environments for children and youth. This symposium explores how HEI-school and kindergarten partnerships can foster inclusive practices in educational settings.
The Centre for Lifelong Learning (CeLL) at the University of Inland Norway has extensive experience bridging research and practice, especially through action based research and action learning. CeLL uses empirical insights to support practice development, showcased in various projects.
This symposium will feature four presentations from CeLL’s partnerships and a discussant, offering insights on how HEIs can support community-building and inclusive practices (Restad & Sandsmark, 2021) in line with new policies like the Norwegian Framework Plan (2017), LK20 curriculum (2020), and revised Education Act (2024).
This symposium’s theme is relevant across cultural contexts, offering timely strategies to foster inclusive educational environments. Join us to explore proactive approaches for building supportive, inclusive spaces for all learners.
Bias-based bullying affects a significant number of children and young people around the world (UNESCO, 2019). Teachers have a critical role in nurturing a safe and inclusive environment and preventing stigmatisation and oppression (Aguirre et al., 2021). However, we know relatively little about how teachers respond to bias-based bullying and how their practice can be enhanced. To address this gap in knowledge, this symposium brings together new international research from the disciplines of psychology and education to inform the development of more effective teacher responses to bias-based bullying.
The first paper explores teacher responses to racially motivated bullying in Scottish schools using interviews with teachers.
The second paper investigates teachers’ experiences and reactions to racist bullying among primary school pupils in the Netherlands. It also explores how racism is discussed in class to enhance children’s social safety.
The third paper examines the factors influencing teacher responses to incidents of ethnic victimisation in Swedish schools.
The fourth paper introduces the pedagogy of discomfort as a potentially useful tool for raising awareness about bias-based bullying in schools.
The fifth paper argues that teachers need a contextualized or embedded professional ethos to successfully address bias-based bullying and promote positive social relationships among students.
Together, the findings of these five papers contribute to our understanding of how teachers can respond more effectively to bias-based bullying and create more inclusive school environments.
This symposium explores the multifaceted dynamics of identity-based bullying and social safety, emphasizing the mental and physical health outcomes for bullied youth with various intersecting marginalized identities. The papers draw from varied samples and methods, including large-scale survey data, multilevel path analyses, and structural equation modeling, to unravel how school policies, social support, and social-cognitive factors shape youth resilience in the face of identity-based bullying.
The opening paper by Mayne and Craig introduces a strength-based lens, examining how social safety – through social connection, inclusion, and protection – may buffer bullied, gender diverse youth against adverse health outcomes. Farrell and colleagues further this discourse, highlighting the role of effective school policies targeting identity-based bullying and their impact on mental health. Gönültaş and colleagues extend these findings by focusing on social exclusion of refugee youth, revealing how bystander justice sensitivity can be shaped by theory of mind, encouraging positive bystander interventions.
Vitoroulis and Craig’s paper continues this centering of bias-based bullying affecting migrant adolescents, underscoring the protective role of family, friend, and teacher support in reducing health and school-related stress. Lastly, Exner-Cortens and colleagues shed light on the intersections of gender, race, and weight in identity-based bullying, revealing elevated risks among gender-diverse, racialized youth and urging the necessity for intersectional interventions.
Together, these papers illuminate protective social environments and cognitive competencies as critical in countering the detrimental impacts of identity-based bullying. We argue for holistic, multi-level support systems and underscore the importance of inclusive, well-implemented school policies in safeguarding marginalized youth.
Violence and threats in schools have garnered significant attention in recent years. The City of Oslo and the Education Agency have clear goals to ensure that all students and staff have safe and supportive learning and working environments. Four years ago, a comprehensive initiative was launched to prevent and manage bullying, violence, and threats in Oslo’s schools.
This document outlines how we operate from an overarching strategy based on knowledge and mandated frameworks, through practical systems and structures, to enhancing the competence of our schools in promoting safe school environments and addressing bullying, violence, and threats. This approach is grounded in a community-oriented perspective on bullying, the Education Act, LK20, and the importance of shared attitudes and views on students and learning.
The symposium includes the following sessions:
• Oslo municipality's and the Education Agency's superior plans and Overarching Guidelines
• The district levels support to Ensure Effective Systems and Increased Action Competence in Schools
• Perspectives from the Anti-bullying Ombudsman in Oslo
• The district levels School environment team
• Contributions from Schools
When bullying occurs, bystanders are often present. Encouraging peers to defend victims has been suggested as one promising solution to decrease bullying. Although much research has been devoted to characteristics of defenders, important questions remain regarding how the experience of victimization relates to defending and friendship formation, whether victims are actually better-off when they are defended, and how some individual characteristics interact to predict defending.
This symposium brings together researchers from Austria, Finland, Netherlands, Spain and South Korea to answer these questions. Using random-intercept-cross-lagged-panel models and four waves, Study 1 found that defending was not a risk factor for subsequent victimization, as there were no significant within-person associations between any of the three types of defending investigated and victimization. Using longitudinal social network analyses, Study 2 found that early adolescents tended to form friendships with peers who experienced similar levels of victimization (peer selection) and friends’ levels of victimization affected students’ own victimization (peer influence). This latter effect only occurred, however, in classrooms with a high sense of peer community. Study 3 uses a person-centered approach to reveal four profiles of victims differing both in levels of victimization and the extent to which they are defended and will examine how this affects their psychological adjustment. Study 4 uses a longitudinal design and multigroup analyses to show that higher levels of moral courage predicted engaging in defending behaviours, but this association was stronger for boys.
Professor Christina Salmivalli will discuss implications of these findings for anti-bullying intervention efforts.
Bullying is a complex social-relationships problem that exists within layers of interpersonal, group, institutional, and societal contexts: negatively impacting individual and community wellbeing far beyond individual school settings. This symposium acknowledges bullying as a pluralistic research discipline by bringing together four theoretically and methodologically diverse papers from three commonwealth countries. Employing lenses such as: (missed) opportunities to exert power; normalizing harm; and exploring power (over, to, and with) this symposium challenges thinking about proactive strategies and approaches to address bullying which are often only positioned within multi-tiered systems of support within school settings.
Green considers the evolution of bystander behavior: through highlighting the power of ‘silent socialization’ by parents and teachers: who, in video-studies of reading stories to children, rarely mentioned strategies to help victims. Using codesign methodologies to investigate socio-emotional spaces in schools, Lohmeyer considers the connection between loneliness and bullying. Employing Bourdieu’s notions of habitus, doxa and symbolic violence, he interrogates the impact of undesirable social connections on loneliness in young people. Green et al. in their systematic review of Australian literature (2014-2023), and web analyses of 563 prevention programs/approaches, found that few were evidence-based, and none specifically addressed/targeted bullying/cyberbullying of the most powerless/vulnerable: those in marginalized/equity groups. Pepler and colleagues reflect on abuse of power at the systemic level, challenging thinking around what “power over” means in the context of colonisation of Indigenous peoples. They developed a “Community Journey to Wellness” model to support communities to heal and recover from the harms of colonial abuses of power.
In 2021, additions to the Kindergarten Act were implemented in Norway, ensuring all children the right to a safe and sound kindergarten environment. According to this act, Norwegian Early Childhood Educational and Care Centers (ECECs) are mandated to systematically prevent bullying and social exclusion, including adopting a zero-tolerance for violations such as exclusion, bullying, violence, discrimination, and harassment. Although knowledge about bullying in this age group is limited, a growing body of research suggests that bullying does occur also between peers in ECEC and that experiencing bullying at an early age is associated with negative consequences later in life. Currently there are few evidence-based interventions directly targeting bullying among peers in ECECs. The Be-Prox program, developed for Swiss kindergartens to prevent and handle negative behavior and bullying has been adapted to the Norwegian context in a previous pilot study.
In close collaboration between two municipalities, research and educational institutions in Norway, this project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Be-Prox in a cluster randomized controlled trial, including evaluation of the process, implementation and cost-effectiveness analyses. If proven effective, Be-Prox can be offered to ECECs nationwide as evidence-based practice to prevent and handle negative behavior and bullying among peers in Norwegian ECECs.
Identity-based bullying, also known as bias-based and stigma-based bullying, is bullying that occurs due to a real or perceived social identity. Youth from equity-deserving communities, such as transgender and gender diverse youth, are more likely to experience both general bullying victimization as well as identity-based bullying victimization. Teachers play a critical role in addressing bullying in school contexts (Colpin et al, 2021). Teacher attitudes and interventions can be influenced by a variety of factors including individual characteristics such as gender and ethnicity (Fischer et al., 2021), how they perceive the bullying interaction, and school climate (Kollerova et al., 2021). This symposium consists of five papers representing research from four countries examining teacher, student and school factors related to responding to identity-based bullying. The research papers broadly investigate the school context (climate, diversity, socioeconomic status, teacher training and school support), teachers’ perceptions and characteristics (prior training, personal experience with harassment, gender, LGBTQ+, ethnical/cultural minority, ethnic/cultural similarity to students), and attitudes and how it influences their responses to identity-based bullying. In addition, effects of these teacher responses on student cognitions are addressed. The symposium has a developmental lens examining both preservice and inservice teachers, as well as their experiences in elementary and high school. The results of this research have implication for teacher training programs, as well as continued education for inservice teachers on create a safe, accepting and inclusive classrooms and schools.
Our symposium is dedicated to creating safe and inclusive environments for children in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). We will explore the pressing issues of bullying, harassment, and exclusion among children and toddlers in Norwegian ECEC settings. The symposium will feature four presenters and a discussant. Our research includes a comprehensive literature review, qualitative interviews, observations, and a broader study with various data sources, including quantitative investigations.
Ensuring safe environments for children is mandated by the Norwegian Kindergarten Act, Chapter VIII, enacted in 2021. Our literature review examines how different stakeholders in Norway perceive exclusion, bullying, and harassment. We investigate teachers' perspectives on exclusion among toddlers through an interview study. Through qualitative observations, we explore the ECEC staff's role in negative actions between toddlers. The included broader study consists of five work packages, exploring how promoting children’s well-being may be essential for supporting healthy development and could be a prerequisite for fostering good peer relations and inclusiveness among children.
This symposium aims to illuminate the complexities of early childhood social dynamics and provide evidence-based strategies for educators and policymakers to create positive and inclusive ECEC environments. Understanding these processes is critical, as they can impact children’s ability to thrive, play, learn, and develop during the early stages of their lives.
Cyberbullying is mainly addressed in intervention at the school level. Even if the large overlap between cyberbullying and traditional bullying justifies this approach, yet the literature indicates that interventions focusing on school are less effective when it comes to cyberbullying (Ttofi & Farrington, 2021). Therefore, other factors, besides the school ones, can play a role and need to be identified to be more effective in preventing and contrasting cyberbullying. This hypothesis is also in accordance with the self-determination theory, assuming that the family influences the psycho-physical and social development of children as autonomous and responsible agents (Heissel et al, 2018). Based on this background this symposium examines individual and family-related dimensions that can increase the risk of being involved in cyberbullying as perpetrator or victim. The first study explores profiles of Omani adolescents who can be victimized in traditional bullying and/or cyberbullying situations, while the second study examines moral disengagement and the problematic use of social media as risk factors for cyberbullying. The third study investigates parenting mediation in relation to the exposure to risks online (including cybervictimization) among adolescents with and without special educational needs. Also the fourth study focuses on parenting styles, examined as antecedents of perpetrating cyberbullying in interaction with individual social goals. The last study sheds light on a new family risk factor for cybervictimization: visual sharenting by parents. Altogether the five studies provide relevant implications for the intervention, indicating the need to develop new actions tailored on individuals and addressing the families, besides the school.
This presentation and workshop aim to address how we as a society sometimes can choose not to see or do something about exclusionary practices and bullying because it is part of a tradition, and how we through dialog and collaboration can change something you thought was unchangeable.
Through dialogue and collaborative exercises, participants will explore innovative ways to bring people together to make a change. This session will leverage a range of tools; including a specially created film, guided conversation tasks, and techniques for engaging with youth, parents, schools, community,and government. Designed for professionals working in education, youth services, and anti-bullying initiatives, this workshop offers a practical approach to fostering a more respectful and inclusive environment for young people.
Workshop elements:
1. Film screening and reflection: a newly produced film where three former russ (graduated students) shares their story of outsiderness and friendship, followed by a reflective discussion and invite personal insights
2. Interactive dialogue tasks: hands- on exercises and conversation starters designed to promote open, empathetic dialogue
3. Collaborative techniques for inclusive change: training in specific strategies and tools that have been effective in fostering inclusive discussions with youth, parents and other key actors
Goal:
The goal of this presentation and workshop is to equip professionals with practical tools and strategies to challenge exclusionary behaviors, and change traditions together with youths, adults, schools, society and government. Through dialogue and shared understanding we aim to build stronger inclusive school- and community cultures that prevent bullying and promote unity.
The ' respectme reward' is a unique programme in Scotland that sets out to test the relationship (policy gap) between anti-bullying policy and the daily practice being experienced by children and young people in schools and other organisations. The 'reward' acknowledges where adult interventions to prevent and respond to bullying by creating inclusive environments for learning and play can be directly correlated to the measurement of safety in schools which the young people report in real time. This validated self-assessment programme includes the collection of new data sets gathered from key stakeholders across the whole school/setting. Children, parents and staff ALL respond to surveys which are triangulated and analysed to inform the actions required to improve perceived areas of dissatisfaction. respectme acts as a ‘critical friend’, validates each organisation’s self-assessment, and provides a Certificate of Success together with a full consultancy report to the participants, outlining suggestions for improvement, based on the survey data gathered. Individual school/club practice is categorised across the themes of Prevention, Response and Inclusion, then shared at national level in Scotland to enable countrywide replication of good practice to improve the policy/practice dynamic and capture/capitalise on the excellent practice which makes life safer and happier for children. respectme has developed an intuitive, interactive and vibrant digital platform to take organisations through the process, at scale, step-by-step. 25 schools have gained their validation and can now evidence how their anti-bullying efforts directly relate to a sense of safety for the majority of children in their care.
Theoretical Background and Objective of the Study:
Bullying is a pervasive issue that affects students globally, leading to emotional distress, academic struggles, and long-term psychological effects. SForce, an initiative under Dreamland Education, is dedicated to fostering safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environments.
The primary objective is to equip students and counselors with tools to identify, prevent, and address bullying effectively, ensuring a supportive school culture.
Methodology:
SForce employs a multi-faceted approach, including educational workshops on anti-bullying strategies, weekly counseling services via Junior Anger Management Centers, peer education camps focusing on self-esteem and conflict resolution, and a recognition program honoring students as Anti-Bullying Heroes. Collaborations with schools and government agencies has strengthen the initiative’s reach and impact.
Results Obtained or Expected:
Since its virtual launch in 2020, SForce has impacted over 100 schools, offering support to students, particularly in the post-COVID era. The initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, specifically Target 4.a, promoting non-violent, inclusive, and effective learning environments. A school anti-bullying rally was held on 28th November, 2024with representatives from the Ministry of Health in attendance.
Conclusion and Implications for Practice:
A proactive, collaborative approach is essential in combating bullying. SForce is setting a precedent for safer educational spaces by promoting respect and inclusivity. This presentation will highlight SForce’s methodology, impact, and vision, emphasizing how collective efforts can create a bully-free educational environment. Participation in the World Anti-Bullying conference will expose students and counselors to global practices, enhancing long-term sustainability.
This proposal from UNESCO and Power of Zero is for a special session on the main stage that brings together expertise from practitioners across the world on school based solutions to cyberviolence. Our recommendation is a 45 minute dynamic panel discussion facilitated by Nicholas Carlisle, founder of the No Bully program, through question and answer followed by 15 minutes of questions from the floor. Our panelists come from Brazil, South Korea, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Frida Warg suggested we submit this here to get it into your system.
Cyberbullying is no longer an isolated phenomenon: it is part of a growing continuum of online violence affecting children and teenagers in all their diversity globally. As cyberviolence becomes increasingly normalized in youth culture, young people are asking their schools for support. However, education systems worldwide often lack the knowledge and resources to effectively address this complex issue - only 40% of countries have a policy, strategy or plan in this area. In addition, cyberbullying takes increasingly diverse, complex forms, deeply influenced by gender and other intersecting identities – which further complicates the task of equipping schools and educators with the right knowledge and skills.
This special session, facilitated by UNESCO and the Power of Zero, brings together voices from Latin America, Asia Pacific, Australia and Europe to explore the challenges and potential solutions for equipping schools to better support students facing cyberviolence.
Session Description: This session brings together some of the world’s leading anti-bullying organizations working at the grassroots level to share powerful insights from the frontlines of prevention. Sharing real-life experiences, practical strategies, and the impact of community-led education in schools, workplaces, and local communities.
Session Details : Participants will gain a deeper understanding of what bullying looks like today, how it's being addressed across diverse settings, and how lived experience and on-the-ground engagement are shaping more effective and inclusive responses.
In conversation with:
- Bodil Jenssen Houg (Ombudsperson for Children and Youth)
- Jon Halvdan Lenning (Anti-Bullying Ombud)
- Kaja Vintervold Asmyh (Anti-Bullying Ombud)
The restorative approach to conflict resolution is a comprehensive method for everyone in the school with the aim to create a better environment.The method focuses on building strong, inclusive communities driven by positivity and uses the same principles for both prevention and repairing relationships after a conflict has occurred.
In this workshop we will concentrate on the restorative classroom which is built upon the combination of three key elements:
1. Developing: Young people need the skills and confidence necessary to build and cultivate relationships.
2. Maintaining: Young people need a vocabulary to express their thoughts, feelings, and needs, they need to learn how to listen to the others point of views and to develop communication skills which enable them to maintain relationships.
3. Repairing: Young people need to learn effective strategies for addressing conflicts and challenges in constructive ways, leading to mutually acceptable outcomes.
The organizing encourages active participation. Through practical exercises and tangible tools, we will demonstrate how dialogue can foster safe and inclusive communities. The underlying philosophy, methods, and tools presented in this workshop are rooted in a restorative approach, combined with extensive experience in the field of education. This workshop is designed to equip participants with practical tools and exercises that promote dialogue, understanding, and community building.
Goals:
• Learn methods for creating good communication skills
• Learn techniques for establishing a safe space for sharing experiences and feelings.
• Acquire specific tools and exercises for managing conflicts and rebuilding relationships.
Trygg Læring (Safe Learning) focuses on providing both students and staff in schools with training in thinking, methods, and tools that contribute to a lasting culture of peace. The goal is to create a safe and inclusive community where bullying, violence, and racism have poor conditions.
A central element is what is referred to as the peer-to-peer mindset, where students are seen as a resource in school environment work. The organization has its own youth group, Trygg Læring Ung (Safe Learning Young).
The workshop will be led by instructors from Safe Learning Young. It focuses on the transformative power of the peer-to-peer approach in the school environment.
The young people leading the session will share their experiences in conducting courses and training for students. They will also model how they conduct training in conflict awareness, conflict communication, and building safe and inclusive communities. The methodology is based on "Learning by doing," with circles, play, and reflection as central elements.
Seeing students as a resource in the work of preventing – and restoring – conflicts means that:
• Students contribute to preventive efforts by conducting workshops with activities that stimulate and contribute to a positive community.
• Students mediate disagreements/minor conflicts among peers without adult/teacher intervention.
• Students participate in promoting positive attitudes and behavior.
As children increasingly engage in online spaces, equipping them with skills to navigate these environments safely and confidently is essential. While digital wellbeing efforts are often aimed at older students, Hector’s World focuses on primary-aged children (5-10 years) to build confidence, skills, and attitudes for positive online interactions. Cyberbullying poses unique challenges, affecting young people’s wellbeing, relationships, and self-esteem, with emerging research showing this behaviour occurring earlier, especially in gaming environments. Netsafe’s Hector’s World, initially launched in 2007, was reimagined in 2024 to provide children with age-appropriate tools to recognise, prevent, and respond to cyberbullying while fostering safe online behaviour.
The updated series includes seven bilingual episodes in English and te reo Māori, helping children develop resilience, discourage bystander behaviour, and create safe online spaces. Each episode presents relatable scenarios, empowering tamariki to make safe choices and build a culture of support among peers. Resources for teachers and families encourage discussions on digital safety and positive behaviour at school and home.
Through participatory design, Hector’s World engages children in resource development to ensure the content resonates with their online experiences. Netsafe’s approach combines cultural mindfulness with practical digital skills, supporting global bullying prevention efforts through positive digital citizenship.
Workshop Structure: Participants will:
Explore Hector’s World episodes to understand core themes,
Engage in hands-on activities simulating co-design with children,
Discuss practical applications for fostering digital resilience, and
Brainstorm ideas for adapting resources across diverse digital landscapes.
Participants will leave with adaptable strategies to enhance cyberbullying prevention and support safe online experiences.
Unesco’s revised definition of bullying as damaging social processes and unwanted interpersonal behaviour might be a step in the right direction. However, we see a serious lack in this definition that needs to be addressed. For example, focusing on unwanted interpersonal behaviour we will still reduce, alienate and victimise the children involved.
As we see it, bullying needs primarily to be understood as the absence of something wanted. We suggest shifting our focus from understanding bullying as the presence of damaging social processes and unwanted interpersonal behaviour, to an understanding of bullying as the absence of love-based and authentic actions and empathic equality. We address this as the practice of love, care, creativity, enhanced reflexivity and personal and communal conscientisation.
By help of Bhaskars philosophy of meta-reality, underlaboured by some of the care philosophers, we will show how we can build a new framework, understanding bullying on a deeper ontological level. This will include a love-based transformative didactic that has the potential to create a culture where bullying and related behaviours will not prevail. The framework also has the power to heal broken relationships when bullying and related behaviours occurs.
In the workshop we will use an experiential and dialogical based approach to explore together the significance of the new ontological understanding of bullying and anti-bullying, and a corresponding new practice that is both preventive and healing. We will work to enact the ethical responsibility we need to be an expression of when we work with children and young people.
The title “Nothing about us, without us” relies on the principle of participation and the focus on the active involvement of young people in the planning of research, strategies and policies on bullying that affects their lives.
With this in mind, the DCU Anti-Bullying Centre hosted a “World Cafe on Addressing Bullying Behaviour” working collaboratively with 60 young people, drawing on the World Café methodology to elicit children's views on solutions to bullying behaviour.
This methodology follows seven integrated design principles and is a simple, effective and flexible format for hosting group dialogue.
Our World Café on Addressing Bullying Behaviour used the following five of the seven components derived from the model:
1) Setting: Create a “special” environment.
2) Welcome and Introduction
3) Small-Group Rounds
4) Questions that Matter
5) Harvest Responses
Consultation with young people and involving them in decision making when it comes to bullying as part of the co-design process can help address children's empowerment at both an individual and collective level.
Through our World Café, the centre recognises the importance of a robust consultation process which encompasses meaningful engagement with children and young people on bullying behaviour. It is also a recognition of their rights to express their views and have their voices heard in decisions that directly affect them, in line with the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 12 in particular) and the strategic objectives of DCU Anti-Bullying Centre.
Oslo municipality’s education agency “Section for learning environment, inclusion, and diversity” supports the municipality’s 180 schools in their anti-bullying work.
In this workshop we will showcase how we support schools in effectively implementing the activity obligations outlined in the Education Act, Chapter 12-4. We have developed comprehensive support materials that schools can utilize to ensure compliance with legal requirements, thereby safeguarding students’ rights to a safe and positive school environment
By using the templates provided by Oslo Education Agency, schools will not only conduct thorough investigations into the school environment, but also meet the expectations of the county Governor. These investigations will encompass not just the immediate situation and involved students, but also the broader context of the student’s environment. Such comprehensive assessments are essential for developing a nuanced understanding of the situation, enabling schools to implement targeted and effective measures.
During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to examine the support materials provided by the Oslo Education Agency, including different types of investigations. They will explore how schools are currently addressing their obligations and engage in discussions about the various tools that can be employed during the investigative phase. Additionally, attendees will discuss which tools can be utilized in both the assessment and implementation processes, fostering a collaborative approach to enhancing school environments.
Join us to learn, share, and strengthen our collective efforts in creating safe and supportive educational spaces for all students.
Theoretical background
Youth worldwide is currently facing a mental health crisis (McGorry et al., 2024). One risk factor contributing to this poor mental health is bullying among peers (Li et al., 2024). Efforts to prevent and stop bullying and, thus, to buffer psychological distress, should be implemented in the school environment. Therefore, the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Heidelberg developed the school-based anti-bullying program Bullying&You. It uses a blended-intervention method (e.g., eLearning, class meetings, teacher trainings) addressing teachers, pupils, and their parents as a whole-school approach. The main objective is to evaluate the program’s effectiveness in reducing bullying and psychological distress.
Methods
In an RCT design, the 40 participating schools were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a waiting control group. Pupils in grades 3 and 4 (primary schools) and 5 to 9 (secondary schools) answer annual surveys on bullying and mental health over the course of two years (baseline, postline, follow-up). In addition, teachers complete short surveys (postline, follow-up) and eLearning data are assessed to monitor program implementation.
Results
Preliminary results after one year (baseline-postline) for secondary (at baseline: N=6,689; 48.75% girls; on average 12.73 years) and primary schools (at baseline: N=1,299; 48.81% girls; on average 8.86 years) will be presented. Besides the overall reduction of bullying and psychological distress, the effect of moderators (e.g. grade, program dose) are explored. Furthermore, challenges of school-based prevention work will be discussed.
Conclusions
Research-based anti-bullying programs are urgently needed. However, a systematic implementation often faces obstacles that call for larger scale actions.
School bullying occurs in a social context. Some children might perpetrate, assist or defend against bullying, but we need to consider their wider social bonds. Theories of homophily, peer learning and social identity suggest that children are like their friends, behave in similar ways, and protect their close friendships. The aim of this paper is to examine reciprocity and friendship quality in relation to bullying roles.
Participants were 286 children (age 7-11) attending four primary schools in England. They completed questionnaires about their friends, and friendship quality with their identified best friend. Children then completed a peer nomination activity for various bullying roles in their class.
Perpetrator and defender nominations were positively associated with number of friends. Perpetrator nominations were positively correlated with best friend nominations for perpetrator, assistant and bystander. Number of defender nominations was significantly different based on reciprocity of friendships, and children with fully reciprocated friendships reported higher levels of being defended. There was a positive association between friendship quality and self-reports of being defended. Most children who reported being defended were defended by their best friend, and there was higher friendship quality in children defended by their best friend.
Results show that children’s reciprocal friendships and friendship quality are aligned with their peer group roles. Perpetrators have friends who are often in shared or complementary roles, and defending is more likely within good quality reciprocal best friendships.
Implications for nurturing good quality reciprocal friendships as a way of increasing peer defending against bullying will be discussed.
Mainstream research on bullying and peer violence in schools has primarily focused on analyzing the roles of students, and narrowly searching for causes at the level of the perpetrators, their families, and schools. Recently, researchers have begun to address this issue from a broader perspective by incorporating social-ecological theory and explaining the causes of violence at various levels of the social system and their interrelationships and interconnections. From this perspective, violence in schools must be understood as the outcome of many sub-processes, forms of violence, and caused harm, which influence students, schools, parents, and communities embedded in social, political, economic, and cultural environments. These initial harms culminate in various forms of violence in schools, including bullying and peer violence. This paper aims to identify and deconstruct these sub-processes, forms of violence, and harms, and to determine at which level and how they (co)influence schools, teachers, students, and parents and what is their impact on bullying and peer violence in schools. Furthermore, we aim to explore how micro and meso structures (those close, near, reachable, and changeable) connected to, but not limited to, schools can be used to mitigate the effects of distal meso/macro structures on peer violence. We believe this can be achieved by applying the principles of constitutive criminology and replacement discourse, which not only deconstruct dominant discourses but also reconstruct alternative foundations with new conceptions, narratives, and meanings. Social structures should internalize replaced discourses and mutually reinforce their positions on non-violence.
Background: Social Dominance Orientation is a narrow personality trait that encompasses an individual’s tendency to accept and endorse group-based social hierarchies and the extent to which they desire their in-group to be superior to out-groups. Such attitudes about group hierarchies are often a prelude to discriminatory behaviour. Indeed, it has been argued that bullying is a form of social dominance orientation such that bullying behaviour coincides with negative attitudes about social groups in which the aggressors do not belong. However, researchers understanding of the role social dominance orientation plays in bullying is limited.
Methods: The systematic review searched through four databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PsycInfo and PsycArticles) to examine the peer-reviewed research on social dominance orientation and bullying behaviours. An initial 735 articles were retrieved. Following screening by two reviewers six articles were identified for the review.
Findings: The results found that there is limited empirical research that has investigated the role of social dominance orientation plays in bullying behaviour, and most of the research on this topic is a quantitative design. The limited findings suggest that SDO plays a role in bullying behaviours across a range of contexts.
Conclusions: The review addresses a critical gap in the literature by investigating what role social dominance orientation plays in bullying behaviour across all age groups globally. Given the role of this construct across a range of prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory behavious, it is important that research examines the relationship between these variables more comprehensively to inform policy and practice.
This qualitative study investigates how former bullying victims make sense of their most significant bullying experiences and how these experiences shaped their psychological adjustment. Guided by Attribution Theory (Weiner, 1985), this study explores two key questions: (1) How do former victims attribute causation to their bullying experiences? (2) How did these incidents impact their mental health and adjustment? The study aims to elevate the voices of Chinese American youth, to provide a focused understanding of their unique experiences with victimization and recovery.
Data were collected through 60-minute semi-structured interviews with seven young adults who reported bullying victimization as adolescents in Summer 2024. Interviews focused on participants’ attributions, adjustments, and perceived post-traumatic growth. Participants, selected based on survey responses indicating prior victimization and diverse attribution styles, represent a range of perspectives on how they have processed their bullying victimization experiences. All transcripts will be analyzed using MAXQDA.
Thematic analysis, guided by pattern-matching logic (Yin, 2018), is expected to reveal insights into how attribution styles are shaped and which factors—such as school climate, family and peer support, and media influences—impact the cognitive process of making sense of bullying. Attribution styles are anticipated to shape adjustment outcomes, with behavioral attribution potentially serving as a protective factor. Deductive and inductive coding will identify patterns linking attribution styles and adjustment.
Findings are expected to inform culturally responsive interventions by addressing both attribution styles and contextual influences, ultimately guiding school and clinical practices to support resilience and mental health recovery among Chinese American youth facing bullying.
Schools are required by law to be safe places for pupils to learn and develop as human beings, but it is well known that schools can be torn apart by bullying and harassment, and that far from every child feels safe at school.
This presentation is based on an ongoing large-scale study of what pupils say about what adults in school can do to help them feel safer at school. The data come from around 4000 open-ended responses to the annual Friends school survey, which was collected between 1 January 2020 and 1 October 2024 from students in grades 3-6 (i.e. 9-12 years old) in Swedish schools. The question was: 'Do you have any suggestions on what adults can do to make you feel safer at school? The responses were analysed using thematic analysis.
Although smaller proportions of respondents indicated that they already felt safe at school, that there was nothing adults could do, and/or that they did not know what could be done, the four most frequently recurring themes in the survey responses were: (1) wanting more adult presence during the school day, (2) wanting adults to be stricter and more active in dealing with ongoing bullying, (3) wanting adults to ask more about students' health and well-being and be more supportive, and (4) wanting adults to be more involved, for example by organising more break activities.
The results can provide important insights into what a large number of pupils think is important to make schools safer for pupils.
Bullying prevention remains a pervasive issue in schools today. In the U.S. approximately 20% of school-aged youth report high rates of peer-to-peer victimization, representing more than 5.6 million students. However, youth with social and communication skill difficulties or deficits tend to be disproportionately involved in bullying. Therefore, the current study identified, using the Social, Academic, & Emotional Behavior Risk Screener, we identified 55 students, in two rural middle schools, that were identified as “at-risk” in the social and/or emotional domains. Once identified, these 55 youth participated in a 10, 45 minute social and communication skill lessons, across 10 weeks in small groups (n 7 per group), which was facilitated by trained implementers. The social and communication skill lessons were adapted from the Social Skills Improvement System – Classwide Intervention Program. All participants completed pre/post surveys that evaluated bullying perpetration, victimization, physical aggress, school belonging, and peer social support. While data are still being cleaned and analyzed, preliminary results suggest a downward trend in bully perpetration, victimization, and physical aggression, and an upward trend in school belonging and peer social supports. Given these promising findings, several implications can be drawn. Most importantly, schools should considering using behavioral risk screeners to proactively identify youth with the greatest social and communicative needs and provide targeted programming to address these needs in an effort to reduce bullying among youth who are most at risk.
Theoretical Background and Objective of the Study
Although ethnic minority children living in poor urban communities are disproportionately exposed to violence, there is little known about their perceptions of violence and lived experiences in violence-embedded school and community. The objective of this study is to explore minority children's perceptions, victimized experiences, and perceived underlying risk and protective factors of violence (including bullying) that are associated with their socio-economic-cultural community context.
Methodology and Results
Using a series of focus group interviews with 27 children, this study found that most minority children were severely exposed to multiple forms of violence (e.g., shootings, murders, fist fights, bullying) every day in schools and neighborhoods. As a consequence, they were scared to go outside, worried of being victimized, and expressed anxiety about gun shootings in their community and nation. In addition, most children perceived violence exposure as a part of everyday normal life and depicted violent acts as an acceptable way of being cool or protecting themselves from aggressive peers and dangerous neighborhoods. In other words, they need to be ‘tough’ to protect themselves and promote the idea that "if someone hits you, you hit them back." Regarding multifaceted social determinants of violence, they identified various individual traits, dysfunctional family situations, peer/gang pressure and violent ridden community environments.
Conclusion
Children’s sophisticated recognition of the multifaceted risk and protective factors demonstrates their credibility and potential contributions to design a violence prevention program and suggests child-centered, community-based, and culturally competent violence reduction services in poor urban communities.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by differences in social communication, sensory processing, and repetitive patterns of behaviour. Approximately 1 in 65 pupils in primary and post-primary schools in Ireland are recognised as autistic, many of whom experience substantial challenges in navigating traditional learning environments and face barriers in accessing a quality education. A recent scoping review of the international literature on the school experiences of autistic pupils identified reports of bullying and masking as a key theme, particularly in secondary school (Lynam, Sweeney, Keenan, & McNally, 2024). In a large scale qualitative study of the school experiences of autistic children in Ireland, we interviewed 51 autistic pupils in primary and secondary schools about inclusion and education. While bullying was rarely explicitly named by children and young people, there were several instances of peer exclusion, and an absence of belonging in school. This was often connected to difficulties connecting with classmates and finding shared interests. In this paper we present a thematic analysis of instances of exclusion and bullying to identify ways in which schools can support autistic pupils around experiences of bullying. We also draw on our findings to highlight recommendations to prevent bullying of neurodivergent pupils in both primary and secondary schools.
Bullying prevention remains a central issue for K-12 schools. One approach to facilitate bullying prevention programming is to provide teachers with targeted professional development programming to increase self-efficacy, knowledge, and skills. The current study explores the distal effects an interactive teacher professional development for bullying prevention with a specific emphasis on youth with disabilities (Project DIAL) on student outcomes. Specifically, this study explored the pre/post reports of bullying involvement among youth with disabilities (i.e., with an Individualized Education Plan [IEP]) and youth identified as gifted and talented (i.e., with an Education Plan [EP]) whose teachers either received or did not receive the DIAL PD. The results indicated that students with a disability whose teachers completed the DIAL PD self-reported decreased bullying behaviors and increased prosocial behavior. Conversely, students with an EP whose teachers completed the DIAL PD, self-reported contradictory outcomes. While unexpected, this finding should be considered with caution. Specifically, the intervention (DIAL PD) the participants in this study received did not include information relating to students who are gifted, hence why the findings may be a result of natural fluctuations self-reporting at the beginning and the end of the school year for youth with EPs. Most importantly, this study clearly outlines the need for targeted and interactive professional development that is grounded in evidence-based practices for youth who are most at-risk for bullying involvement, including youth with disabilities. Furthermore, these professional development approaches should extend to other subgroups of youth, including those who identify as gifted and/or talented.
Introduction. The objective of this presentation is to describe a longitudinal study of the associations among school climate, mental health, and peer victimization. A systematic review of studies between 2000-2017 found quantitative and qualitative support for the association between school climate and mental health, but noted a need for longitudinal and contextual factors that may impact the relation. A search of the literature revealed few longitudinal studies, especially since COVID-related school closures. Peer victimization is a common experience that may impact both perceptions of school climate and mental health. Two research questions are posed. RQ1: What is the longitudinal association between school climate and mental health problems? RQ2: Does peer victimization moderate the longitudinal relation among school climate and mental health problems?
Method. The study included 641 racially and ethnically diverse students (age 11-18) from the U.S. Data were collected using self-report surveys during the Fall 2022, Fall 2023, and Fall 2024 semesters.
Conclusion. Cross-lag panel models were used to analyze the three waves of data. Greater mental health problems predicted more negative school climate across all waves and negative school climate predicted greater mental health risk from Time2 to Time 3. Peer victimization did not moderate the association between mental health and school climate. Risk of mental health problems predicts how a student feels about their school, regardless of if they are bullied a lot or a little. Their individual experiences with bullying do not override how mental health impacts perceptions of school climate.
References presented at the conference.
This paper presents the ‘Action’ developed during the final cycle of a Participatory Action Research (PAR) study exploring a socio-ecological approach to gender bullying at a co-educational private day and boarding school (Doyle and O’Brien, forthcoming). We constructed a knowledgebase by mapping human (students, teachers and support staff) intra-actions with different discourses, objects, materials, spaces, and time, to understand the normativity of gender expectations and its complex array of inclusions and exclusions (Ringrose & Rawlings, 2015).
PAR is a flexible and inclusive methodology recognising participant’s agency and contribution to knowledge. A key feature is the focus on ‘Action’ as a bridge between theoretical knowledge and its application to practice (O’Brien, et al., forthcoming).
Through a series of individual workshops with students, teachers, and support staff we explored the PAR findings using the gardening analogy ‘weed’ (stop doing), ‘feed’ (develop further), and ‘seed’ (new ideas/ways of working), in relation to gender bullying at the school.
Weed: Gender inequality in the curriculum; culture of ‘male’ ‘normalised’ behaviour; spaces including locker-rooms and classrooms as bullying ‘hotspots’.
Feed: Student’s social and emotional education; equality in sports; upstander mentality; positive teacher and staff role-models; larger presence of staff supervision in ‘hotspots’.
Seed: Staff professional development; gender equality plan for curriculum; building student’s agency; the bullying reporting processes.
An ‘Action Plan’ was developed to create a more inclusive/safer school environment. This incorporated a complex array of intra-actions, not only new roles but adjustments to curriculum (including sports), spaces (locker-rooms), objects (policies), discourse (workshops) and time (assemblies).
Banter represents a common interactional style characteristic of close relationships. Between friends banter can promote cohesion (Dynel, 2008) but behaviours often appear aggressive manifesting as reciprocal exchanges of insults and teases. A fine and subjective line exists between banter behaviours and bullying (Betts & Spenser, 2017) impacting their management in schools. This study explored UK teachers’ perceptions of banter versus bullying and the characteristics of banter. The final dataset comprised 884 (163 male, 715 female, 4 non-binary, 2 other) teachers (M age = 39.54, SD = 10.17). Participants provided definitions of banter and bullying and rated characteristics that may distinguish banter from bullying. Teachers’ conceptualisation of banter and bullying varied. Banter was regarded as jokes exchanged between friends with a shared understanding and no harm occurred. Bullying was characterised as repeated one-sided behaviours intended to harm with a possible power imbalance. A 2 (gender) x 4 (school type) x 7 (characteristic) mixed ANOVA, indicated variation in responses according to characteristic, F(5.105, 4272.892) = 314.227, p < .001, η2 = 2.73, and gender, F(1, 827) = 5.371, p = .021, η2 = 006. Intent was rated significantly higher than all the other characteristics and females showed significantly greater agreement when rating the characteristics than males. The results provide further evidence that banter can be distinguished from bullying and characteristics such as intent are important in this distinction. The findings have implications for how teachers manage, and support children to engage in appropriate, banter that promotes positive relationships.
What do adults pass by.
What is it we do not see? What is it we do not act upon?
A survey of employees practices in kindergarden and school to ensure children are safe and taken care of.
The purpose of the survey is not primarly to ask teachers to assess the children´s learning environment, but were the questions become A starting point for reflecting upon one´s own practise and especially the kindergarten´s and the school´s practice.
Perhaps most suitable for kindergarten, where one cannot expect children to report om how they are doing, and where they do not (yet) have many research tools.
The survey has been digitized and is now beeing tested. Feedback so far has been interest in trying it out, and that it has made sense.
Background: Cybervictimization and past bullying experiences have been associated with adverse mental health outcomes among youth. While traditional bullying has well-documented long-term psychological effects, the role of cybervictimization remains less clear.
Aim: This study examines the independent and interactive effects of cybervictimization and past bullying experiences on youth’s mental health.
Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted among 500 Jordanian youth. Participants completed an online survey containing validated measures assessing cybervictimization, past bullying experiences, and mental distress. Logistic regression was conducted to explore the relationship between mental distress and the predictors: past bullying experiences (PE), cybervictimization (CV), and their interaction.
Results: Past bullying experiences significantly predicted mental distress (OR = 1.048, p = 0.007), with each additional bullying experience increasing the likelihood of distress by 4.8%. Cybervictimization, however, was not a significant predictor (p = 0.198), nor was the interaction between past bullying and cybervictimization (p = 0.304). Female students were three times more likely to report mental distress compared to males (OR = 3.03, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The findings highlight the enduring psychological impact of past bullying experiences on youth. These results underscore the need for targeted interventions addressing childhood bullying experiences to mitigate their long-term effects on mental health.
While researchers have pointed to particular ‘hot spots’ for school bullying, such as playgrounds, hallways, and changing rooms (e.g., Vaillancourt et al., 2010), relatively little is known about how the design and management of the school-built environment influences the relational issues that occur within schools (e.g., Francis et al., 2022). Taking a generational perspective to school bullying (e.g., Horton, 2016), this paper investigates how the construction and design of school spaces impacts its occurrence, and more specifically how school bullying relates to the generational organisation of schooling. The findings stem from an ongoing qualitative research project investigating the relations between school bullying, spatiality, and the school-built environment. The project is based on situation plans, floor plans, photography, observations of breaktimes, and semi-structured interviews with school principals, caretakers, safety teams, teachers, and pupils (aged 5-19) at nine schools in one Swedish province, as well as architects and builders with experience of designing and building schools. The findings presented in this paper point to certain spaces as ‘hot spots’ for bullying precisely because of how their geographical design brings different generations of students into conflict with one another over the use of those spaces. The findings suggest that rethinking the design and organisation of these spaces could significantly impact bullying prevalence and reduce younger students’ experiences of generational insecurity. This has important implications for the focus of antibullying initiatives that have hitherto tended to focus on relational and organisational factors without adequately accounting for issues of spatiality and school design.
This presentation investigates the associations among the five bullying participant role behaviors (Salmivalli et al., 1999) and ODRs in relation to TSR in middle school students. Prior research has found a positive association between behavioral risk and ODRs (Gallagher et al., 2019); however, less research has examined the association between bullying role behaviors and ODRs. Perpetration and defending behaviors have shown to be positively associated with more ODRs, while assisting and victimization behaviors were not associated with ODRs (Kelly et al., 2022).
Positive relationships between students and teachers are associated with positive behavior (Melkman, 2024). Perpetrators and victims have poorer relationships with their teachers, affecting their bullying behavior (Wang et al., 2015). It is plausible that TSRs moderate the association between bully participant behaviors and ODRs (Gallagher et al., 2019). The presentation will present results examining the association between bullying role behaviors, student perceptions of TSRs, and ODRs.
Data were collected through a Qualtrics survey from sixth through eighth grade students in the U.S. (N = 1175, 49.2% girls). Participants reported bullying role behaviors and TSRs; ODRs (i.e., attendance, delinquent, aggressive, and disrespectful; Girvan et al., 2021) were provided from student records. Preliminary regression models showed bullying and victimization were negatively associated and assistant and defending behaviors were positively associated with TSRs. Bullying participant role behaviors were significantly associated with all ODRs except for disrespect. Analyses will investigate the moderation of TSR between bullying role behaviors and ODRs. The implications will be discussed at the presentation.
Goals of the presentation
The PISA team's presentation at WABF 2025 has two main objectives:
1. Share comparative-international insights on bullying based on PISA data collected in 80 countries between 2015 and 2022.
2. Engage participants in a constructive discussion about ways to improve PISA’s data collection on bullying in 2029. Particular focus will be placed on cyberbullying, which is of growing interest for PISA-participating countries.
Bullying in Comparative Perspective: PISA data and insights
Since 2015, PISA has been collecting data on bullying among 15-year-olds at school, updating these findings in 2018 and 2022. The data reveals that bullying is prevalent globally, with significant differences across countries:
• On average across OECD countries, 20% of students reported being bullied at least a few times a month (2022).
• In all PISA-participating countries, verbal and relational bullying (e.g. making fun of other students, spreading nasty rumours) is more common than physical bullying (e.g. hitting or pushing other students around, taking away or destroying things that belong to other students).
• There are large differences in prevalence across countries. For example, in Jamaica* and the Philippines over 10% of students reported that they were threatened by other students at least a few times a month, while in Japan and Korea only 1% of students reported being threatened.
PISA data underscores the negative impact of bullying on academic achievement, revealing that schools with high bullying rates (over 10% of students frequently bullied) score significantly lower in science compared to schools with low rates of bullying (under 5%). This suggests a cyclical relationship between bullying, school disengagement, and underperformance.
How PISA Could Expand Its Data Collection on Bullying
Cyberbullying has emerged as a major concern for education systems, and PISA is exploring ways to include this dimension in the 2029 data collection. While no direct measures of cyberbullying exist in the main PISA survey, the optional ICT questionnaire in 2022 touched upon the issue by asking students about:
• "Receiving unkind, vulgar, or offensive messages, comments, or videos."
• "Having information about themselves publicly displayed online without consent."
These items, or refined versions, may be included in PISA 2029. Additionally, the survey may address new dimensions such as:
• Aggressors and perpetrators: Understanding the characteristics of students who bully or cyberbully others.
• Bystanders: Exploring the role of observers in bullying or cyberbullying incidents.
Expanding these measures would provide deeper insights into the prevalence and characteristics of bullying, as well as inform strategies for prevention and intervention.
Bullying can take direct or indirect forms, and can involve targeting a person’s belongings by stealing, hiding, damaging, or destroying them (e.g. UNESCO, 2020). In previous research, this form of bullying has been categorised as both direct and indirect (e.g. Maunder et al., 2010; Rodríguez et al., 2008). While recognised as common and often included in surveys on bullying prevalence (e.g. Thornton et al., 2024), there has been little detailed exploration of how this form of bullying is experienced.
This study addresses this knowledge gap by examining the narratives of seven individuals from Sweden and Finland who encountered this type of bullying at school. These narratives are part of a larger dataset consisting of 518 first-person written accounts of bullying. The narratives were analysed using theoretical thematic analysis, drawing on the concepts of performativity (Butler, 1990) and posthuman performativity (Barad, 2007), and focusing on ‘small stories’ that illustrate bullying directed at belongings.
The results highlight that those targeted often experienced heightened alertness and a need to be constantly vigilant to ensure the safety of their belongings, and that this restricted their autonomy by limiting their freedom and sense of security. Additionally, using their personal items to bullying them served to not only impact their self-esteem, but also their identity, as the belongings became extended victims in the bullying situations.
The findings underscore the need for educators to recognise the severity of property-related bullying, and to understand how such actions can profoundly affect an individual’s sense of security and belonging.
The Nordic Anti-Bullying Network (NABO) is a collaborative initiative uniting organizations from the Nordic and Baltic countries with a shared mission to prevent and combat bullying. Established to foster stronger regional partnerships, NABO provides a platform for members to exchange best practices, delve into research, and develop joint projects. The network’s activities are guided by the principle of finding common ground to create impactful, evidence-based solutions that address bullying across diverse contexts.
NABO’s operations are structured around regular engagement: members convene virtually three to four times a year and meet in person annually to strengthen connections and facilitate in-depth discussions. These gatherings serve as opportunities for members to share insights from their daily work, discuss emerging trends, and explore new research findings. Moreover, NABO members collaborate to develop initiatives and can jointly apply for funding to support activities that align with the network’s objectives.
This presentation will detail NABO’s framework and the value of a regional approach to anti-bullying efforts. Examples of projects and shared practices will be highlighted. By prioritizing collaboration and leveraging regional strengths, NABO demonstrates the potential of united efforts in creating safer environments for children and young people. This session will allow for interested actors in the Nordic-Baltic region to ask questions and to explore their possibilities in joining NABO.
NABO exemplifies the power of collaboration in addressing a critical global challenge, providing a good example for sustainable action against bullying.
The aim of this study is to highlight the voice of the children and show how they experience peer rejection in ECECs by exploring their phenomenological expressions about how these experiences affect them emotionally. Based on the perspective that peer rejection is a characteristic of the peer group social norms, and it is characterized by thwarting the individual’s vital need to belong and be recognized, adopted from the theoretical approaches from The need-to-belong theory (Baumeister & Leary, 1995) and Søndergaard’s social approach about mechanisms that culminate in bullying, the study explore the children’s expression’s of emotional stress in light of MacDonald & Leary (2005) term of social pain. The data were collected through video-recorded interviews with children between 3.5 and 6 years old and analysed within a phenomenological hermeneutical approach to examine the structures of their experiences. The findings reveal that the peer rejections are experienced as stressful and emotionally painful events, which affect the children’s emotional state and impact their social self-perception. Emotions such as anxiety, sadness, anger and hurt feelings seem to be responses to the rejection experiences, whereupon feeling unappreciated and inadequate are some of the self-perceptions that these devaluing events caused. These findings indicate that peer rejections do address a fundamental psychological condition: the deprivation of a sense of belonging and a relational devaluation, and must be prevented in the ECEC through a pedagogical practice promoting inclusion in children's free-play.
Theoretical Background and Study Objective: Bullying is a severe public health issue involving not only children and adolescents but also adults, who play a key role in addressing it. Traditional methods often need to be revised due to social desirability biases and difficulties in age-based comparability. Visual attention, however, represents an implicit and objective measure, allowing researchers to bypass these challenges. This study uses eye-tracking to investigate how children, adolescents, and adults allocate attention across roles when observing bullying scenarios.
Methodology: The sample involved 232 Italian participants across three age groups: primary school students (n = 68, 29%), middle school students (n = 88, 38%), and adults (n = 76, 33%). While their gaze was tracked, participants watched six drawings of physical and relational bullying. Four mixed ANOVAs were conducted, assessing two attentional indices: total fixation duration and fixation count.
Results: Significant interaction effects were observed across all ANOVAs (physical bullying: fixation duration, p = .008; fixation count, p < .001; relational bullying: fixation duration, p = .01; fixation count, p = .03). While children and adolescents primarily focused on the bully and victim, adults showed a broader distribution of attention, dedicating more focus to the defender role.
Conclusion and Implications: Encouraging younger individuals to recognize multiple roles in bullying can promote empathy and social awareness. Adults’ broader perspectives can enhance mentoring efforts, supporting a comprehensive approach to addressing bullying across age groups.
In tackling the widespread problem of bullying victimisation, researchers have acknowledged the value of focusing on changing bullying-related beliefs and using peer-based interventions. Cross-age tutoring and co-operative group work have been shown to help student tutors and tutees acquire academic and non-academic skills and knowledge. A novel intervention (Cross-Age Teaching Zone, CATZ) that combined them has reported positive effectiveness across a number of bullying domains. The present study assessed the social validity of the CATZ anti-bullying intervention among a sample of 9–15-year-olds in a pre-post experimental design (N = 817, of which 546 experienced CATZ). Overall, participants expressed moderately positive views of the CATZ anti-bullying intervention, and these became significantly stronger following direct experience of it. Among participants who experienced the CATZ anti-bullying intervention, social validity ratings predicted a greater willingness to engage in it in the future. Alongside the extant data for its effectiveness, our findings support the wider use of the CATZ anti-bullying intervention in schools, and suggestions for how this might be brought about are discussed.
Childrens right to a safe and healthy psychosocial environment in ECEC protected from psychological harms such as exclusion, discrimination and bullying, was enshrined in the Norwegian Kindergarten Act (11.12.2020). A legal obligation that requires continuous knowledge of children's well-being and their lifeworld experiences in ECEC.
Children’s’ voices are, in this case, important sources in developing knowledge about how to create equal dialogues for sharing, listening and empowering the children’s voices, and what qualities the practitioner’s should have to achieve this. The aim of this presentation is to highlight the voice of the children and their perceptions about the role of the practitioners to empower their voice and subjective expressiveness.
From a study in an ECEC practicing dialogues to ensure children’s participating and well-being, the empirical findings from video-recorded interviews with 24 children show that the children enjoyed to talk about feelings and experiences, and appreciated this space to express their views about their social life in ECEC. The findings do also reveal that the children perceive the practitioner’s mood, intentions and attitudes through their presence and communication, and that this did impact on the dialogues intersubjectivity and the children’s personal expressiveness. Sharing experiences, feelings and views is largely an activity that is self-determined and situational conditioned, and prerequisites interpersonal conditions as respect, volition, and intersubjective participation. These findings substantiate the importance of the practitioner’s competence, as well as listening skills, responsiveness, and self-reflexivity, as an important foundation in empowering children’s voices and subjectivity in dialogues.
Relational victimization, both direct and indirect, is linked to various coping strategies and attachment styles in children. Attachment theory suggests that securely attached children are more likely to use adaptive coping strategies, while insecurely attached may rely on maladaptive strategies. This study explores how attachment styles and coping strategies relate to experiences of relational victimization in elementary school students. The 330 participating elementary school students completed self-report questionnaires assessing relational victimization, attachment style, and coping strategies. Insecurely attached children scored higher on resignation. Victims of relational aggression had higher scores in rumination, but lower scores in minimization, maladaptive coping, passive avoidance, resignation, and aggression compared to their non-victimized peers. The regression analyses indicated that securely attached children were more likely to be relationally victimized and resignation and aggression were significant negative predictors of (overall) relational victimization. When types of relational victimization were examined separately, results showed secure attachment, low resignation and low aggression as significant predictors of indirect relational victimization and only secure attachment and low resignation as predictors of direct relational victimization. The study’s unexpected results suggest that secure attachment may not offer protection against relational victimization. The lower use of coping strategies traditionally characterized as ‘maladaptive’ among victims, such as resignation or avoidance, may contribute to the escalation of relational victimization, since they may remain actively involved in the social conflict. Since the effectiveness of coping strategies can vary depending on the situation, interventions could equip children with other skills to navigate peer relationships.
Abstract: Children have many needs that they depend on us adults to meet: These include social and emotional needs, the need for safety, and the need to learn. In schools, the time of children and adults alike is overwhelmingly ear-marked the meeting of just one of children's needs: their need for learning. Children, however, have many more needs that they need help from adults to meet, including the need for protection, belonging, and recognition. Bullying, I argue, must be understood against the backdrop of schools being organized such that adults have scant time to identify and meet children's needs, leaving many children to fend for themselves. I show how we gain insights into bullying from research on mafia-formation in failed states – including insights into what it takes to stop it.
Ole Martin Moen is a former school teacher and secondary school chairman. He holds a PhD in philosophy and is now professor of healthcare ethics at Oslo Metropolitian University. In 2023, he published a book in Norwegian on child maltreatment in schools, Skolens omsorgssvikt. The book is praised by professor Kari Killén – former President of The International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect – as "a brave work that should be read by everyone who is engaged in ensuring that children in schools have their basic needs met."
Summary
The Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket) provides materials in various forms, to support in-service training of the staff, professional learning and school development.
In 2022 Skolverket published a literature review about how to prevent bullying, harassment and abusive treatment. It summarizes the results of national and international research, in a context of how the Swedish education act, other legislation and curriculum state how to act for equal treatment by promotion, prevention and taking action. The literature review has a clear focus on the target groups and written in an easily accessible language.
Swedish Schools should promote a resilient democracy by teaching values, attitudes, skills and knowledge for an active citizenship in a safe inclusive school climate. Democracy Step by Step is a model for a systematic whole school approach on education for democracy in both formal and non-formal education. The Norwegian DEMBRA and Council of Europe´s Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture has been a benchmark for the Swedish model.
Purpose
Showing one possible way how policy making and supporting professionals can be done from the national level and demonstrate a model for a systematic whole school approach on education for democracy.
Expectations
An opportunity for a conversation about how the knowledge, from research and proven experience, will be available and used at an organizing and classroom level in the school system. And also chance to demonstrate and spread a tool for systematic whole-school-approach on education for and through democracy.
The Power and Love Project aim at improving the classroom community and give schools a positive and sustainable boost, and is a collaborative project between Viking football, SLB and Centre for Learning Environment.
The project consists of four phases, where the first phase is a school visit of thirty 5-7th grade classrooms throughout the Stavanger region. The goal for this visit is to inform the students about the project and highlight the power of being part of a team and a workplace where each other's strengths are utilized. All classrooms are given a reward board where good actions in different categories are rewarded with footballs. A full board with footballs will take the class to the next phase of the project.
The second phase aim to strengthen the student’s teamwork and social skills. The classes are invited to SR-bank arena (Viking’s home ground) where they will be given tasks from SLB to help promote community and cooperation abilities? The goal is to contribute to spark interest in school through practical learning from working life and industry.
In third phase football players will visit the class. Through a football-based methodology, we want to make every student aware of their own superpower, to strengthen their team affiliation.
In fourth phase of the project 600 participating students, with their families are invited to SR-Bank arena to celebrate their participation in the project with a mini tournament and being a “Viking player for one day”.
Evaluation and experiences from the project will be presented.
Hello.
My name is Anki.
I am a teacher and a Leadership coordinator at Hoppensprett elementary, middle and junior highscool at Brårud, 62 kilometers from Oslo.
I also work as a scoolbook author for a publisher called Aschehoug.
I have been a teacher for 35 years. I have worked with many different programs against bullying.
At my school we work with «The leader in me.» It is a process that strengthens children, young people and employees in personal leadership.
We work with 8 habits. All the habits have elements that we use when we work with bullying.
This is the best tool I have used against bullying.
Leadership is a lot about being a good leader in your own life.
A good leader finds the gold in others. A good leader practices making good choices. A good leader do not bully.
I would like to attend your conference and give a lecture and show some small videos on leadership. There I can talk about the practical things we do at our school to ensure that everyone is safe and well.
We are often visited by guests from different countries who wants to see how we work. A few weeks ago we had a visit from 40 guests from the Netherlands. They were impressed by our school and our work with leadership.
The 7 good habits that I want to tell about, is base on the methodology to Sthephen R. Covey. He was an American educator, author, buisnessman, and speaker.
Bullying in schools is a persistent challenge, with limited visibility into the underlying social dynamics, making effective intervention difficult. Spekter Digital offers a comprehensive tool for Norwegian schools to systematically monitor and investigate bullying. By utilizing non-anonymous surveys, Spekter provides schools with detailed and actionable insights about the classroom environment. Unlike anonymous methods, this approach allows direct identification of relational issues, enabling targeted and timely interventions.
The results from Spekter surveys are automatically visualized as sosiograms and bar charts, giving schools a clear, immediate overview of the social dynamics in the classroom. These visual tools help educators quickly identify patterns, such as isolated students or conflict groups, and enable more precise and effective interventions.
Spekter Digital comes in two versions: one for general preventive monitoring of the learning environment and another for deeper investigations when there is concrete suspicion of bullying. As a result, students have a safe and structured way to report concerns, knowing their voices will be heard.
In practice, schools using Spekter experience increased transparency, better communication with parents, and more efficient resource utilization. The structured feedback loop supports a proactive stance, helping to resolve issues before they escalate, ultimately fostering a safer and more inclusive school environment. The rationale behind and the use of Spekter will be presented. Gulset secondary school will share their experience in using Spekter and their enhanced ability to monitor and detect social dynamics and to intervene more appropriately.
Rates of victimisation have been reported to be as high as 69% for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) yet there remains no standardised or suitable bullying definition for this population. The most frequently used definition of bullying (Olweus, 1993) is not inclusive of SEND pupil experiences, leading to difficulties for staff to identify and resolve situations.
Firstly, a literature search was carried out on the topic of bullying with SEND pupils. Secondly, 14 interviews and focus groups were conducted with special school teachers and parents of children with SEND. Data highlighted that the bullying definition needed adjustment to be inclusive, but also that a second definition was needed for behaviours experienced within SEND populations that are inaccurately categorised as bullying.
Four main themes were identified from the searches and transcripts: 1) intent, 2) awareness, 3) power imbalance and 4) direction of bullying. This research extended the original definition and created a new definition termed ‘counter-connecting’. Additional interviews were held post new definition creation for feedback, and after minor adjustments, all staff and parents were satisfied with the two definitions and felt they more accurately represented bullying and conflict in special schools.
Schools using these two new definitions (1. bullying and 2. counter-connecting) will better identify, manage and support behaviours in the appropriate manor. Pupils involved in bullying or counter-connecting situations will have confidence to understand their own, and others’ behaviours and thus seek the correct support from staff. This empowerment can support positive mental health.
A common characteristic among students in alternative educational settings is that they often do not experience their school as inclusive, safe, and supportive, frequently due to bullying. This has made returning to their local school difficult.
In May 2022, changes were done to improve students’ sense of inclusion at school, and to help students’ return to their home school. Skoletilbudet is based on the National Curriculum, the student’s expert assessment, and the school’s individual decision. Skoletilbudet has continuous enrolment subject to capacity.
Skoletilbudet offers education three days a week for six months, while the home school provides instruction on the remaining two days. This structure allows students to maintain relationships with peers and their local school. The main aim is to enhance student skills through targeted social learning within academic subjects, enabling them to benefit from differentiated education at their home school.
Skoletilbudet help schools identifying factors that "push" students out of their learning environments and strengthening schools' ability to provide a safe and inclusive educational setting.
Participation requires student consent, and a binding agreement between the school and Skoletilbudet is established. This agreement outlines objectives and key results for both the local school and Skoletilbudet. Guidance from Skoletilbudet to improve the local school's capacity for academic and social inclusion, is paramount to succeed.
After two years of operation, an evaluation involving students, parents, and local schools was completed. We have also gained valuable insights and reflections we wish to share and discuss.
Approximately 25% of children are chronically bullied and, as such, experience bullying frequently in school. Such experiences can be defined as traumatic, leading to the development of poor mental health, including symptoms of trauma. Trauma-informed practices have developed greatly in recent years, however, there has been little focus on how such practices support those being chronically bullied in school. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a trauma-informed intervention commissioned by the UK charity Kidscape to support young people experiencing chronic bullying. Participants included 20 families who were offered 12 sessions of a therapeutic intervention after contacting the Kidscape parenting line. Their parents were asked to complete a survey before, immediately after completion of the therapy, and finally, three months after. The questionnaire included questions on experiences of bullying, a copy of the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen questionnaire, and at time points 2 and 3 questions regarding the impact of the therapy. The data were analysed for changes in trauma symptoms following completion of the therapy, alongside parent reports of the impact of the therapy on young people. The findings will be discussed in the context of how best to support young people being chronically bullied in school.
Over the past decade, data from the Norwegian Pupil Survey reveal a notable shift in gender distribution concerning experiences of being bullied, with more girls than boys now reporting bullying—a departure from traditional patterns and previous findings. This trend emerges alongside the rise of social media as a significant social platform for youth, potentially influencing these changes. This study investigates the prevalence of subtler exclusionary mechanisms on social media, examining gender differences in experiences and impacts on students’ lives in upper secondary school. Our data are drawn from a survey of 2,431 students, capturing their experiences with social media-based exclusion and its repercussions on well-being within the school environment. Results indicate that girls report more frequent exposure to negative incidents on social media and more pronounced adverse effects on their school experience compared to boys. These findings underscore the significance of off-school social media dynamics in shaping students’ school lives, highlighting the need for schools to address the broader context of student well-being.
In Finland, the bullying situation in schools remains a pressing concern despite years of discussion and intervention. Recent statistics reveal a troubling trend: the percentage of students experiencing bullying weekly has increased, particularly among girls. This presentation argues for the critical need to involve students actively in bullying prevention to foster a genuine counter-bullying school culture.
The presentation underlines the benefits of youth involvement in anti-bullying efforts, drawing on the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare's (MLL) Peer Support Program as a case study. This program, implemented in over 93% of Finnish high schools, empowers students to take charge of their school environment, promoting inclusivity and mutual respect.
The Peer Support Program's success lies in its emphasis on student-led initiatives. Peer supporters play a pivotal role in establishing new social norms, identifying and reporting bullying incidents, and providing emotional support to their peers. These actions significantly enhance the effectiveness of bullying prevention strategies.
Survey results demonstrate the program's impact on creating safer and more inclusive school environments. Furthermore, the presentation outlines the necessary conditions for successful implementation, emphasizing the importance of long-term commitment, community involvement, and regular evaluation.
In conclusion, the presentation will highlight how empowering students to become active participants in bullying prevention not only addresses immediate issues but also fosters a culture of kindness and support. By harnessing the insights and energies of young people, we can create a brighter, more respectful future for all students.
Theoretical background and objective of the study. Cyberbullying is present and prevalent globally among adolescents. The consequences of cyberbullying can be very serious, including suicide and victim death. Cross-sectional studies have shown a negative association between adolescents’ social and emotional competencies and their involvement in cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization). Longitudinal research on this association is limited. Thus, it is important to further explore the causal links between adolescents’ social and emotional competencies and their involvement in cyberbullying. The present study aimed to examine whether adolescents’ social and emotional competencies are related to their involvement in cyberbullying both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Methodology. Participants were 3,713 Spanish adolescents at Wave 1 (47.6% female; age: M = 13.7 years, SD = 1.0), of which 2,272 were followed up at Wave 2 (49.0% female; age: M = 14.3 years, SD = 0.7). This quantitative, one-year longitudinal study was conducted using self-report surveys. Results obtained or expected. Adolescents’ cyberbullying perpetration was cross-sectionally and longitudinally predicted by being male and having a lower level of social and emotional competencies. Adolescents’ cyberbullying victimization was cross-sectionally and longitudinally predicted by being female and having a lower level of social and emotional competencies. Conclusion with implications for practice. The findings underscore the protective role of adolescents’ social and emotional competencies against their involvement in cyberbullying. School interventions addressed to promote adolescents’ social and emotional competencies are necessary to reduce and prevent their involvement in cyberbullying.
Introduction Bullying is a group phenomenon where peers often act as bystanders. The adoption of a specific role in bullying depends on individual factors, relational experiences, and the prevalent moral climate. Attitudes and cognitions favoring aggression and low levels of empathy towards other people are associated with bullying. However, shared beliefs and behaviors in a classroom can contribute significantly to bullying dynamics. This study explored how individual-level factors (moral disengagement, anti-bullying attitudes, empathy-related responding) and classroom-level factors (anti-bullying attitudes, moral atmosphere) are linked with bystander roles in bullying dynamics among high school students.
Method The study involved 1265 high school students (65.7% males) from 72 classes, aged 14-17 years (Mage = 15.13, SD = 0.72). Students self-reported their roles in bullying situations and their anti-bullying attitudes. Also, they completed the Moral Disengagement Scale (Bandura et al., 1996), the Interpersonal Reactivity Index for empathy-related responding (Davis, 1980), and the Moral Atmosphere scale (Høst et al., 1998).
Results The multilevel analysis showed that students more likely to morally disengage and hold fewer anti-bullying attitudes were more inclined to assist or reinforce the bully. At the class level, anti-bullying attitudes were negatively associated with assisting the bully. Higher empathy was linked to defending the victim, with no significant class-level effects. The class moral atmosphere was associated with assisting and passive bystander behavior, though the effect was small.
Conclusions Anti-bullying efforts may be most effective when targeting both individual attitudes/beliefs and the broader classroom environment. Further research is needed to inform more comprehensive strategies.
Background and aims Research on trajectories of bullying perpetration during elementary and middle school years has found some children engaging in very little bullying and others exhibiting high or chronic levels of bullying across time (e.g., Zych et al., 2018). This study examined the association of trajectories of bullying perpetration across middle school years (grade 6 to grade 8) with bullying perpetration in high school (grade 9). Furthermore, we analyzed moral cognitive distortions (CDs) and exposure to community violence (ECV) as predictors of trajectories of bullying perpetration.
Methods The sample included 338 Italian students (186 males). Peer ratings of bullying perpetration were collected, whereas CDs and community violence exposure were self-reported in grade 6 by completing the How I Think Questionnaire (Barriga et al., 2001) and an adapted scale of violence exposure from Schwartz and Proctor (2000), respectively.
Results Three trajectory groups were identified: High and increasing (5%), medium and stable (12%), and low and declining (83%). Trajectory membership predicted grade 9 bullying, with the high/increasing and medium/stable groups scoring higher. Using the low and declining trajectory as the reference group, we found that children high in CDs and ECV were more likely to be classified in the high and increasing trajectory; only ECV was associated with being in the medium and stable trajectory.
Conclusions Prevention and intervention efforts should target children who display early and chronic patterns of CDs and ECV to address the risk of engaging in bullying perpetration and its persistence over time.
Maladaptive daydreaming (MD) is characterized by excessive, immersive fantasizing that interferes with daily functioning. This study investigates the relationship between MD and cybervictimization among adolescents, examining the mediating roles of social media addiction (SMA) and game addiction (GA). Given the increasing prevalence of cybervictimization and its profound psychological impacts, identifying underlying psychological factors is crucial for effective intervention.
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,216 adolescents aged 11 to 19 years (M = 14.81, SD = 1.79). Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing maladaptive daydreaming, social media addiction, game addiction, and experiences of cybervictimization. Path analysis was employed to test the hypothesized relationships, controlling for age and gender.
Results indicated that MD was positively associated with both SMA (β = 0.355, p < .001) and GA (β = 0.275, p < .001). SMA, in turn, was strongly associated with cybervictimization (β = 0.812, p < .001), mediating the relationship between MD and cybervictimization. The direct effect of MD on cybervictimization remained significant (β = 0.046, p = .009). However, GA did not significantly predict cybervictimization (β = –0.014, p = .419) and did not serve as a mediator.
These findings highlight SMA as a key pathway through which MD contributes to cybervictimization in adolescents. The lack of a significant mediating effect of GA suggests that social media platforms pose a greater risk for cybervictimization among maladaptive daydreamers than gaming environments. Interventions targeting SMA in adolescents with high levels of MD may reduce their vulnerability to cybervictimization.
While numerous student-related factors in bullying have been well-studied, less is known about how teachers’ characteristics influence students’ involvement in bullying. This exploratory study examined how teachers’ moral disengagement toward bullying and self-efficacy to address bullying relate to students’ perceptions of teachers’ bullying-related attitudes and behaviors, as well as self-reported general and specific forms of bullying and victimization. We collected data from 1,722 Finnish Grade 4-6 students (48.5% boys) and 117 teachers (74% women, Mage = 42.7 years, SD = 9.9) during the spring 2022. Multiple regression path analyses revealed that teachers’ moral disengagement was negatively associated with students’ perceptions of teachers’ tendency to condemn bullying, notice bullying incidents, and intervene. Teachers’ self-efficacy was positively linked to students’ perceptions of teachers’ capacity to address bullying. Perceiving teachers as noticing bullying incidents and finding it easy to report bullying were both associated with less bullying and victimization. Perceiving teachers as intervening in bullying was linked to less victimization. Perceiving victim-blaming attitudes in teachers, conversely, was linked to more bullying and victimization. Teacher condemning bullying was unexpectedly positively associated with both bullying and victimization, which might reflect students’ increased awareness of bullying. Overall, our findings suggest that teachers’ moral disengagement is associated with less prevention and intervention behaviors perceived by students, which, in turn, may influence bullying and victimization. Anti-bullying training for teachers might benefit from targeting moral disengagement toward bullying.
Racialized bullying is increasingly recognized as a form of bullying that can significantly affect students’ mental health and well-being. Despite it being more prevalent among racialized students, there are few findings documenting its impact on individual outcomes. The present paper draws data from the Health and Peer Relations Study, a representative survey across schools in Ontario. Participants were 10,666 students (34.3% racialized, 48% girls, Mage=12.56, SD=2.38), who completed measures of bullying victimization, attributions for victimization, and emotional problems (depression, anxiety). Compared to 3.2% of White students, 21.2% of racialized reported being bullied because of their race/ethnicity. Multilevel modeling analyses (students nested within schools; ICC=0.02) indicated that racialized students experienced lower levels of emotional problems compared to White students (b=-0.07, SE=0.01); however, students who reported being bullied because of their race/ethnicity experienced more emotional problems compared to those who did not (b=0.13, SE=0.02). Our results are among the first in the Canadian literature to demonstrate the impact of racialized bullying on mental health which have significant implications for identifying risk factors among racialized students.
The association between being bullied and poor mental health is now well established in the literature (e.g.,Agustiningsih et al., 2024; Moore et al., 2017; Wilson & Noret, in press). Research is now focusing on the processes that underpin this relationship. For example, recent research has suggested that the reasons why young people believe they were bullied (attributions for cause) (Bauman et al., 2023) and cognitive appraisals (Noret et al., 2021) are significantly associated with the development of poor mental health in young people who have been bullied. However, research has typically examined the role of these cognitive processes separately. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the role of attributions for cause and cognitive appraisals in the longitudinal relationship between being bullied and poor mental health. A self-report questionnaire is currently being conducted in four secondary schools and one college in the UK. The questionnaire measures experiences of bullying, attributions for cause, cognitive appraisals and poor mental health and is being administered once a month over a three-month period. The data will be analysed to test the mediating role of cognitive appraisals and attributions for cause in the longitudinal relationship between being bullied and poor mental health. The results of this study will provide further insight into the mechanisms that underpin the relationship between being bullied and poor mental health functions to inform future approaches to intervention.
Background/Objectives: Teachers need safe and supportive working conditions in order to be effective in handling bullying. This study hypothesized that teachers will feel better able to handle bullying when their working conditions are characterized by high perceptions of agency and administrative support, and will feel less able when they experience burnout and aggression by students.
Methods/Results: A sample of 11,366 middle school teachers completed a state-mandated 2023 School Climate and Working Conditions Survey. The following scales (with good psychometric properties) served as predictors in a multilevel linear regression model: perceptions of agency, administrative support, burnout, and experiences of aggression by students. The outcome variable was “I feel equipped to successfully handle incidents of bullying,” measured on a 6-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree). School-level characteristics (school size, percent non-White students, percent English Learners, percent students with disabilities, percent students receiving free/reduced-price meals) and teacher-level characteristics (race, gender, years teaching experience) were covariates.
Over half of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that they felt equipped to successfully handle bullying. Administrative support was the strongest predictors of this outcome. Teacher agency, Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, male gender, and more teaching experience were also positively associated with ability to handle bullying. Burnout and experiences of aggression by students were negatively associated with ability to handle bullying.
Conclusions: School anti-bullying efforts might not be effective if teachers do not experience positive working conditions. Implications for practitioners and future research will be discussed.
This work aims to present the Reciprocal Meieutic Method (RMA), which was implemented within the framework of the European REACT program, an Erasmus+ Key Action 3 initiative. The REACT program develops and implements an innovative methodology to proactively prevent bullying, by strengthening non-violent communication, while aiming at inclusion, acceptance of diversity and the fostering of democratic culture. It seeks, through the development of students' social skills, to encourage the adoption of common values/behaviours as well as students’ active participation in school and “community” life. The characteristics of the method are: active listening, non-violent communication, reflection, connection with real problems, development of mutual understanding, collective finding of solutions and cooperation.
The program workshops are aimed at the entire educational community: teachers, students and parents. They adopt Danilo Dolci's dialectical method, with the aim of empowering people and their communities. The workshops offer “space” for discussion and encourage collective inquiry and the reduction of stereotypical thinking, through encouraging “reflective” processes. They include “pathways” - themes such as social integration, well-being, learning spaces and several sub-themes such as: roots and identity, social skills, school and responsibility, the community that educates, etc. The result of the workshops is the participation of the participants/subjects in dialogic processes, mutual understanding and taking responsibility for their own actions. The program has been piloted in primary and secondary schools in 5 European countries with significant results
How can we teach empathy to two 7th-grade boys in a public school, who come from two different mafia cartel families? How can we teach children and teenagers, in a private elementary school, values such as presence, affection, respect, and love, if their parents are neither physically nor emotionally present?
Teachers are burned out, overwhelmed, and loosing authority in the classroom and professional motivation. Administrators trying to keep a balance between the state, families, and institutions.
What is the path to follow? Adults at home, at school, and in society look hopeless.
Violence is at hand, our children have their own gadgets, with their own language and vocabulary to communicate with each other, in their own world.
Wait, stop, let’s breathe, do it again. I may be talking about Mexico, the first place in bullying around the world (UNESCO 2024), but our reality is not far from yours. Here is where I invite you to stop, to breathe, to think about respect, and how we can take small actions, every single day, with my family, neighborhood, community, and my school, to teach respect. How or what are the actions, I or we, should take, to live with kindness and conviction that we need to build a better world?
This is a big effort we should make, I would like to touch your heart, deep down, so that each one of us can make a small change that contributes to the future of our children and adolescents.
We will not surrender!
In recent years, educational institutions across Europe have been experiencing a substantial increase in classroom ethnic diversity, prompting investigation of its' impact on classroom social dynamics and peer bullying. The aim of the present study was to investigate the moderating role of students' minority status and classroom climate (i.e., classroom peer support, classroom moral disengagement) in the relationship between classroom ethnic diversity and bullying involvement (i.e., bullying victimization and perpetration). The study involved 6,391 early adolescents (87.6% members of ethnic majority), nested in 328 classrooms in 119 Slovenian schools. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to test separate models for bullying perpetration and victimization. For bullying perpetration, statistically significant interaction effects of minority status and classroom ethnic diversity, classroom ethnic diversity and classroom peer support, and a three-way interaction effect of minority status, classroom ethnic diversity and classroom moral disengagement were found. For victimization, multilevel modelling indicated a statistically significant interaction effect of classroom ethnic diversity and classroom moral disengagement. The present study highlights the need for considering a range of moderating factors underlying the relationship between classroom ethnic diversity and bullying involvement and discusses the importance of strengthening an inclusive classroom climate in ethnically diverse classrooms to effectively reduce peer bullying.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Children with a non-Western background may experience racist bullying early in life, leading to both short- and long-term health issues. Bystanders play a crucial role in supporting victims of racist bullying, but they often do not know how to respond appropriately.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the experiences and reactions of primary school pupils in The Netherlands regarding racist bullying and bystander behavior. It also seeks to understand how children recognize racist bullying and the reasons behind their decisions to intervene or not.
METHOD: We conducted seven focus group discussions with 7th and 8th graders in Dutch primary schools (N=41). These discussions explored their experiences as well as their perceived competence in intervening. Children reflected on their roles as bystanders, on other bystanders, and, in some cases, their experiences as victims. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
RESULTS: Preliminary findings indicate that children understand racist bullying primarily from an interpersonal perspective, with limited knowledge of racism in a broader context. Intervening depends on various factors, including the perceived danger and levels of fear—such as fear of escalation, fear of the bully, and fear of becoming a target themselves.
CONCLUSION: To feel confident in intervening, pupils need education about racism, including its historical and contemporary context, and skill training. Knowledge is essential for understanding the importance of intervening, while skills are necessary to understand how to intervene confidently. The findings of this study can inform interventions aimed at helping children recognize, prevent, and respond to racist incidents effectively.
Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) of youth has become a growing concern for parents, schools, communities, and law enforcement. A large proportion of IBSA involves exploitation by acquaintances, peers, and romantic partners. Law enforcement professionals often struggle with how to best respond to peer-perpetrated IBSA that is reported to them. Arrest is often not a viable or optimal response, and the dynamics of the cases can be complex. The current paper presents data from the 4th National Juvenile Online Victimization (N-JOV4), a national survey of law enforcement agencies across the U.S. Specifically, data was analyzed from 432 cases involving youth produced sexual images that came to the attention of police, but did not result in arrest. Nineteen percent of cases involved current or past romantic partners or individuals with romantic/sexual interest in the minor, while 81% of cases involved other acquaintances (primarily friends or school peers). Aggravated components of the cases included blackmail (7%), coercion (5%), and threats (7%), and in 20% of cases, the sexual images were known to have been forwarded to other individuals. In only 22% of cases (N=84), did law enforcement note or document that the youth were referred for counseling or support. The paper provides additional details on these cases and explores reasons why arrests were not made.
Theoretical Background and Objective:
Online racism is a growing societal challenge in Ireland, with significant implications for
understanding online hate overall. From a social ecological standpoint, existing research has
extensively addressed victimology and socio-political underpinnings of online racism, but there
remains key gaps in understanding the psychological profiles of perpetrators. This project aimed to
address this gap and develop evidence-based prevention strategies using participatory design.
Methodology:
The study was conducted in two phases. Phase one involved a nationwide, anonymous survey to
explore the psychological profiles, motivations, and contextual factors influencing online racism. In
phase two, the survey findings informed a participatory design session with key stakeholders. This
co-creation event brought together community leaders, educators, policymakers, technologists, and
affected groups to collaboratively ideate and prototype prevention strategies. Participants engaged in
facilitated design exercises, brainstorming personas, and feedback loops, ensuring that the solutions
were both evidence-based and community-driven. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to
interrogate the data.
Results:
Our participatory design outputs showcased stakeholder perspectives on actionable prevention
strategies to combat online racism. This included: (i) understanding the perpetrator, (ii) interrupting
the act(s) of perpetration, and (iii) meaningful multi-stakeholder engagement with communities.
Conclusion with Implications for Practice:
The project illustrates the value of combining empirical research with participatory methods to tackle
sensitive issues. By engaging stakeholders in co-creation, the study offers a model of good practice
for critically applying participatory design to understand online racism, with direct relevance to
anti-bullying initiatives.
Background: Research highlights that individuals from multiple-minority groups, such as LGBTQ people of color, often experience stigma-based bullying and discrimination, leading to adverse mental health outcomes. Protective factors, such as social support and school safety can help buffer these effects. This study explores the risk (enacted stigma) and protective factors of suicidal outcomes among South Asian LGBTQ youth in British Columbia, Canada.
Methods: Using data from the 2023 BC Adolescent Health Survey (BCAHS), we assessed enacted stigma, social supports, and suicidal outcomes among 4,364 South Asian youth from grades 7 to 12. Logistic regression models examined the relationship between risk and protective factors with suicidal outcomes.
Results: Suicidal ideation and attempts were significantly higher among South Asian LGB youth compared to South Asian heterosexual peer. Multivariate models showed stigma experiences significantly increased the odds of suicidal outcomes, except for LGB girls-suicidal attempt (suicidal ideation: girls:Het+:OR=3.7,LGB:OR=2.1; boys:Het+OR=3.7,LGB:OR=5.1; suicidal attempt: girls:Het+OR=3.9,LGB:OR=1.3; boys:Het+:OR=4.9,LGB: not reportable). School and family connectedness, along with school safety, were significant protective factors for suicidal outcomes (p<0.05). Family connectedness remained significant for LGB youth in multivariate models. Those who reported the highest levels of enacted stigma and no protective factors had high probabilities for suicidal outcomes (suicidal ideation: girls:Het+:45%,LGB:80%; boys:Het+:25%,LGB:83%; suicidal attempt: girls:Het+:13%,LGB:26%; boys:Het+:6%,LGB:50%), while youth with no stigma and all three protective factors had lower probability of suicidal outcomes, ranging from 0 to 4%.
Conclusion: The findings affirm the need for policies and programs that assist schools and families in supporting youth from multiple minority groups.
Bullying is a serious public health problem that affects millions of children worldwide each year. Early disclosure is not just a step to intervention; it's a crucial one. Unfortunately, many children suffer in silence, not telling anyone or their teachers. This silence is profound, akin to child abuse, where children are reluctant to disclose their victimization situation to even a trusted person. Early disclosure reduces their suffering and potentially saves their lives. The potential impact of early disclosure on children's lives is significant, making it a responsibility we cannot ignore. The following are the objectives.
-What strategies can help with early disclosure
-How bullying is measured?
First, we discuss strategies that facilitate early disclosure. We introduce a practical and accessible approach to a novel projective drawing test- to assist children in disclosing their bullying exposure. It is essential to screen for each form of bullying. In general, physical bullying is readily recognized. Social bullying is not always readily apparent; electronic bullying can be even more discrete.
We review the literature to explore how bullying is assessed and measured. Accurately measuring bullying is a crucial step in its prevention. It depends on their chosen definition. Bullying is a contextual phenomenon, and context should be considered. Even the question-order effects may influence participant responses. Assessing a bullying tool's optimal psychometric properties, validity, and reliability insights is challenging. Searching for a “valid” instrument for bullying detection is discussed.
Theory and objective: Students have for a long time been the targets of anti-bullying interventions (Espelage et al., 2015; Olweus et al., 2020), and their participation in efforts to prevent bulling has also been emphasized in bullying research (Cross et al., 2015; Salmivalli, 2014). Methods to engage students as co-researchers, however, remain underdeveloped in the field of bullying research (Gibson et al., 2015). The aim of this study is to design, implement and evaluate new methods of participation in research on students’ wellbeing and bullying prevention in Norwegian schools.
Methodology: Using the concept of Youth Citizen Social Science (Borgström et al., 2024; Haklay et al., 2021), we position students as co-researchers in an ongoing research project (2024-2027). Data is collected from two primary and two lower secondary schools, consisting of 1) students’ validation of items in a quantitative survey (N=68), and 2) students research on factors influencing their wellbeing in schools (N=200). We draw on previous research (Lorenzen & Hagen, 2021; Lorenzen et al., 2024 Alves et al., 2021) to develop new methods of youth survey validation, and co-research and evaluation with students and teachers.
Expected results: The expected results include 1) two new methods for student participation in anti-bullying research, and 2) analysis and recommendations for further development of methods of student participation in anti-bullying research.
Conclusion and implications: Students are important stakeholders in developing interventions to prevent bullying in schools. The study highlights opportunities and challenges in developing such methods and considers implications for policy and practice.
Objectives
Can an innovative projective drawing test help children disclose their bullying exposure? Bullying leads to recurrent ED visits for physical or emotional trauma, hindered by children’s reticence to verbalize. Identifying patterns, referred to as graphic indicators, can characterize forms of trauma linked to bullying.
Methods
Sixty-four children aged 7 to 18 years with psychosomatic symptoms at a pediatric emergency department were asked to draw themselves on paper. Drawings were scored blindly by counting the frequency of 22 graphic indicators on self-figure drawings used to assess various forms of child abuse. Children were categorized using the Illinois Bully Scale score. The discriminant analysis evaluated the relative weighting of the 22 graphical indicators, aiming for optimal discrimination between the bullied and non-bullied groups. ROC analysis was used to maximize the diagnostic accuracy of the drawing test.
Results
Four graphical indicators emerged as potential markers of bullying (Table 1):
• Missing legs or feet
• Dots, hollowed or crossed eyes
• Double-lined, hollowed, or shaded facial contours
• Asymmetrical or horizontal arm positions
Discriminant scores ranged from 0.00 (indicating no bullying) to 4.76 (indicating bullying). The criterion separating the two groups was a discriminant score > 1.90. The resulting area under the curve was 0.88 (p < 0.001), indicating good predictive ability. The test demonstrated a sensitivity of 69% and a specificity of 91%.
Conclusions
Identifiable drawing cues in children may signal bullying, prompting further research to develop a standardized tool for early identification of bullying exposure.
Research has found positive relationships between prosocial and bullying behaviors: however, we need to identify which prosocial behaviors moderate bullying Since 2015, Born This Way Foundation, has examined the relations between kindness and bravery and bullying with the aim to understand how kindness and bravery can serve as antidotes to bullying. The third phase of the Born Brave Experience survey (an international online study) was launched in 2016 and included N = 4,224 participants ages 13 to 25 (Mage = 20.04, SD = 3.03). This study was designed to understand the barriers and supports required to create a kinder and braver world by examining physical and mental health, online experiences, mental health, social support, prosocial behaviors, and bully victimization among youth and young adults. Three roles were generated from self-reported bullying involvement: bully (n = 99), bully-victim (n = 287), victim (n = 1,386), and uninvolved (n = 2,452).
A path model tested whether bully status predicted bravery and kindness; uninvolved participants served as the reference group. Robust full-information maximum likelihood estimation was incorporated to acknowledge non-normal and missing data and estimate robust standard errors. Covariates included participants’ body image, friend and family support, coping skills, optimism, and altruism. Model saturation rendered fit indices unavailable.
Significant model results found victim status as a positive predictor of bravery (β_V=0.053,SE=.015,z=3.531,p< .001) while bully and bully-victim statuses negatively predicted kindness (β_B=-0.073,SE=.018,z=-4.141,p< .001; β_BV=-0.098,SE=.016,z=-6.085,p< .001). Bravery and kindness were positively associated (φ_(Kind,Brave)=0.542,SE=.013,z=40.264,p< .001). Strategies to assess and increase kindness and bravery will be discussed.
The conceptualization and operationalization of school bullying has been a topic of debate in recent years (see Olweus, 2013; UNESCO, 2024; Volk et al., 2014; WABF 2021; 2023). It’s also known that students, school staff, and researchers may not perceive the topic in identical ways (Mahon et al., 2023; Rigby, 2018). The current paper explores how students and school staff understand the phenomena, and to what extent conceptualization of bullying affects behavioral and emotional responses. The paper primarily draws on interview data collected in Finland among middle school teachers, principals, special education teachers and school counselors (collected in 2020; N = 38). Qualitative content analysis is used to explore similarities and differences between occupational groups with regards to their conceptualization of and reactions to bullying behavior. In addition, cross-sectional survey data from middle and secondary school students (collected in 2017, N=3,360) and momentary assessment (EMA) data with 7th grade students (collected in 2021, N = 70) is analyzed by means of linear regression and dynamic structural equation models to assess between- and within-person correlates of bullying victimization self-identification. Results are synthesized in relation to previous and current theoretical concepts of bullying, and practical implications for teachers and school staff are discussed.
Cyberbullying, a major issue among teenagers, involves online violence repeated or sustained over time toward a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself (Smith et al., 2008). It is a hybrid social phenomenon with different bystander’s roles (Salmivalli, 2010). Defenders are crucial supporting victims (Sarmiento et al., 2019), but most research have focused on victim’s coping strategies (Slonje et al., 2013).
Methodology
This study uses qualitative methods to identify and understand the upstander actions in cyberbullying. Conducted with 25 Spanish youth (13 girls) aged 12-16 years, the study involves 3 focus groups and 6 communicative daily life stories.
Results
The findings present upstander strategies from each category of the 5 Ds model in the context of cyberbullying: Direct, Distract, Delegate, Document and Delay. Some of them are novel or contribute nuances to the existing. For instance: limiting the interactions within WhatsApp groups (Direct), trying other people don’t share the content of aggression (Distract), empowering victims to report themself (Delegate), making explicit and public the suffering of the victim (Document) and creating online supporting groups (Delay). However, there are missing strategies to support the upstanders.
Conclusion
To overcome some of the barriers that upstanders face, such as fear of retaliation, we identify the need for actions to support the upstanders. The 6 Ds model includes a new category of upstander actions to “Defend” the defenders, thus widening the existing 3 Ds from Green Dot Project (Coker et al., 2017) and the 5 Ds model from the NGO Right to be.
Cyberbullying has long been a significant concern due to its impact on youth wellbeing, and studies show its rates have risen since the COVID-19 pandemic. With worsening mental health issues among young people, new intervention approaches are urgently needed. Bystanders play an important role in the prevention, detection, and intervention of cyberbullying. However, various factors may influence their willingness to take proactive measures against cyberbullying incidents, such as empathy and moral disengagement. Therefore, we aim to develop an intervention that fosters empathy for victims and brings awareness to moral disengagement mechanisms among bystanders. We propose to achieve this goal through an experimental study with a between-groups pretest-posttest design, consisting of 4 sessions, with one-week interval between them. Participants will be 9th grade students. The experimental group will listen to AI-generated podcasts, featuring fictitious cyberbullying stories created by psychologists, designed to address empathy and the activation of moral disengagement mechanisms. Following this, a psychologist will led a discussion to deepen participants' understanding. The control group will receive no intervention during the experiment, but will receive it afterward. The expected results include a significant increase in empathy and a reduction in moral disengagement in the experimental group compared to the control group. Focusing on these constructs is one of the main challenges in dealing with cyberbullying, as they are difficult to address effectively. Thus, this study contributes by providing insights for bystander training programs through innovative and engaging methodologies that combine psychological knowledge with technology, enabling more proactive adolescents’ participation.
The collaboration between actors both inside and outside school to combat cyberbullying have been emphasized as important (Jahnsen et al., 2016). However, it is in this field of research still a less researched topic. The main aim of the study was to explore the experiences and opinions of collaborative partners and parents in the work of combating cyberbullying. The goal was to identify both challenges and opportunities in the collaboration. The research questions were: What challenges and opportunities exist regarding the collaboration between 1) the school and the parents? 2) the school and professionals outside the school? 3) between the professionals outside the school? For the data collection a convenience sample was used, including a total of 20 participants from 5 schools (3 primary schools and 2 lower secondary schools). They were collected from a specific area in a small municipality in Norway. Semi-structured interviews were used.
In addition to the informants in the schools, one representative from each of the school psychology service, police, child protection service (BUP), a football trainer and parents were interviewed. The main preliminary results showed a big potential for more collaboration among parents and the schools, the schools and external actors, in addition to the collaboration between the different external actors. The identified challenge regarding the different actors seems to be a low level of reflection concerning their important contributing role in the whole school community approach to combat cyberbullying. The practical implications for intervention and future research will be discussed.
This study investigates students’ beliefs and experiences regarding cooperation among various stakeholders to overcome cyberbullying in Norwegian schools. The main aim was to shed light on the students’ needs regarding cyberbullying. Q methodology was employed to reveal the adolescents’ personal opinions regarding how they would solve a hypothetical scenario, where their peer was subjected to cyberbullying. The 33 participants were recruited from elementary (12-year-olds) and junior high school (13- and 14-year-olds), as these ages (and school transition) mark a crucial stage due to increase in use of technology. The students sorted 40 statements into a quasi-normal distribution grid. The factor analysis revealed distinct viewpoints. The exploration of the individual viewpoints showed that the children are either strongly opposed to being monitored online, and wish to maintain their privacy, or agree that adult supervision is needed in their internet use. The findings reveal students’ differing expectations and preferences regarding monitoring and supervision of their internet use both at home and at school. The findings highlighted the importance of having a trusted adult, which may help when cyberbullying occurs. Implications for practice are reflected upon, as the outcomes include insights into the previously overlooked students’ subjective experience of stakeholder cooperation to combat cyberbullying.
Previous research shows that cyberbullying has serious consequences for the students targeted (Kowalski et al., 2014; Sjursø et al., 2016; 2019). Moreover, it has become a serious concern among students, educators and other professionals due to the increased use of technology (Livingstone et al., 2011). Cooperation between professionals across different disciplines and agencies is statutory in Norway, according to the Education Act (2024). Also in line with the whole school community approach (O’Moore,2010). For the cooperation to be effective and aiming for accurate measures it requires a conceptual common understanding. Although the definition of the phenomenon on cyberbullying is debated, the well known definition of Smith et al.,( 2008) is one of the most common used when measuring cyberbullying. However, some of the aspects that have been questioned are the aspects of intention and repetition (Menesini et al., 2013). Another relevant theoretical perspective with regards to the debate of the phenomenon cyberbullying is the extension and differences hypothesis (Barlett et al., 2023).
The aim of this study is to explore different professionals’ opinions about the phenomenon of cyberbullying. A convenience sample was used for data collection. A total of 20 participants from 5 schools (3 primary and 2 lower secondary schools) were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. In addition, one representative from each of the school psychology service, police, child protection service, a football trainer were interviewed.
Practical implications will be discussed in relation to the importance of a common definition and what should characterize measures to combat cyberbullying.
Speakers:
Trygve Beyer-Olsen, Political adviser, Skolelederforbundet
Kristine Rishaug Ruus, Fagsjef barnehage, Private barnehagers landsforbund
Inger-Lise Busch Hansen, Senior Adviser, Kommunesektorens organisasjon
Nina Johansen, Leader of the Independent Schools Network , Montesorri skoler
Silje Sturød Dale, Senior Adviser, Foreldreutvalget for grunnopplæringen
Mari Lindelien Schwartz, Miljøterapeut Frydenlund skole, Elverum og Medlem av FO's profesjonsråd for barnevernspedagoger
This symposium brings together four papers examining moral dimensions and bullying and cyberbullying behaviours. Research has consistently shown that moral and social conventions, attitudes, beliefs and intentions that students adopt has a potential risk for involvement in order to develop evidenced-based interventions. The research presented here has examined experiences of young people from four countries (Spain, Sweden, Portugal and Italy). The first paper (Cabrera et al.) is a study with Spanish schoolchildren from 9-16 years identifying the mediating role of moral disengagement in the association between schadenfreude and bullying perpetration. The second paper (Sjögren & Thornberg) also explores, through a three-wave longitudinal study with elementary Sweden students, the different moral disengagement mechanisms that predict direct and indirect bullying. The third paper (Ferreira et al.) is a study among Portuguese university students. It examines, through a mixed exploratory study, how moral disengagement mechanisms and moral beliefs are used by victims, aggressors, and/or bystanders of cyberbullying. The fourth study (Serritella et al.) validates, through a Randomized Controlled Trial an online serious game design with Italian students from 11-15 years old, where the effects on explicit attitudes, perceived social norms and behavioral intentions related to (cyber)bullying were considered. Taken together, these papers explore the main role of socio-moral mechanisms for involvement in bullying and cyberbullying considering quantitative and qualitative methods, and the importance of intervention/prevention work involving young people.
This symposium emphasises the importance of context in shaping the construction and understanding of (cyber)bullying, suggesting that it does not exist in a vacuum. The presentations highlight the cultural, racial, social-economic and digital forces that shape such behaviour. The entanglement of analogue and digital spaces creates unique challenges, as young people navigate these environments with differing norms and expectations.
The symposium advances the diversity of childhood experiences, suggesting that there is no single, universal understanding or experience of (cyber)bullying. Rather, it is deeply embedded in specific contexts.
This interdisciplinary contribution illustrates the significance of using diverse methodological tools to approach multi-faceted contexts. Drawing upon studies conducted in Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, and Italy, as well as multi-level analysis across two large-scale datasets—EUKO and HBSC—the presentations aim to acknowledge the challenges of researching (cyber)bullying in varied circumstances, along with the theoretical and methodological limitations that emerge as a result.
By emphasising the need for a contextualised approach, the symposium advocates for more culturally sensitive and intersectional strategies in both research and intervention. It calls for the development of anti-bullying practices that consider the diverse realities of children’s lives, acknowledging that different contexts - socio-economic, cultural, racial, familial - shape how (cyber)bullying is experienced and addressed. Ultimately, this symposium urges a shift from one-size-fits-all approaches to solutions that are informed by the specific circumstances of young people’s environments.
Identifying social exclusion anxiety (Søndergaard 2009) and longing for belonging (Hansen 2011) as powerful driving forces in bullying, scholars from the Danish research project eXbus (2007-2013), have suggested that schools develop and practice community-building didactics in order to establish inclusive communities and social climate in classes and schools. A core insight is that schooling and class contexts with scarce access to meaning, dignity and belonging – academically and socially – produce social climates fertilizing the soil for bullying and excluding peer dynamics. The aim of didactics is generally to include pupils in curriculum and learning. The concept of community-building didactics directs attention to the integration of academic and social goals in teaching and learning activities – and to the production of social cohesion and inclusion through teacher practices. Hence, bullying prevention is included in the core task of education. More specifically, community-building didactics emphasize developing and choosing teaching and learning strategies strengthening community and relations in class – and actively utilizing the educational goals, content and methods to promote belonging (e.g. Hansen 2011, 2021; Plauborg 2011, 2016).
Since the seminal publications, the concept of community-building didactics has spurred further developments in research as well as practice. In this symposium we will present and discuss some of this work from Denmark and Norway. Together, the four presentations provide theoretical, conceptual and empirical contributions to further developing community-building didactics as a strategy in bullying prevention.
Integrative Statement:
The Health and Peer Relations Study (HPRS) is a large population-based study with the aim of examining exposure to violence, such as bullying, and associations with mental health, along with key moderating and mediating factors. This symposium draws from the pilot study (N=12,721) to examine prevalence and features that may alter prevalence, and moderators of the association of bullying and emotional problems or loneliness. The first study examines validity screening strategies in a large online sample and compares prevalence rates of bullying victimization and perpetration across different forms of validity screening to demonstrate the impact of these methods on retaining high quality survey data. The second study examines the prevalence of bullying victimization across gender and identity-based forms (by gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, grade) and the reasons individuals attribute to their victimization. The third study examines the association of bullying victimization to anxiety and depression symptoms, and the moderating role of diverse gender identities. The fourth paper examines the association of loneliness and bullying victimization and the mediating role of mattering. The fifth paper examines the healthy context paradox where the impact of individual and school levels of bullying victimization are examined in the prediction of mental health and psychosocial outcomes. Findings highlight the importance of attending to gender, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity in relation to prevalence data and as moderators and mediators of the association of bullying, mental health, and psychosocial factors. The implications for schools are discussed.
Discussant: Tracy Vaillancourt
Co-Chairs:
Amanda Krygsman
Irene Vitoroulis
Bullying and aggression is inherently social, involving – at minimum – a perpetrator and target, but often involving other peers (e.g., Huitsing & Veenstra, 2012). Given inherent social complexities, these four studies explore a variety of social and contextual factors that may play a critical role in youth’s involvement in aggressive/bullying behaviors.
Study 1 assesses aggressive behavior within the context of friendship (compared to aggression outside of friendship), examining the role of various social factors. In Study 2, a dyadic approach is used to examine aggressive motivations and links to a variety of social characteristics of the target. Study 3 examines how bullying is targeted differentially toward peers of different status levels (e.g., popular versus unpopular), and the role that the physical social context (seating distance) plays in these interactions. Finally, Study 4 investigates whether bystander behavior (bully-following and defending) is impacted by potential negative social experiences, assessed here as the fear of future victimization.
This symposium brings together international researchers from Canada, Netherlands, and Finland to present cutting-edge work on aggressive/bullying behaviors from the lens that social and relational complexities play a prominent role in the enactment of these behaviors. Studies use large samples (e.g., 3000 adolescents in Study 4), unique methodologies (e.g., measurement of seating distance in Study 3) and sophisticated analyses (e.g., dyadic analysis in Studies 1 and 2) to explore aggressive behaviors across late childhood and adolescence. Discussant Dr. Wendy Craig will discuss implications of these findings on our understanding of bullying, and on prevention/intervention efforts.
Symposium Title: Peers, Teachers, and School Responses to Bullying
Symposium Chair: Karla Dhungana-Sainju
Symposium Integrative Statement: Bullying most frequently happens at school. Thus, teachers and schools play a critical role in addressing bullying (Colpin et al., 2021). Teachers respond to bullying within a school context, therefore characteristics of the school and classroom will likely also be related to how they respond. Using diverse methods and analyses, this series of papers from five countries examine the school, peer, and teacher perceptions that are associated with responding to bullying. Taken together the results highlight the importance of contextual effects on teachers’ response to bullying including (active engagement in prevention) school support, anti-bullying classroom norms) as well as teacher characteristics such as years of experience, teachers’ reactions, and teachers’ sensitivity to bullying. Results also indicate that there are different perceptions regarding teachers’ responses to bullying, depending on the informant. Lastly, there are different profiles in teachers’ responses. Results support a whole school approach to addressing bullying – it is just not enough to train educators in how to respond, but school climates and classroom norms are also important. The implications for prevention and intervention are discussed, as well as the critical importance of teacher training.
President Von der Leyen has reaffirmed her commitment to protecting the rights of young people in the digital environment in the political guidelines for the European Commission 2024-2029: "We will also firmly combat the growing trend of abusive behavior online with an action plan against cyberbullying".
The fight against cyberbullying is crucial to prevent the normalisation of online violence and increase minors' awareness of the abuses they suffer.
Italian legislation L. 71/2017, strengthened by L. 70/2024 is fully aligned with the context of minors' rights in the digital environment (CM/Rec (2018) and General Comment No. 25 UN). Inspired by the pillars of Protection, Provision, and Participation, the law gives prominence to the school and its role in increasing digital citizenship skills with participatory safety paths for children and adolescents.
Together with the school, a multi-level governance development is also foreseen, encompassing the European, national, regional and municipal plan, as well as the most specific school and community policies. A systemic and structural strategy that offers everyone the tools to address internet risks, and unfolds into specific projects to address the needs of victims, spectators, and perpetrators living in an evolving digital environment.
What governance strategies should a country adopt to make preventive and supportive interventions systemic for all and for each one?
The Symposium presents good practices and corresponding tools to monitor their effectiveness, aimed at increasing minors agency in relation to onlife bullying: participatory and multilevel activities coordinated by different operators to respond to the different youth evolutive needs.
The municipality of Oslo has a clear objective that all schools in Oslo operate from the same foundation of knowledge and share a common understanding of how to create positive school environments. This symposium illustrates how we transition from a shared foundation of knowledge and mandated frameworks, through common values and attitudes, to practical structures and work processes in the schools.
It includes these presentatons:
1. Community-Oriented Perspective on Bullying, The education Act and the LK20 core curriculum as foundational elements.
2. Perspectives on Students and Learning
3. School’s Plan for a Safe and Positive Environment
4. District level as a support system
5. School Contributions
Aggression and violence against educators and school staff jeopardize teacher well-being and have broad consequences for the school community, including students and families. This symposium explores the complex relationships between teacher victimization, social and emotional learning competencies, mental health, attribution processes, family dynamics, and support networks across diverse cultural contexts. Study 1 uses a 5-wave longitudinal cross-lagged autoregressive model to examine how social-emotional competencies (SEC) protect against teacher-directed violence and aggression in China. Findings suggest that higher SEC can reduce victimization, though the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted these associations. Study 2 uses latent profile analysis to explore how K-12 teachers in the U.S. attribute their victimization and its impact on mental health. The study finds that broad victimization attributions contribute to higher levels of depression, anxiety, and burnout, which are key factors in teacher retention. Study 3 employs a survey design to assess parent-driven teacher victimization in South Korea, highlighting significant links between parental harassment and teacher mental health outcomes, emphasizing the need for physical and psychological safety. Study 4 applies quantitative egocentric network analysis to examine teacher victimization and support networks in China, South Korea, and the U.S., revealing cross-national variations in the severity of teacher-targeted violence and the availability of support, highlighting the role of cultural factors. These studies collectively emphasize the need for culturally sensitive interventions to address both the physical and psychological impacts of teacher-targeted violence, with the goal of improving teacher well-being and reducing the teacher shortage.
This symposium examines the dynamics of bullying, social status, interpersonal relationships, defensive behaviors, and social-emotional competencies among early adolescents from both Chinese and Dutch backgrounds, thereby providing critical insights into the interplay between these factors and their influence on adolescents’ social networks. Using social network analysis in the first three papers and utilizing item-level cross-lagged panel network analysis (CLPN) in the fourth paper, the symposium examines the relational and contextual determinants of bullying behaviors and their co-evolution alongside friendships and social-emotional competencies over time.
The first paper shows that bullying occurs even among liked peers, with teacher liking providing limited protection, highlighting the need to understand bullying as embedded in complex peer networks. The second paper finds a co-evolution between bullying and friendship, where students often form friendships with those they bully, and bullying often persists within friendship ties, emphasizing the complex duality of bullying and friendship during adolescence. The third paper shows how positive classroom leaders are more likely to defend victims, suggesting that promoting positive leadership can reduce victimization. The final study identifies “bridge” competencies—such as responsible decision-making—that link social-emotional skills to bullying behavior, with different patterns for boys and girls.
Together, these studies provide a comprehensive, multifaceted perspective on bullying and associated peer dynamics. By examining these elements through the frameworks of social networks, classroom norms, and social-emotional competencies, this symposium advances our understanding of adolescent bullying behavior and informs evidence-based strategies aimed at mitigating bullying and promoting constructive peer interactions within schools.
Integrative Statement: Bullying experiences early in development can have life-long adverse consequences. Longitudinal studies can help reveal understanding the individual, social, and psychological antecedents and outcomes of bullying perpetration and victimization. In this symposium, four papers that integrate multi-informant, multi-method procedures for examining the development of bullying from childhood to young adulthood will be presented. Data were from the McMaster Teen Study, a longitudinal 16-year study following a cohort of over 700 Canadian individuals annually from age 10 to 26. In the first paper, longitudinal associations between victimization and student-teacher relationships were examined across four years of elementary school from Grade 5 to 8. In the second paper, child-parent relationships were examined through concordance versus discordance between child-reported and parent-reported bullying victimization in the prediction of anxiety symptoms across childhood and adolescence from Grade 5 to 12. In the third paper, between-person and within-person developmental associations among self-reported bullying perpetration, popularity, and approval seeking were examined across the high school years from Grade 9 to 12. In the fourth paper, trajectories of bullying victimization across high school from Grade 9 to 12 were examined in the prediction of diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during adulthood using clinical interview assessments, after controlling for additional traumatic events. Findings highlight the importance of early identification of the developmental antecedents of bullying perpetration and victimization to prevent adverse parent, teacher, and peer relationships as well as mental health symptoms and diagnoses in the long-term.
This symposium combines findings from five studies focusing on bullying perpetration from different angles. Together, these studies offer a comprehensive perspective on bullying perpetration, encompassing the motives, genetic predispositions, and psychological antecedents and consequences of bullying. Moreover, this symposium will discuss heterogeneity among bullying perpetrators and examine the mechanisms through which teachers’ strategies to tackle bullying may work.
Study 1 presents the development and validation of a short questionnaire to assess adolescents’ motives (i.e., rage, revenge, reward, and recreational aggression) across offline and online contexts, and applies this measure in secondary schools to examine the motives behind offline and cyberbullying. Study 2 focuses on how genetic predispositions for neurodevelopmental problems may relate to bullying dynamics through specific neuro-developmental symptoms, such as inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, pragmatic speech difficulties, and social communication deficits. Study 3 investigates psychological factors underlying latent profiles of bullying, victimization, and peer status, focusing specifically on differences between high status (popular and well liked) bullies and non-bullies. Study 4 examines how elementary-school-, middle-school-, and persistent-bullies differ from each other and from non-bullies in psychological, social, and academic adjustment. Finally, Study 5 focuses on children’s feeling of guilt, shame, and sadness as potential mediators of targeted teacher interventions to stop bullying. This study presents results from an experimental design in which students watched video vignettes of a teacher intervening in different ways to stop bullying perpetration and report how likely they would be to stop bullying after this intervention.
The presentation aims to examine the challenges Finnish schools are facing in their anti-bullying efforts. The presentation is based on observations collected during interventions conducted in several Finnish schools.
In our interventions in different municipalities' schools and their anti-bullying work, we have identified certain common areas for development. A school's management must be aware of the importance of systematic work against bullying for anti-bullying work to be successful. Everyone in the school community must be involved by a whole school approach. In addition, teaching staff express frustration that anti-bullying work is not adequately resourced in most schools, neither financially nor in terms of time.
We also found shortcomings in the bullying intervention itself. Further because of the lack of time, follow-up may not be as systematic as it could be. The development areas include documentation and communication, which often fail in both intervening in bullying and prevention. Staff also noted issues in collaboration, especially with guardians. Additionally, there are gaps in providing safe and high-quality pedagogy.
Through interventions, the schools were able to identify their areas of need, which were addressed with the management team, then with the staff, and finally with the students and guardians. Following the identification of their areas for improvement, the schools received assistance in locating the necessary resources.
The aim of this workshop is to share our experiences of interventions in Finnish schools. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss effective structures and methods to intervene when implementing the whole school approach.
The Jasmin Roy and Sophie Desmarais Foundation conducted one of the largest surveys on sexual and gender diversity in Canada in 2024. Out of 8,396 Canadians who participated in this study, 7,481 identified as sexually and gender diverse. Among these respondents, 1,309 self-identified as transgender, and 1,625 as non-binary. The study underscores an urgent need for assistance and support for young people who are sexually and gender diverse, particularly for transgender and non-binary individuals.
Educational institutions are environments where violence and discrimination must be closely monitored. Nearly one in two youths aged 15 to 17 (46%) who experienced violence or discrimination in the past year reported that it occurred within or near a school setting. To address the violence faced by young people in educational contexts, we propose specific programs and educational measures focused on fostering pro-diversity social and emotional learning for all young people. These initiatives aim to enhance and strengthen the support that practitioners can provide through a caring approach that promotes full recognition and empowerment.
Enhancing sexual education courses has been identified by both individuals from diverse backgrounds and the general Canadian population as the most effective action to promote the well-being and integration of people from sexual and gender diversity. This is particularly important as most young people begin questioning their sexual orientation during their school years (between the ages of 6 and 19) and their gender identity during childhood (between the ages of 6 and 12) or adolescence (between the ages of 13 and 19).
Introduction: After years of intensive research and development, several anti-bullying programs are now available in Hungarian schools; however, systematic nationwide implementation is still lacking. The BPBP program is designed for use in preschools, grades 1-2, and special-needs schools. Developed in 2015 with project funding, the program’s primary goal is to maintain a safe, peaceful, and kind environment for all children in kindergarten.
Method: At the heart of the BPBP program is a series of group activities focused on teaching children essential anti-bullying rules and promoting group norms against bullying. These activities, led by nursery teachers, are integrated into the regular practices of early childhood education. The rules are introduced through a story featuring a kind, shy, and lovable alien character who feels safe and accepted when children follow the anti-bullying rules.
Results: Although a systematic impact assessment has not yet been completed, initial data provide some insights for program evaluation. The BPBP program has been implemented in several kindergartens, serving as a promising introduction to school-based anti-bullying initiatives. In addition to group activities, further program elements encourage parental involvement and foster positive attitudes among kindergarten teachers.
Discussion: This workshop will provide an overview of the BPBP program’s conceptual framework, methodology, and implementation process, offering participants hands-on experience with the program’s key strengths.
Oslo municipality’s education agency's “Section for learning environment, inclusion, and diversity” supports the municipality’s 180 schools in their anti-bullying work.
In the initial phase, advisors from the section spend time getting an overview of the case. The advisors then determine whether this is:
1. A need for support in an individual case
If it is an individual case, the advisor supports the school in a process where they together identify and describe the challenge, uncover sustaining factors, develop possible measures, and use observation and guidance of individual teachers and the immediate leader as tools to resolve the case. In the final phase of the case, the school reflects together with the advisor on the benefits from the process that can contribute to the prevention and handling of similar situations.
2. A need for long-term process support
During the initial phase, the advisor discovers that the case is a symptom of a larger challenge in the school. The advisor will then support the school in a process where they look beyond the individual case and together take a holistic view of the organization with a sustainable goal of building capacity and competence. The advisor’s role is to facilitate the school’s learning with a double-loop perspective (cf. Argyris and Schön).
In the workshop, advisors from the section will facilitate discussions about various tools that can be used to determine what kind of support the school needs. Additionally, participants will discuss what tools can be used in the two processes.
Abstract:
This workshop offers practice-based research insights into the implementation of co-designed bullying prevention programmes developed with hundreds of Year 5-8 students across New Zealand schools. By centering meaningful student involvement, these programmes empower young people to deepen their understanding of active bystander strategies and transform this learning into creative activities, games, and concepts that they can share with peers and younger students.
Objective:
The workshop’s objective is to demonstrate how co-designing anti-bullying programmes with students fosters ownership, relevance, and resilience. Participants will explore the programme structure, which uses school-specific data to shape interventions that resonate with each unique school environment. Through hands-on engagement, delegates will experience examples of student-led activities and bystander strategies developed within the programme, illustrating how these approaches build confidence, promote greater bystander action and develop more supportive peer networks.
Attendees will also discuss the processes and outcomes of student-generated ideas that address bullying prevention, examining how empowering students to lead through co-design creates sustainable, engaging approaches for building safer school communities. This workshop provides a practical model for applying co-design principles to foster active bystander behaviour, blending research with real-world examples adaptable to diverse educational settings.
Bullying impacts the lives of hundreds of millions of youth every year. For this reason, a very large body of scientific research has grown to better understand and, ultimately, prevent bullying. While valuable, the sheer size of this body of research can be daunting when it comes to understanding the overall findings of the field or what areas are most in need of further research. Relying on a team of scientific experts, our workshop will focus on two main scientific issues.
First, what do we know about bullying from a scientific perspective? We will discuss five major areas of scientific research. What is bullying (definition)? How is bullying best studied (methodology)? What are the distal (developmental) and proximal (group dynamic) causes of bullying and victimization? What are the immediate and long-term outcomes associated with bullying and victimization? Finally and critically, how do we prevent bullying (intervention)?
Second, what areas need further research? We will address the same five research areas and outline broad and specific research questions. While both parts of our workshop will include audience participation, this second part will draw heavily on the audience to question, discuss, and elaborate on the priorities for future research. We will offer the field the potential to focus its considerable scientific knowledge and resources, discuss its potential for collaborations, and share strategies for maximizing its potential to efficiently sharing its bullying research knowledge not only within the scientific community but also with stakeholders, policy makers, and members of the general public.
The workshop will showcase the aims, actions and results of the Erasmus + project PINBALL – Preventing bullyINg in and through footBALL, which involves five National Football Associations (i.e., the Finnish, Croatian, Greek, Portuguese and Swiss ones), the UEFA Foundation for Children, the anti-bullying NGO Friends, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, and ForModena, a training association.
PINBALL aims to prevent and tackle bullying within youngsters’ (aged 10-18 years) football teams. To do so, the consortium developed and tested a freely accessible methodology, consisting of a set of eight on-field activities revolving around three key objectives, namely 1) providing coaches with skills to fight bullying and create a cohesive and supportive football environment; 2) eliminating bullying episodes from children’s and adolescents’ football teams; and 3) promoting a culture based on sports values against bullying in the EU.
Via participatory modalities, the workshop will:
• Present PINBALL’s aims and actions throughout the three years of project development
• Showcase and explain the final online PINBALL course, where the PINBALL methodology and materials are available in eight languages, for practitioners (football coaches, coaches of different sports, teachers, and educators) to implement them within their teams/classes/youth groups.
• Present the results of implementing the PINBALL methodology with dozens of teams in partner countries, including video testimonials.
Overall, the workshop will allow a full comprehension of the project and offer practical tools that can be easily adopted and used within different contexts to (quite literally!) tackle bullying while youngsters play and have fun.
As our young people are immersed in a highly charged, toxic climate, parents, educators, and students need to have a serious conversation about bullying and its' intended and unintended consequences. Whether they target others, are targeted, or play the role of the not-so-innocent bystanders, young people are deeply affected by offline and online meanness and cruelty. It takes much more than slogans, posters, and anti-bullying programs to break the cycle of violence and to create more deeply caring communities. Brave-hearted young people willing to step up and step in to stop these attacks can't do it alone; we all need to pitch in to make a difference.
Discussed in this workshop:
1. The connection between a rise in hate speech and the potential for bullying with racial, ethnic and religious overtones in our schools, neighborhoods and communities.
2. The difference between normal conflict and bullying.
3. What to do and not to do if young people are targeted--and why they might not tell adults.
4. Valid reasons and lousy excuses why young people might not stand up for their targeted peer.
5. Strategies for developing school-wide policies, procedures and programs to hold accountable those who target others, to support and embolden those who are targeted, and hold accountable those who play the role of not-so-innocent bystanders.
6. Ways to help young people become a potent force as active witnesses—by standing up for their peers, speaking out against cruelty and injustice, and taking responsibility for what happens among themselves.
In this workshop we will introduce a conversation tool addressing the need for early and adequate follow-up strategies to prevent and reduce short- and long-term negative impact for young people exposed to bullying. This new tool supplements the broader anti-bullying resource developed by Livet&Sånn. Livet&Sånn, is a health and life mastery skills project for kindergartens, schools and others developed by Ålesund municipality, funded by Møre og Romsdal county municipality/ National public health program and is freely available. Samtaleverktøy etter mobbing is developed for school nurses and other professionals who are well-positioned to help youth exposed to bullying but lack tools and training. Combining elements from cognitive, trauma and emotion focused therapy, it directly addresses common harmful effects of bullying – using psychoeducation and a variety of relevant coping techniques to choose from. The tool also facilitates additional parental support throughout the process. The workshop includes presentations from different perspectives, participant involvement and discussion:
• Why this tool is needed: Anne-Hilde Lystad (Co-designer and Project manager) and Kristin Øksenvåg (Anti-bullying Ombudsman)
• Presentation of the tool: Kristin Valderhaug Martinsen (Co-designer and Clinical Psychologist) and Anne-Hilde Lystad
• User experiences
• Try-out session: Workshop participants are invited to test parts of the conversation tool
• Comments and questions from a research perspective: Selma Therese Lyng (Research Professor, Oslo Metropolitan University)
• Concluding Q & A and discussion
This workshop offers an in-depth look at how we guide Independent Schools in New South Wales, Australia, to embed a whole-school wellbeing approach that proactively addresses bullying. Through this approach, we explore school-wide strategies to foster safer, more supportive learning environments.
The Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AISNSW) Whole-School Wellbeing Model includes five essential components: Leadership, Processes and Practices, School Climate, Wellbeing Education, and Community Partnerships. Participants will discover how to build leadership commitment to anti-bullying efforts, from policy support to practical implementation. We will examine effective processes, including clear referral pathways and reporting mechanisms, to ensure consistent responses to bullying.
In Wellbeing Education, we will discuss teaching social skills aligned with CASEL competencies, such as social awareness and responsible decision-making, to equip students to recognise and respond to bullying. This session also emphasises forming strong community partnerships, empowering schools to communicate anti-bullying policies effectively while supporting students and families.
By the end of this workshop, participants will have a clear example of how a whole-school wellbeing approach serves as a proactive and preventative strategy against bullying. Attendees will gain practical insights for creating a school culture that not only mitigates bullying but also fosters positive student relationships and a thriving community.
For the past 11 years The Polar Academy (www.thepolaracademy.org) have been working with young people, a high percentage of whom have experienced traumatic bullying. We have developed and implemented a long-term programme which enables the victims of bullying to change their mindset, thus removing the power the bullies have over them. Our workshop will consist of:
1. Why the Polar Academy needs to exist.
2. Two of our graduates will explain their experiences of bullying at school, the past effect this had, and the positive impact our Programme has had on them.
3. We will detail current practices High Schools and other official agencies use to deal with bullying and why these practices are not working for the victims.
The Polar Academy has a unique approach of using the power of Exploration and the Outdoors to -
• Build confidence and resilience
• Establish good physical and mental health
• Positively impact families
• Proactively work with schools
• Positively change the victim mindset for life
• Support the development and aspirations of our most precious asset - our young people
Our workshop will include both oral presentations as well as the need to display statistics/video footage.
As a relatively small Scottish charity, we believe sharing our findings will have a positive impact worldwide, should there be a willingness to implement new strategies. We are recognised for our work by the Scottish Government as well as The Greenlandic/Danish Governments and partially funded by BRP in Canada (Ride Out Intimidation initiative).
This study evaluates the knowledge and skills of public elementary school teachers in Puerto Rico regarding bullying prevention and management. A comparative quantitative approach revealed significant deficiencies in teachers' knowledge and skills, particularly in handling cyberbullying and supporting LGBTQ+ students. Data from 412 public elementary school teachers in Puerto Rico was collected using a structured questionnaire based on the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program Teacher Guide, KiVa and other antibulling programs. The quantitative method analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics to identify significant differences and deficiencies in teachers' preparedness. While 75% of teachers demonstrated a basic understanding of bullying, only 45% had an in-depth knowledge. Confidence in handling traditional bullying was reported by 60%, but only 35% felt equipped to manage cyberbullying. Significant deficiencies were found in training on cyberbullying (65% untrained) and LGBTQ+ inclusivity (70% untrained).
Findings highlight critical gaps in teachers' capacity to address bullying effectively. Comparisons with the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and KiVa suggest the need for a more structured approach to teacher training. Despite possessing a basic understanding of bullying, public elementary school teachers in Puerto Rico exhibit substantial gaps in their skills and knowledge, primarily due to insufficient training. This research underscores the need for enhanced and comprehensive teacher training programs. Recommendations include mandatory training covering all aspects of bullying, ongoing workshops, seminars, and online courses and continuous assessment of the effectiveness of training programs and bullying prevention strategies. Future studies should explore the long-term impact of improved teacher training on bullying incidents.
As active social media users, young people are frequently exposed to and influenced by online disinformation. Their belief in and sharing behavior of misleading information are shaped not only by cognitive abilities and content features but also by peer influences and motivations linked to other forms of cyber aggression, such as cyberbullying. A scoping review focusing on young people aged 5 to 25 mapped existing research on terminology, exposure, responses, influencing factors, consequences, and prevention programs related to disinformation. Among 150 studies reviewed, 13 specifically address peer-related factors affecting responses to disinformation and its associations with (cyber-)bullying.
Preliminary analyses indicate that peer-related factors also related to cyberbullying (i.e., gaining popularity and social capital, social expression, fear of social exclusion and being ridiculed, in- and outgroup membership) significantly motivate young people to share disinformation. Notably, bullying acts as both a motivation for spreading false information and a means of perpetuating it. Besides, cyberbullying intervention programs also appear to enhance young people’s ability to navigate disinformation.
These findings highlight that cyberbullying and disinformation are interconnected online risks that often occur. Thus, a holistic approach for intervention efforts focusing on these issues seems beneficial. However, more research explicitly investigating the association of cyberbullying and disinformation (i.e., exploring possible theoretical explanations and developing a theoretical model integrating both phenomena) is required.
Bullying is a complex phenomenon that cannot be solved with standardized
interventions. Each case requires an individualized approach, as bullying often involves
multi-causal and systemic factors. A major challenge in schools is distinguishing
bullying from conflict. This is particularly difficult when victims are actively involved in
the dynamic and not easily recognized as such. Moreover, certain reactions from
schools or parents may unintentionally escalate the situation rather than resolve it.
Early identification and an appropriate, situation-specific response are crucial for
effective intervention. Our approach is based on Alfred Adler’s Individual Psychology
and follows a need-oriented methodology for both prevention and intervention.
This Approach considers various key aspects, including:
• Different victim types and tailored support strategies
• Assessing the severity of bullying to determine the appropriate intervention
• The role of parental involvement including cases where bullying mirrors parental
dynamics or involves parents as active participants
• The school’s stance on bullying and the cooperation between teachers and
school social workers
• The impact of classroom leadership styles on bullying dynamics
Our Train-the-Trainer Program A Different Approach to Bullying equips professionals with
tools to conduct thorough analyses and implement customized prevention and support
strategies. This approach highlights how a holistic and individualized strategy
significantly enhances the effectiveness of bullying prevention and intervention in
educational settings.
This study aims to explore the experiences of cyberbullying among primary school-aged pupils diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). The population of children and young people with a diagnosis of ASC is increasing (Brown et al, 2024): a recent systematic review on the global prevalence of autism estimates that approximately one in 100 children are identified as autistic and is significantly higher in certain countries such as Northern Ireland with one in 20 children (Lynam et al, 2024). Research indicates that these children are more likely to be cyber victimised than their atypical peers (Hellstrom & Lundberg, 2019) with approximately 73.9% reporting cyber victimisation and 17.4% reporting cyber perpetration (Holfeld et al, 2019). Quantitative studies have established cyberbullying as a risk for all children particularly those with special educational needs (Beer et al, 2017).
However, there is paucity of qualitative literature on cyberbullying among young children with ASC (Beckman et al, 2020) and furthermore, exploring potentially changes over a period of time (Casper et al, 2017). Hearing the voices of children with ASC may capture its unique contextual determinants and consequently help to develop suitable interventions (MacMillan et al, 2022) and design reliable measurement methods for this group (Helstrom & Lunberg, 2019). Eight participants attending mainstream primary schools with ASC will be recruited. Semi-structured interviews will be used to explore their experiences of cyberbullying at two time points during one academic year. Data will use longitudinal interpretative phenomenological analysis (McCoy, 2017; Smith et al, 2012).
Bullying is a considerable problem among school students, and school-wide positive behaviour support interventions are regarded as helpful in addressing it. In this project, we use a research informed storybook to promote children’s awareness, understanding, and disclosure of school bullying. Targeted research-informed children’s storybooks can support primary care providers and children to understand and navigate complex topics and issues, and our established development framework distils academic and expert (e.g., charity) insight into an accessible and usable format through an iterative story and illustration development process. On other collaborative projects, our storybook approach has shown to be effective in making research findings/expert insight practical and engaging, often helping to initiate conversations with children to promote deeper engagement and learning on a specific topic. The research informed storybook will aim to promote children’s knowledge of school bullying. Specifically, the storybook will explore children’s knowledge of how bullying is defined, the impact it can lead to, and effective strategies to promote disclose of school bullying victimisation. As part of this programme of research the initial step will be seeking parental and teacher perceptions of this storybook approach to raise awareness of school bullying, and thus feeding into further research to consider how children view the storybook, and the effectiveness of the research informed storybook.
Cyber bystanders are crucial for cyberbullying prevention and previous research investigating cyber bystanders focused on studying the online bystander effect and variables influencing the steps possibly taken by bystanders. However, it would also be important to learn more about adolescents’ personal views. Hence, the aim of our study was to understand what adolescents think about bystander intervention, whose responsibility they think is to intervene, and to discover factors that support bystander intervention. English and Hungarian students participated in the interviews: In the Hungarian sample there were four interviews with 11-12 years olds and three interviews with 15-16 years olds; in the English sample there were three interviews with 11-12 year olds, with a further three interviews expected for 15-16 year olds. The focus group interviews consisted of two parts: (1) In the first part, questions concentrated on identification and characteristics of cyberbullying. (2) In the second part, questions targeted adolescents’ views about the role of cyber bystanders, cyberbullying prevention, and intervention. In the Hungarian sample, the results of the thematic analysis show that students think that cyberbullying cannot be stopped. They also emphasize the responsibility of their parents to educate them about digital literacy. They listed empathy, peer relationships, personality, and consequences of intervention as factors influencing bystander intervention. The English interviews’ collection and analysis are still in progress. Based on the results of our study, we aim to further study cyber bystanders with quantitative methods and to provide meaningful information for cyberbullying prevention and intervention.
Bullying is a significant global issue affecting adolescents, with serious implications for their overall well-being (Waseem & Nickerson, 2023). Previous research has identified a negative correlation between engagement in bullying perpetration and life satisfaction (Nixon, 2014; Reijntjes et al., 2010). Life satisfaction refers to an individual's assessment of their overall quality of life (Huebner, 1994). Less research has investigated associations with school satisfaction, defined as a student's evaluation of their school experience (Baker & Maupin, 2009). The current study examined the associations among the five bullying participant role behaviors (i.e., bully perpetration, assisting, defending, victimization, and outsider) and life and school satisfaction among over 1,000 middle school students in the U.S. A Qualtrics survey utilized the Bullying Participant Behaviors Questionnaire (Demaray et al., 2014), the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 1991), and the Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 2001). Two preliminary regression analyses were performed, with the bullying participant role behaviors as independent variables and gender and grade level as control variables. The analyses revealed significant associations among bullying role behaviors and both school satisfaction (p < .001) and life satisfaction (p < .001). Specifically, bully perpetration and victimization were significantly and negatively associated with school satisfaction, while victimization also showed a significant and negative association with life satisfaction. Conversely, defending behavior was significantly and positively associated with both school satisfaction and life satisfaction. Study limitations and implications for both research and practice will be discussed.
The classroom is a key social environment for social learning with peer interactions shaping social status, defined as popularity (social influence) and likability (peer acceptance). Adolescents often pursue popularity through aggression and bullying, while likability is achieved via prosocial behaviors. Some use both strategies, known as bistrategic control, though research on this topic remains inconclusive. This study, based on a sample of 6379 early adolescents nested in 328 classrooms from 119 Slovenian schools, used a multilevel person-centered approach to explore profiles of popularity, likability, bullying, and prosocial behavior, examining differences in bystander behaviors, social goals, and status insecurity. Additionally, classroom popularity norms were considered to examine how individual student-level profiles and classroom-level factors interact. Five profiles emerged on an individual level: popular bullies (5.3%), unpopular bullies (9.7%), bistrategic controllers (5.6%), prosocials (9.2%), and uninvolved (70.1%). Popular bullies reported the highest bullying reinforcement, while both bully profiles and bistrategic controllers had strong popularity goals. Prosocials exhibited the highest defending behaviors, likability goals, and social status insecurity, while bistrategic controllers showed the least social insecurity. Multilevel analysis revealed two classroom profiles: those with higher and lower prosocial popularity norms. Classrooms with higher prosocial popularity norms had fewer uninvolved students, more prosocials, and slightly more bistrategic controllers and popular bullies. This study highlights the complex interplay between individual behaviors and classroom-level social norms in shaping student interactions.
In today’s digital world, children and young people face a constant stream of information, often without the skills to navigate it safely, critically and with resilience. Tozi is a non-commercial, free-to-download mobile app, developed by DCU Anti-Bullying Centre in collaboration with Vodafone Foundation Ireland and Childline by ISPCC.
Tozi aims to speak to audiences aged 11-14 to enhance their digital literacy skills on critical issues and help them make informed decisions online. Rooted in academic research from psychologists, sociologists, and educators, Tozi translates complex insights into engaging, age-appropriate content tackling key issues such as online bullying, privacy, reporting and digital consent.
Our interdisciplinary approach has transformed science-backed evidence into consumable content to support/empower a positive digital experience for children and young people online. Through a careful design process, Tozi minimises excessive gamification, focusing instead on interactive elements such as quizzes, polls, and practical tips to enhance learning and keep young users engaged without compromising the ethos of the app.
Our real-time content publishing system allows us to update trending topics, setting us apart in the current landscape of cyberbullying prevention apps.
As Tozi prepares for expansion into new markets such as Spain and Portugal, amongst others, we are excited to explore cross-cultural insights and adapt content to diverse digital landscapes. With a mission to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world digital experiences, Tozi is designed to empower digital resilience and literacy among young people worldwide, equipping them to navigate the complexities of online life with confidence.
Theoretical Background: Bystanders play a critical role mitigating the consequences of bullying, with individual and situational factors impacting their decision to actively defend online.
Objective: To examine four studies we conducted looking at factors influencing online bystanding.
Methodology: A cyber version of the Student Bystander Behaviour Scale (Thornberg & Jungert, 2013) and the Cyberbullying Bystander Scale (Sarmiento et al., 2019) were used. Individual characteristics included Moral Disengagement Scale (Hymel et al., 2005), Defender Self-Efficacy Scale (Barchia & Bussey, 2011), Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (Spreng et al., 2009), normative beliefs (Goldstein et al., 2008), and past bullying experiences, while situational characteristics included social power (Sharp & Daniels, 2023), and psychosocial costs (Sharp & Daniels, 2023). First & second year university students (N = 495, N = 265, N = 589, N = 697) participated.
Results: In Study 1, moral disengagement (MD) predicted reinforcer behavior, while defender self-efficacy predicted active defending. In Study 2, low empathy, victimization and perpetration predicted reinforcer; however, no individual factors predicted defending. Study 3 indicated that reinforcers had high MD, low defender self-efficacy, high popularity, and relationship difficulties, while defenders were high in empathy and defender self-efficacy and perceived a cost to friendships. In Study 4 normative beliefs negatively predicted active defending.
Conclusion: Active defending is more difficult to predict than reinforcer behaviour online; only defender self-efficacy consistently predicted.
Implications: Bystanders may struggle to know what to do when witnessing cyberbullying, making it crucial to provide support and skills to enhance their confidence to empower them to intervene.
Introduction:
Bullying is a pervasive problem occurring in schools worldwide. Research has highlighted the detrimental effects of bullying on mental, physical, social and emotional health on a short-term or long-term basis (Smith and Brain, 2000; Rigby, 2003). Recently, researchers have shown an interest in the link between bullying and trauma (Idsoe et al., 2021; Jenkins et al., 2022). The predominant definition of bullying states bullying is aggressive or harmful behaviour directed to an individual that falls within the three following components: i) intent to harm, ii) repeated over time and iii) a power imbalance between the parties involved (Olweus, 1993). Therefore, this study aims to synthesise existing research which conceptualises school-based bullying as a traumatic experience to examine the relationship between being bullied and trauma symptomatology, trauma disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Specifically, this poster will present the findings that address the following research question:
What evidence is there that bullying is a traumatic experience?
Methods:
The JBI methodology for scoping reviews (Peters et al., 2020) will be used to conduct the review, using the following key terms: “pupils”, “bullying”, “trauma”, and “school” in relevant search engines.
Results:
The results will be analysed to collate articles that state bullying is a traumatic experience and discussed in the context of research defining bullying as a traumatic experience.
Bullying is a situational, context-dependent phenomenon shaped by students’ relational experiences and responses from teachers, schools, and society. This study investigates Indonesian students' and teachers' perspectives on bullying through a sociocultural lens (Maunder & Crafter, 2018). A recent national report (UNICEF, 2020) highlighted a significant knowledge gap between teachers and students in understanding and mitigating bullying. Moreover, Indonesia’s collectivist ethos, gotong royong (mutual assistance, solidarity, and collective responsibility), may shape unique patterns of peer interaction, differing from both individualistic societies (e.g., U.S.) and other collectivist cultures (e.g., South Korea) (French et al., 2006). While prior research (e.g., Smith & Robinson, 2019) has provided a broad understanding of bullying within the individualism-collectivism framework, this study addresses specific sociocultural contexts within Indonesian schools.
This qualitative study involved individual interviews with 20 teachers and paired interviews with 40 first-year students in middle (Grade 7) and high school (Grade 10) in urban and rural areas. Thematic analysis with a hybrid approach was applied, integrating predefined and data-driven codes (Swain, 2018).
Initial findings indicate the dynamic and intersubjective nature of bullying among students, as well as differing perspectives on bullying features between students and teachers, with variations based on location, grade, and gender. Additionally, both groups agree on the importance of early collective initiatives in cultivating positive classroom interactions and a sense of belonging, especially during transitions.
This study highlights the need to incorporate sociocultural aspects into anti-bullying research and interventions, emphasising the importance of integrating local cultural values to enhance its relevance and effectiveness.
Bullying is an extensive phenomenon as reports indicate around 35% of victimization in schools. Recent studies confirm the impact of bullying on Physical Education (PE), highlighting the key role that PE teachers play in preventing, detecting, and tackling Bullying. In this line, PE teachers should possess specific knowledge and strategies to address this issue, but recent evidence suggests that undergraduate PE students do not receive training on Bullying. Therefore, this work aims to analyze the impact of an education program for undergraduate PE Teaching students on how to tackle bullying. A total of 120 students from three Spanish universities participated in the education program. All participants were last-year students in the Primary School Teachers Degree, and specifically they were specializing in the Physical Education degree. The education program consisted of 2 sessions that included theoretical aspects of bullying, as well as prevention, detection, and intervention strategies and resources. We evaluated the participants’ satisfaction and learnings through the pre- and post-administration of an ad-hoc survey. Moreover, we conducted a focus group with 6 participants to complement the information. Preliminary results suggest an improvement of future PA teachers’ knowledge and skills on how to prevent, detect, and tackle bullying issues. Moreover, participants also valued positively their experience in their program. This study adds evidence on the development and implementation of evidence-based intervention programs around Bullying, which has been detected as a gap in university education programs.
In helping conversations in a chat format, communication becomes more direct, and the voices of users are clearly visible. This invites new opportunities for developing services in line with user experiences. This paper analyzes chats from SnakkOmPsyken.no and focus groups with the chat hosts. This way of communicating transfers power from helpers to the young users. The technological and communicative framework for the conversations has relational consequences. Many young people say it is easier to seek help here, but they are also more prone to leave mid-conversation. As a type of very direct user involvement, this leads to both frustration and learning opportunities.
The presentation also discusses how chat services can supplement traditional mental health services, to increase the availability and sustainability of mental health care for young people today.
The analyzed data is collected from Blå Kors chat-center witch has SnakkOmMobbing.no and SnakkOmPsyken.no. The chat host are all counselors that are trained to communicate in chat.
SnakkOmMobbing.no is an anonymous chat service for anyone aged 9 to 24. We’re here to help youth, whether the youth have experienced bullying, know someone who has been bullied, or have bullied someone themself. For instance, they may feel excluded, lonely, have a knot in their stomach, receive hurtful comments, or experience other difficult situations.
Most people who contact us have in common that they are struggling, sometimes without knowing exactly why. Yearly there are about 16.000 people that contact SnakkOmMobbing.no and SnakkOmPsyken.no
In case of school bullying victims feel isolated and ashamed, while adults (parents, teachers, educators) often feel helpless, struggling to understand the situation and find appropriate actions.
Traditional responses from the internet might be general and pose the risk of misinformation. To tackle this, we co-created an innovative, secure, and free conversational agent: Chatbot Cathy, aiming to provide high-quality resources and personalized advice based on each child's specific situation.
Key Characteristics:
-Cathy is the first generative AI-powered chatbot specifically targeting school bullying.
- It offers reliable, professionally developed responses without hallucinations.
- Cathy complies with GDPR and the AI Act and is hosted on a health data-certified server in partnership with Microsoft.
- It provides a secure environment for open expression without fear of stigma.
Purpose:
- To help identify bullying dynamics, actors, and consequences.
- To provide personalized support and answers to individual questions.
- To suggest clear, accessible, and personalized solutions and resources.
Resources:
- Chatbot Cathy is available online via computer or smartphone.
- It's free, anonymous, and accessible 24/7.
- It ensures a secure space for free expression.
Audience:
- Children and adolescents for emotional support.
- Parents seeking solutions.
- Educators and supervisors to understand and address bullying.
- Health professionals for prevention and support in recovery.
Preliminary Results:
Launched in May 2023,Cathy has already handled 19,673 user requests, with positive feedback emphasizing personalized support. Adolescents particularly seek strategies while parents and teachers focus on information.
This study examined third-party committee reports on severe bullying-related cases of school non-attendance among Japanese middle school students, categorizing issues in school approaches to bullying. Through online searches, ten reports published within the past five years were obtained. Key challenges were identified and grouped into 15 categories: (1) school policies on bullying, (2) anti-bullying school organizations, (3) team-based approaches, (4) administrative response, (5) recognition of bullying and severe incidents, (6) information verification, (7) victim interviews, (8) interviews with perpetrators and bystanders, (9) general bullying responses, (10) victim support related to bullying, (11) victim support in non-bullying contexts, (12) guidance for perpetrators, (13) bystander guidance, (14) parental involvement, and (15) collaboration with experts. Issues included insufficient victim interviews, a lack of emotional consideration during interviews, and inadequate guidance toward resolution occasionally overlooking students' requests. Additional challenges were noted in areas such as support for non-bullying related victim needs, dysfunction within anti-bullying school organizations, and inadequate teacher coordination. To prevent students from experiencing school non-attendance because of bullying, it is essential that homeroom teachers avoid shouldering all responsibilities alone. Effective responses require coordinated collaboration among staff, with the school functioning as a unified team following a consistent approach. Moreover, interviews should be conducted with careful attention to students' emotional needs, allowing flexibility in the staff involved in their responses. Efforts should be made to ensure comprehensive care ranging from halting bullying incidents to post-resolution monitoring.
Introduction: School bullying is associated with poorer well-being and mental health for both bullies and victims (e,g,,Smith, 2016). Bully-victims (or victim-bullies), in particular, face greater risk of psychological distress (e.g., Lereya et al., 2015). The present study examined the dynamic interplay between bully and victim roles through peer nominations and their associations with coping strategies which have been considered to be critical to handle distressful experiences (e.g., Xie et al., 2020).
Method: Three hundred twelve students in elementary schools in Western Canada (14 classes, grades 5-7; 48% boys) completed questionnaires measuring four coping strategies: active, avoidance, distraction, and seeking support. Peer nominations identified classmates involved in bullying and victimization. Peer network analyses were used to assess the overlap between bullying and victimization networks. The relationships between the networks and coping strategies were subsequently explored.
Results: Peer network analyses revealed that bullying and victimization overlapped on average by 46.5%. The greater bully-victim overlap was negatively associated with support-seeking coping (Est = -0.92, p = .002), indicating that students in classrooms identified as greater bully-victim overlap were less likely to seek for support or help. No sex differences were observed.
Conclusion: The present results suggest that adolescents in classrooms with a higher prevalence of bully-victims may struggle to seek support, possibly due to the normalization of these behaviours and a lack of supportive peer environment. The findings underscore the importance of considering peer social network context in designing interventions to address bullying and support coping mechanisms.
This poster will present the effective components of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP), which has to work together to effectively address and reduce bullying in schools. Fidelity to the program, and understanding these components, is crucial for achieving the outcome of reducing bullying and having a zero tolerance for bullying in practice.
The components are: strengthened supervision system, learning-based professional community, classroom meetings with norm-setting approaches and role-playing, social learning through subjects, collaboration with parents and a survey-feedback system.
The poster will visually illustrate how the components must work together in a central overlap with intersecting circles, each circle symbolizing a key component of the programme. It is at the centre, where all circles meet, the full impact against bullying is realized.
The poster presentation will enable the viewer to understand the importance of each component and how they collectively contribute to a safe, bully-reducing environment. A holistic approach and unified staff will ensure a safe, positive and inclusive school environment.
Cyberbullying is a significant issue among higher education students, with a recent report showing that 18.4% of students in Ireland experienced negative acts, including bullying online and offline over the last academic year (Goldrick et al., 2023). However, there is a limited research focusing specifically on the process (e.g., what language was used, time of the day or the frequency of the incidents occurred online) of cyberbullying, experiences of bystanders who witness them and the mental health impacts on both victims and bystanders.
The current study addresses these gaps by exploring the nature, language, frequency, and context of cyberbullying incidents and their impacts on students’ mental health. This study, therefore, serves as the first primary investigation into these aspects within the Irish higher education system.
Using a quantitative approach, an anonymous online survey will be conducted among higher education students aged from 18 to 25 years. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be performed in IBM SPSS (30.0.0) to understand the demographic information, experiences of cyberbullying faced by higher education students, and relationships between cyberbullying experiences and mental health outcomes.
The findings will allow us to better understand students' experiences of severity, prevalence and specific language patterns used by the target population. It will be essential for building intervention programs and training initiatives that will aid both victims and the bystanders impacted by cyberbullying experiences. The study will also support development of datasets for providing language markers for cyberbullying.
Background and Objective:
The intersection of cyberbullying victimization and eating disorders has garnered considerable attention in recent years. Exist investigations demonstrate that there are strong correlations between cyberbullying victimization, negative emotion, low self-esteem, and eating disorders. This study aims to examine whether the association between cyberbullying victimization and eating disorders was mediated by self-esteem, and whether the effect of cyberbullying victimization on eating disorders and the mediating effect of self-esteem were moderated by deviant and peer association.
Methodology:
The online surveys were employed to collect data from undergraduate students (N=723) in Singapore (Mean age=22.8; 68.2% female, 87.2% Chinese). The measures of the study comprised cyberbullying victimization as an exogenous variable, eating disorders as an endogenous variable, self-esteem as a mediator, deviant peer association as a moderator, and covariates (age, gender, ethnicity, maternal education level, family income). The statistical analyses including descriptive analysis, chi-square, t-test, correlation, mediation, and moderated mediation were completed.
Results:
In the first two-models, cyberbullying victimization was positively associated with eating disorder and negatively associated with self-esteem, respectively. The negative association between self-esteem and eating disorder was moderated by deviant peer association, and the moderated mediation of deviant peer association and self-esteem was statistically significant.
Conclusions:
School personnel and service practitioners should better understand the mechanisms of the association between cyberbullying, self-esteem, deviant peer association, and eating disorders. Building strong peer support networks and healthy body image and self-esteem might be effective ways of interventions.
Introduction
The prevalence of cybervictimization varies enormously from one study to another, ranging from 1.9% to 84 % [1], with inconsistent results concerning gender [2]. It is therefore difficult to get a precise idea of the phenomenon, especially as studies involving children under 12 or adolescents over 18 are rare [3]. An explanation of these inconsistencies could reside in the definition of cybervictimization [4]. Some researchers believe that the permanence of messages can be seen as a kind of repetition, while others consider that there must be repeated attacks [5]. To fill these gaps, this study assesses the evolution of the prevalence of cybervictimization from childhood to early adulthood, in girls and boys. Also, we assess the role of repetition in the association between cybervictimization and internalizing problems.
Method
To achieve these two objectives, more than 6,000 participants aged between 10 and 25 years old reported the frequency of cybervictimization, face-to-face victimization and depressive symptoms. These data will be analysed using descriptive analyses and ANOVAs.
Results
We expect that the adolescents between 13 and 19 years are more likely to face to cybervictimization than the others age groups, in particular girls [6]. We also expect that repeated online aggression would have a greater impact on internalized problems than a unique aggression [7].
Conclusion
The results will help us to better understand the importance of cybervictimization repetition for internalizing problems and to identify age groups that should be particularly targeted in cyberbullying prevention.
This qualitative systematic synthesis defines and describes the definition, nature and impact of cyberbullying and determines critical differences in the definition between developing and developed nations (as per World Bank’s Low, Lower-middle and High Income country). Using the Prisma model and utilizing World Bank categorization of nations, this research systematically examines the literature from 26 research articles between 2015 to 2024 from Scopus and WoS database on the conceptions of cyberbullying emanating from varied socioeconomic contexts. Accordingly, estimated findings show that there are significant variations in defining and perceiving cyberbullying. Cyberbullying in developing countries, with often limited digital infrastructures and internet access, is about issues of access and socio-cultural matters, such as the sexual harassment of female, role of family honor in online relations. Developed countries, on the other hand, tend to refer to racism, body shaming online flaming more while affecting mental health. Socioeconomic aspects also influence the level of awareness about these incidents, the policy responses to them, and seriousness of perceived as being. The synthesis underlines that addressing this issue of cyberbullying and understanding will have to be approached sensitively from economic perspectives. These findings provide a set of insights for decision-makers, educators, and mental health professionals working toward the reduction of the burden of cyberbullying across various settings. Future research needs to investigate the areas of, such as how different cultural and education systems can be utilized toward creating awareness, or how intervention programs are conducted across different economic settings.
Theoretical Background and Objective: This study examines how digital media in Ireland frames online grooming, a digital exploitation issue where adults target minors for abuse. Using framing theory, which shows how media can shape public perceptions by highlighting certain story aspects, this research analyses the role of media in Ireland in influencing awareness, policy discourse, and ethical standards on this topic.
Methodology: This study utilises a computer-assisted text and framing analysis to investigate how digital media in Ireland, including daily and weekly publications, frame online grooming. Guided by keywords such as “online grooming” and “cyber-grooming,” MaxQDA software will identify frames based on language, tone, and themes related to victim protection, accountability, and moral implications. The analysis will explore variations across outlets, examine the influence of sensationalism on public perception, and assess framing strategies that can better inform public understanding while avoiding moral panic.
Expected Results: The study is expected to reveal diverse framing strategies in digital media in Ireland, highlighting potential editorial biases and sensationalist tendencies that may amplify public anxiety. Anticipated findings include key themes around responsibility, morality, and victim impact, shaping public understanding of online grooming. Sensationalism may be a notable factor, potentially contributing to moral panic.
Conclusion: This study aims to guide media professionals toward balanced reporting, reducing sensationalist tendencies and fostering informed public discourse. By proposing ethical framing strategies, it seeks to improve media practices around online grooming and support a more constructive societal response to child protection challenges in digital contexts.
The recording of incidents of physical bullying among South African school learners and circulation of such recordings via social media platforms, is growing and causes significant psycho-social distress for survivors. Despite ongoing scholarship centred on the relationship between traditional bullying and cyberbullying, the interconnectedness of physical and cyberbullying is frequently overlooked. The initial phase of an action research project, framed by the theories of Paulo Freire, Bradley Evans and Henry Giroux, explored the interconnectedness of physical and cyberbullying in educational settings. Survivors’ experiences provide evidence of how the nexus of physical and cyberbullying worsens survivors’ suffering. The psychosocial impacts experienced by survivors include increased pain, poor self-image and identity, heightened fear, overwhelming loneliness and feelings of dehumanisation. The research found that physical-cyber interconnectedness creates extensions along four dimensions: content, space, time and participants. These findings led to the theorisation of digitally extended bullying to conceptualise the multi-dimensional extensions of this type of bullying. The research contributes to existing scholarship on bullying by introducing the concept of digitally extended bullying and enhancing understanding of the complex psycho-social dynamics involved. It also reveals opportunities for promoting critical digital literacy and digital citizenship, as well as informing the development of educational interventions to tackle these challenges.
Introduction and aims:Adolescents involved in bullying have lower levels of emotional intelligence. Research highlights the importance of a multifaceted approach to promoting emotional competences as a means to address this issue: developing emotional regulation skills is crucial for both bullies and victims (Ruenda et al. 2021; Baroncelli & Ciucci, 2014). This study aims to: (1) identify different emotional difficulties associated with bullying and victimization (2) analyze the effect of an intervention conducted with high school students to improve socio-emotional competences.
Method:Participants were 102 high school students (14-16 years, M=14.9,61 boys). Two classes participated to the training (IG,N=57); two classes only participated to the research(CG,N=47). All the students filled (before and after the trainig): Florence Bullying-Victimization Scales (Palladino et al., 2016), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997);Regulatory Self-EfficacyScale (Pastorelli, Picconi, 2001) and Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS;Grazzani et al., 2009).Regression analyses and multivariate ANOVAs were conducted.
Results:Victimization was negatively predicted by Emotion Regulation (β =-.24; p<.05), while bullying by Regulatory Self-Efficacy (β =-.33; p=.002). Manova showed a growth in the General Difficulties as measured by SDQ only in the CG (F1,88=3.84;p=.05).
Conclusion:Findings confirmthat different emotional difficulties correspond to the roles of bully and victim. Victims struggle with emotional regulation, bullies are unable to resist peer pressure. Socio-emotional training showed efficacy in containing emotional and behavioral issues that can increase throughout the school year.
Abstract:
This poster presents empirical findings from two Master’s research projects conducted within New Zealand's Sticks 'n Stones programme, focused on Year 7 and 8 students. Grounded in participatory design theory, both studies examine the effects of involving students as co-designers in bullying prevention efforts to increase program relevance and impact.
Theoretical Background and Objective:
The research aims to evaluate the impact of participatory design in bullying prevention, emphasising school-specific data and student empowerment to enhance engagement and efficacy.
Methodology:
Both studies utilised focus groups and semi-structured interviews, involving 45 students and key facilitators across multiple schools. Using thematic analysis, the researchers examined student experiences and program adaptations based on localised data.
Results:
Findings reveal that students participating in program co-design reported higher engagement, improved self-confidence, and a stronger sense of ownership over the content. Key protective factors, such as the tuakana/teina mentoring model, were identified as enhancing positive peer relationships and promoting a culture of active bystanding.
Conclusion and Implications for Practice:
Involving students as co-designers in anti-bullying programs fosters meaningful engagement and relevance, encouraging students to act as agents of change within their schools. This participatory approach can serve as a model for tailoring educational interventions, promoting resilience, and empowering students, with broader implications for anti-bullying strategies across educational settings in New Zealand.
Ethnic Online Hate Speech (eOHS) includes all expressions of online hatred directed toward ethnic minorities and individuals of migrant background, with a significant negative impact on the mental health of affected groups. Despite its distinctive characteristics – a direct attack on collective identities rather than on individuals – prior research indicates that eOHS shares similarities with other forms of online aggression, such as cyberbullying (Fulantelli et al., 2022). This systematic review seeks to: (1) examine and clarify the definition, measurement, and operationalization of eOHS, (2) evaluate the impact of eOHS on exposure, targeting, and perpetration roles, and (3) identify protective and risk factors.
In October 2024, a systematic search across Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycInfo databases identified 1,935 articles, of which 38 studies were selected according to PRISMA guidelines. Preliminary findings reveal considerable variability in the operationalization of eOHS, with substantial overlap with online discrimination and cyberbullying. This overlap complicates the clear identification of eOHS in empirical studies, leading to ambiguous research outcomes, thereby underscoring the need for a validated measurement tool. Analysis of the roles within eOHS reveals extensive conceptual overlap with victimization related to online discrimination and cyberbullying, with limited data on the perpetrator's role.
This review provides practical and methodological guidance for future eOHS research, aiming to identify key factors to mitigate its impacts. Results could inform strategies to prevent eOHS, support active bystanders, and promote "speaking up" responses.
Theoretical Background and Objective:
Psychological maladjustment in child is associated with peer victimization that imparts effects on the mental health of children and their social relationships such as student teacher interactions. Such adverse experiences often lead to sleep disturbances and negative dreams, which can increase psychological distress. However, the role of dream quality as a mediator between victimization and psychosocial outcomes remains underexplored. This study examines whether dream quality mediates the relationship between peer victimization, psychological adjustment, and the quality of the student-teacher relationship.
Methodology:
A sample of 746 primary school children (380 girls, 50.94%) aged 8-12 years (Mage = 9.54, SD = 0.939) from Northern Italy was analyzed. Latent profile analysis (LPA) classified participants into victimization profiles. Students made drawings representing memorable dreams and reported their victimization experiences (coded as positive or negative). Teachers assessed psychological adjustment and the quality of student-teacher relationship, using the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
Results:
Three distinct victimization profiles emerged: Low, Moderate, and High. Mediation analysis revealed that dream quality significantly mediated the relationship between peer victimization and psychological adjustment (β=0.052, p<0.05) as well as student-teacher relationship quality (β=0.056, p<0.01). Higher victimization was linked to negative dream content, which correlated with increased psychological distress and dependency on teachers.
Conclusions:
Findings underscore the psychological toll of victimization and highlight dream quality as a key mediator. Addressing sleep and dream quality in interventions may help mitigate the negative effects of victimization on psychological adjustment and social functioning in educational settings.
This study examines the relationship between educational programs that teach students how to seek and offer help (SOS) and classroom climate in junior high schools. In Japan, suicide prevention education for youth has gained importance, and psychological professionals in schools are held in high regard. Prior research suggests that help-seeking behaviors are influenced by both individual and environmental factors, such as classroom and school climates. This study focuses on how classroom climate influences students' help-seeking abilities, using a program centered on stress management, SOS experiences, and crisis response strategies. Participants included 128 middle school students, of whom 99 completed all surveys.
The results indicated a negative correlation between experience of worries and classroom climate evaluation, specifically among female students. Additionally, moderately positive correlations were found between classroom climate factors and students' scores for "being able to talk to friends about problems" and "being able to talk to a trusted adult." However, these associations varied by gender, with boys and girls displaying different tendencies toward consulting friends and adults. Future research should seek to further clarify these findings through multilevel analyses across a broader range of schools and classes. Developing programs that consider gender differences and classroom climate, as well as identifying essential points to address in these areas, will also be crucial.
Cyberbullying occurs through digital devices, often on social media, where bystanders can respond through public or private comments by supporting the bully, supporting the victim, or remaining uninvolved. This study investigates how online connectedness, empathy (cognitive and affective), and social self-efficacy predict bystanders' responses to cyberbullying—specifically, inaction (IN), victim support (VS), reporting the perpetrator (RP), and supporting the perpetrator (SP)— controlling for roles in cyberbullying (cybervictim or cyberperpetrator) and country. An online survey was administered to 280 young adults from Italy (n = 186) and Netherlands (n = 94), aged 18-28 years (M = 21.03; SD = 2.64; 77.1% females) who had witnessed cyberbullying at least once in the past three months. Regression analyses showed that online connectedness predicted negatively IN, β = - 0.19, p = 0.04, and positively VS, β = 0.11, p = 0.005, and RP, β = 0.14, p = 0.004. Affective empathy was positively related to VS, β = 0.14, p = 0.007, while cognitive empathy to RP, β = 0.12, p = 0.03. Finally, being a cyberbully was the only positive predictor of SP, β = 0.31, p < 0.001. Interestingly, the Dutch tended to be more inactive, β = -0.83, p < .001, while the Italians tended more to embrace the investigated active behaviours: (VS) β = 0.29, p = 0.008, (RP) β = 0.23, p = 0.046, (SP), β = 0.17, p = 0.02. The study highlights significant implications for developing effective interventions focused on the online context.
Classroom social network diagnostics have been proposed to be one of effective anti-bullying measures for monitoring bullying and victimization in schools. However, it is not well understood how the classroom climate and the individual personalities of each student are related to the structure of the classroom social networks. In this study, we used network analysis techniques to visualize the network structure, extract communities through modularity optimization, and explore the relationships between network structure indicators, classroom climate, and personality traits. A sample of 160 adolescents (aged 15-16) from four classrooms, each with 40 students, filled in self-report questionnaires on Social Preference, Big Five Inventory and Classroom Climate Inventory. As a result, we found that overall degree centrality had significantly positive correlation with extraversion and school wellness indicating students with high sociability tend to have more friends and a positive attitude toward school. Among the indicators of classroom climate across the four classes—satisfaction, closeness, and discord—significant differences were observed between classes. In a class with higher discord, the overall degree of connectedness within the class was lower. In the communities extracted through modularity optimization within each classroom, those with higher network degree centrality formed communities with greater satisfaction, while those in lower-degree communities had unfairness. These results are expected to offer valuable insights for organizing classes in ways that reduce the likelihood of bullying.
Bullying remains a central issue for youth, educators, parents, and schools. One of the most concerning effects of bullying victimization is suicidal ideation. There are numerous reports of adolescents committing suicide as a result of bullying. However, it is unclear if the relationship between bullying victimization and suicidal ideation is the same for students with IEPs. Further, it is also unclear if mental health concerns mediate the relationship between bullying victimization and suicidal ideation and, if the mediating role is different for students with IEPs when compared to students without IEPs. We used a statewide anonymous survey of high school students’ bullying victimization, mental health, and suicidal to address these gaps in the literature. Using multilevel modeling and structural equation modeling, we found that students with IEPs reported higher levels of bullying victimization, mental health concerns, and suicidal ideation. However, there was no moderating effect of IEP status on bullying victimization and suicidal ideation. The mediation model found that students with IEPs reported that bullying victimization has a larger impact on their suicidal ideations than students without IEPs when accounting for mental health. However, the direct effect of mental health concerns on suicidal ideation was smaller for students with IEPs than students without IEPs. Given these results, it is necessary for schools and educational professional to review the supports and programming delivered in schools, and consider the differential effects for youth who are most at risk for bullying involvement.
It is estimated that 20-69% of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) experience bullying involvement (Chatzitheochari et al., 2016; Blake et al., 2012; Rose at al., 2011). Yet we know very little about positive and negative networks and interactions between pupils in special schools. This study aims to explore peer networks in special schools to better understand the patterns of relationships.
Three UK secondary special schools will participate, each with a different primary specialism. Opt-out methodology will increase the likelihood of at least 70% participation of all pupils across each school. Pupils across each school will answer four questions: 1) who are your friends, 2) who do you play with? 3) who is mean (not nice) to you? 4) who are you mean (not nice) to? Per question, each pupil will provide up to 10 names of pupils in their school. Sex, age and school class will be collected.
Each school has a different SEND specialism and will be analysed and interpreted separately. However, comparisons will be made between schools. For each school, we will construct friendship and bullying networks and consider the degree of connectedness or separation of pupils in each network, based on age, sex and school class. Visual maps will be presented alongside analyses.
Our findings will present a picture of whole-school interactions of pupils from three different special schools. This novel data can support the development of more accurate and therefore more effective anti-bullying teaching resources and programmes specifically for pupils with SEND.
Bullying victimization can have lasting impacts on mental health and suicide risk. Theoretical models suggest that bullying experiences create lasting patterns of interpersonal sensitivity (IPS) and negative self-beliefs (Rosen et al., 2007), which shape how individuals process and respond to social information across contexts (Crick & Dodge, 1994). This study has two goals: (1) to examine how IPS factors relate to suicidal ideation (SI), and (2) to investigate whether IPS moderates the relationship between childhood/adolescent bullying experiences and current SI. Initial analyses were based on a sample of 289 college students. A confirmatory factor analysis of IPS factors (interpersonal awareness, need for approval, separation anxiety, timidity, and inner fragility) and suicidal ideation (desire and plans) revealed substantial overlap between IPS factors, particularly separation anxiety with interpersonal awareness (r = .92) and timidity with interpersonal awareness (r = .82). This suggests an underlying global sensitivity consistent with Rosen's victim schema conceptualization. Suicidal desire and plans were highly correlated (r = .91). In a structural equation model predicting SI, inner fragility emerged as the only unique predictor of both suicidal desire and plans. This pattern aligns with theories suggesting that negative self-beliefs are a key mechanism through which IPS influences psychological distress. Planned structural equation modeling will test whether IPS factors (individually and globally) moderate the relationship between retrospective bullying victimization and SI outcomes and consider whether these relations vary as a function of participant gender. Understanding how victim schemas and interpersonal sensitivity interact with bullying experiences could inform targeted intervention strategies.
Bullying victimization among college students is an underexplored area of research. Few estimates of bullying can be found in the literature although a few studies in different nations have estimated that about 8% of undergraduates experience it at school. Perhaps due its lower prevalence, there is also a paucity of studies on college students regarding the impact of victimization on the physical and mental health of victims or the potential for feelings of belonging and resilience to serve as mediators of those effects. Both belonging and resilience have been found to mitigate harmful effects of other forms of victimization such as sexual assault and microaggressions in prior research. In this study of 3,507 college students, we found that 7.5% had been victimized at school in the last six months. We then used structural equation modeling to measure the direct and indirect effects of bullying and cyberbullying on health through resilience and sense of belonging. Significant direct effects on physical and mental health were found for victimization, although they varied by bullying type and personal health indicator. Resilience was a mediator between bullying and physical and mental health, with more victimization associated with lower resilience, which in turn was associated with poorer health. Belonging also acted as a mediator for mental and physical health. Higher bullying was associated with lower belongingness, which in turn was associated with poorer health. The findings suggest that resilience training and belonging enhancement may be worthy strategies for reducing the harms of bullying victimization in college.
Gleding started in 2015, as a word from a 9 year old, being the answer to the question: What is the opposite of bullying? Instead of focusing on what we do not want - Gleding contributes with storytelling, awareness, mindset, tools, books and digital content to build a strong community from the beginning of life. We bring parents, professionals, caretakers and children together around a shared platform to develop empathy, prosocial behaviour and human skills.
More than 500 schools and kindergardens are using our tools and content and to actively engage children and youth in making a positive contribution in their local communities. Thousands of families too. Gleding Patrols are children going out of their school and kindergardens to show kindness to their neighbours, to the elderly home, to the neighbouring school etc.
For this event we have invited Ormaskogen kindergarden to share the ways they work with building strong relationships. They have used Gleding since the beginning and have many stories on how this has impacted not only the children, but also parents, caregivers, employees - the whole ecosystem.
Gleding is a non-profit organisation. Our work is spread to all of Norway, and we are working to expand to the english speaking world. We have been selected two years in a row by the global education organisation in Finland, www.hundred.org - to be top 100 of more than 3000 projects working on children flourishing, education and wellbeing. We hope to share our stories and work with you in june.
Theoretical background and objective of the study: In recent years, ample studies have investigated the risk and protective factors of cyberbullying during adolescence. However, there has been comparatively less research examining the impact of environmental risks, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Additionally, most studies in this field rely on cross-sectional designs, which hinders the understanding of the temporal ordering relation between ACEs and cyberbullying. Therefore, the current study aims to examine the longitudinal association between ACEs and cyberbullying among Chinese adolescents and extend the existing literature by exploring the mediating roles of parental warmth and interpersonal alienation in this relation.
Methodology: The sample consisted of 264 junior high school students and their main caregivers in Heilongjiang Province, China. ACEs, parental warmth, interpersonal alienation, and cyberbullying were measured at three time points in one year. The longitudinal structural equation model (SEM) was utilized to test the interrelations among ACEs, parental warmth, interpersonal alienation, and cyberbullying.
Results and conclusions: Statistical analysis is in progress and the results of this study will be reported during the Forum.
Teachers play a crucial role in addressing stigma-based bullying (SBB), yet few studies compare their responses across different SBB types and how these relate to individual and contextual factors. This study examined the association between individual and contextual factors and diverse teachers' hypothetical and actual responses to bullying based on disability, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, using a sample of 465 Italian teachers (76% female; M = 49.6; SD = 10.25).
Regarding actual responses, 21.1% reported witnessing disability-based bullying, 11.8% ethnic bullying, and 9.2% homophobic bullying. Hypothetical responses were analyzed for the remaining teachers. Three multiple-group models explored individual (age, gender, teaching experience, and self-efficacy in managing SBB) and contextual factors (school grade, prevalence of SBB, and school policy) influencing teachers’ responses to the different forms of SBB.
Findings suggest that individual and contextual factors similarly affect teachers’ responses to all SBB types, regardless of whether they are hypothetical or actual.
Older teachers tended toward non-intervention in ethnic and homophobic bullying cases, while women were more likely than men to respond actively against all form of SBB. Self-efficacy in managing SBB was a key factor influencing teachers' active responses across all SBB types. Secondary school teachers were generally less proactive than primary and middle school teachers. Higher SBB prevalence at school was associated with increased non-intervention and fewer active responses. Commonly, school policy encouraged group discussions and, specifically, supported all active strategies in cases of homophobic bullying. The study highlights important implications for developing effective interventions targeting different forms of SBB.
Collaboration between parents and schools has been promoted as an effective response to cyberbullying (Olenik-Shemesh et al., 2019). However, research suggests that collaborative responses are not fully utilised by parents (Stuart et al., 2022) or teachers (Strohmeier & Gradinger, 2021). Prior research has largely conducted survey studies with educators to explore responses to hypothetical scenarios rather than focusing on responses to actual anonymised incidents.
The current study investigates constructions and dominant discourses of teachers/pastoral staff’s responses to actual cyberbullying and sexting incidents (across five focus groups) using social constructionist reflexive thematic analysis.
Preliminary analysis has found that participants construct the education of children and parents as their primary role rather than implementing specific strategies to tackle cyber-related issues. Teachers consistently refer and adhere to policy which guides them to refer students to pastoral team members.
Pastoral staff also construct education as a primary goal however, mark out their roles as caring, supporting and informing others. Pastoral staff refer to unique characteristics, skills and knowledge which enable them to facilitate comfortable and open environments for students.
Gaining an understanding of the factors influencing participant responses to cyber bullying and sexting incidents in schools provides valuable insight into the barriers and effective strategies and best practice of collaborations with parents. This in turn can inform policy guidance and recommendations that are practicable for schools.
This study explores how anti-gender movements utilise digital hostility as a structured form of ideological bullying to marginalise LGBTQI+ individuals and reinforce exclusionary social hierarchies. Despite increased awareness of bias-based cyberbullying, there remains a limited understanding of how such hostility operates within ideological frameworks, particularly as organised campaigns to delegitimise gender inclusivity efforts. Drawing on Social Identity Theory, Social Dominance Theory, and Moral Panic Theory, this study conceptualises digital hostility within anti-gender movements as a systemic, bias-driven form of cyber aggression. By framing “gender ideology” as a societal threat, anti-gender actors strategically deploy digital hostility to create fear and legitimise social exclusion, portraying their actions as a defence of traditional norms.
Through this re-conceptualisation, anti-gender digital hostility emerges as an organised mechanism of social control, calling for targeted anti-bullying policies that address its ideological nature. This shift in perspective offers both theoretical insight and practical implications for the anti-bullying field, highlighting that effective interventions against bias-based bullying must also consider the structural support behind these hostile online behaviours to address ideologically motivated aggression. Further, this study underscores the need for continued research into how ideological aggression functions within digital spaces and highlight the importance of legal protections and educational interventions that safeguard marginalised individuals from organised, systemic digital hostility.
Recent decades have witnessed the emergence of social-emotional learning (SEL) as a ‘zeitgeist’ that has captured the imagination of educationalists. This neurologically-inflected approach to education – which seeks to cultivate a wide array of ‘non-cognitive’ skills, attributes, competencies, values and traits such as ‘empathy’ ‘wellbeing’, and ‘resilience’ – is increasingly positioned as a solution to complex school-based problems, including bullying. Drawing on cross-cultural analyses of school-based bullying and anti-bullying programmes in Asia, the US and Europe, this paper presents a critical analysis of SEL-based responses to bullying premised on the promotion of kindness, empathy, compassion and respect. It argues that the logics underpinning SEL-informed approaches ignore deeply embedded and systemic dynamics of power and inequality. While not denying the importance of attending to the complex emotional or psycho-affective structures that give shape to, and sustain, bullying and related forms of violence, the paper highlights the inability of SEL-based approaches to meaningfully address the complex co-existence and amplification of bullying in online and offline spaces or to capture complex relations and scales of responsibility for bullying and related forms of violence and harassment. It seeks to complexify our understanding of the wider social forces and enabling conditions which allow bullying and harassment to flourish by advancing an expansive and nuanced theorisation of responsibility for bullying and associated forms of violence that transcend widely recognised subject positions of bully, victim and bystander.
Kanvas is a non-profit foundation owning and running 64 kindergartens in Norway, with 1200 employees responsible for 6000 children, approximately. Since 2021, we have introduced several measures to meet the new standards of §8 in the Kindergarten Act, including systematic procedures to strengthen the psychosocial kindergarten environment in general, and to prevent bullying in particular. First, in the time running up to the introduction of the new regulation, we conducted a number of webinars for staff and parents, and gathered all employees for a large, two-day conference with this as the central topic.
On the kindergarten level, we have several new procedures or systems in place: 1) A compulsory annual survey of children's well-being. 2) A compulsory assessment of quality through EBBA, a method to systematically observe, assess and provide feedback on kindergarten quality in line with the Framework Plan. 3) Employees receive guidance at various levels, related to the psychosocial environment. 4) Staff have access to a set of resources on the intranet including templates for logs, minutes, activity plans and resources for parental cooperation. 5) Psychosocial environment, including prevention and handling of bullying, are compulsory topics both on introductory courses and on-boarding interviews.
Over the past two years, we have registered changes in practice related to this topic through municipal inspections and through our internal staff development dialogues. We experience that Kanvas employees have strengthened knowledge and competence in preventing and handling bullying, and in total providing a safer and more stimulating psychosocial environment for all our children.
Background and Purpose
Persons with disabilities (PWD) in Singapore often face socio-emotional challenges, including bullying and discrimination. Despite these challenges, the experiences of PWDs who seek help after enduring bullying remain understudied. This study aims to investigate the support systems available to PWDs who have been bullied, shedding light on their effectiveness and areas for improvement within Singapore's context.
Methodology
Using a retrospective exploratory approach, we engaged 22 young adults with disabilities who had experienced cyberbullying and traditional bullying during their school years. Participants were recruited from social service agencies, such as the Disabled People's Association, supplemented by snowball sampling.
Results
Our findings reveal that PWD participants often rely on their own coping strategies to navigate bullying, finding them more effective than the support systems available in their school and community settings. Factors influencing the effectiveness of support and interventions within these systems were also identified. Additionally, participants shared their aspirations for improved support at micro, mezzo, and macro levels to address their bullying experiences more effectively.
Conclusions and Implications
This study highlights the significant barriers PWDs encounter in education due to discrimination and bullying, emphasizing the need for comprehensive support systems tailored to their specific needs. By understanding the experiences and perspectives of PWDs who have been bullied, this research provides insights into how systems can better support this vulnerable population, ultimately promoting inclusivity and reducing the negative impacts of bullying on their overall well-being and life outcomes.
Theoretical background and objective of the study: In Norway, about 30% of youth face unkind online comments, and 25% experience cyber exclusion or meanness. Furthermore, 4% reported being cyberbullied in 2023. Cyberbullying is associated with serious mental health problems like depression and anxiety. The mobile app NettOpp was developed to raise awareness and provide easy accessible support to children and adolescents who have been exposed to negative online events. The project's objective was to develop a self-help tool that is both easily accessible and free to use whenever one needs it.
Methodology: The app was designed with input from adolescents and experts in bullying, school health, and psychology, to enhance its relevance, terminology, and design. A user survey evaluated NettOpp’s usability, quality, and goal achievement. An RCT study was subsequently conducted to assess its effectiveness.
Results obtained or expected: The user evaluation indicated that adolescents rate NettOpp highly in terms of quality, user-friendliness, and expected impact. The effectiveness study demonstrates that NettOpp significantly improves mental health by reducing hyperactivity challenges among children and adolescents.
Conclusion with implications for practice: NettOpp equips young people to manage negative online experiences, potentially enhancing their mental health and empowering them to prevent and address future incidents. It may serve as a valuable educational resource in schools and mental health services. While it supports youth facing diverse challenges, it complements but does not replace medical assistance.
Background
Despite the prevalence and impact of peer victimization, prevention efforts at the secondary level are largely ineffective for bullying (Yeager et al., 2015), and sexual harassment is rarely a focus (Cook-Craig et al., 2014). Norms and Bystander Intervention Training (NAB IT!) is a 4-hour intervention based on Latané and Darley’s (1970) five-step bystander intervention model (notice, interpret, assume responsibility, know how to help, intervene) that includes educational, motivational, and skill-building components. This study presents NAB IT! evaluation results.
Methodology
In a pilot study, 27 high school students participated in NAB IT! and completed pre- and post-test measures: Bystander Intervention in Bullying and Sexual Harassment (ByInt; Nickerson et al., 2014), Student Advocates Pre- and Post-Scale (SAPPS; Midgett et al., 2015); Forms of Bullying Bystander Actions (FBBA; Jenkins et al., 2022). NAB IT! was then implemented and evaluated with 67 students from four high schools, using the same measures, plus California Healthy Kids Survey resiliency subscales (CDOE, 2023).
Results
Results from paired t-tests from the pilot and implementation samples indicated significant increases on By-Int p <.001, d 1.08-1.21; SAPPS p < .001, d .87-1.55; FBBA Intervention subscale p < .001, d .51, and three resiliency subscales p <.001, d .47-.70.
Conclusion and Implications
Students participating in NAB IT! reported positive change in bystander intervention knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and behavior, as well as empathy, problem solving, and cooperation/communication. Although NAB IT! shows promise in empowering high school youth as upstanders, further research is needed on long-term outcomes and peer victimization rates.
As adolescents increasingly navigate online spaces, cyber victimization has emerged as a significant concern for the development and protection of young people. Focusing on cybergrooming, the conducted systematic review aimed to integrate existing quantitative research on prevalence rates, risk factors, and outcomes of cybergrooming victimization, informed by an adaptation of the General Aggression Model. Studies providing self-reported data on cybergrooming victimization of people between the ages of 5 and 21 were included. A total of 34 studies met all inclusion criteria, with most focusing on adolescence. The present contribution focuses on studies investigating the association between (cyber-)bullying and cybergrooming. Overall, nine studies examined (cyber)bullying victimization and/or perpetration, consistently showing a positive association with cybergrooming victimization. Studies indicated a tendency for cybergrooming to be (a) more closely related to cyberbullying than to traditional bullying victimization, and (b) more closely related to (cyber)bullying victimization than to perpetration. However, the cross-sectional designs of most studies did not allow for an evidence-based determination of the causal direction. There are different theoretical explanatory approaches for the association between cybergrooming victimization and (cyber)bullying victimization (i.e., shared risk factors, increased vulnerability) and perpetration (i.e., perpetration-victimization-reciprocity), based on which the results can be embedded in the proposed model. Findings underscore polyvictimization as an existing issue that could be addressed by more holistic prevention and intervention programs targeting different types of victimization.
Bullying victimization is associated with myriad negative outcomes for both children and adults (McDougall & Vaillancourt, 2015). Experiences of victimization may be experienced as extremely distressing because they threaten the need to belong and to have ongoing positive interactions with others who provide companionship and caring (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). The current study examines how parents’ experiences of bullying victimization predict parental guidance of children’s peer relationships, and how this in turn, affects children’s future bullying victimization.
Parents reported on their own bullying victimization in the workplace using the Retrospective Bullying Questionnaire (Schafer et al., 2004) as well as the extent to which they guide their children’s peer relationships (e.g., “I help my child think of ways to meet new kids,” Mounts, 2007) in the summer following their child’s fifth grade year. Children reported on their victimization experiences during the fall of sixth grade using the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale (Mynard & Joseph, 2000).
Parents who experienced workplace bullying were significantly less likely to guide their children’s peer relationships. Parental guidance of peer relationships at the end of fifth grade predicted lower levels of child-reported victimization in sixth grade.
Findings suggest the importance of considering the role of parents in bullying prevention and intervention programs. Parental guidance of peer relations may be an important protective factor for children’s bullying involvement. However, addressing the effects that bullying victimization can have on parents may be necessary for parents to optimally support their children’s peer relationships.
Purpose: This study explores the stability and changes in bullying and victimization among rural middle school students in the U.S. over two years, examining the role of school, peer, and family support in predicting involvement in these dynamics.
Method: Data were collected from 802 students across two rural middle schools, focusing on bullying, victimization, online victimization, and social support at two points in time. Using latent profile analysis, the study identified distinct bullying profiles, followed by latent transition analysis to examine profile changes over the two-year period. Mplus 8.0 software was used for statistical analysis.
Results: Four distinct profiles of bullying involvement were identified at both time points: bully, victim, bully-victim, and uninvolved. These profiles displayed partial stability over the two years, with notable transitions towards uninvolved profiles. Specific trajectories included exclusive bully, bully-uninvolved, victim-uninvolved, bully-victim continuum, and non-bully/non-victim (uninvolved). Logistic regression analysis showed that transitioning from bully to uninvolved was associated with higher levels of perceived school support (B=0.205, SE=0.167, p<.001). In contrast, remaining on the bully-victim continuum was linked to higher perceived family support (B=0.225, SE=0.340, p=.023).
Implications: Findings provide insights into the stability and change of bullying dynamics among rural middle school students. Understanding these trajectories can inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing bullying and enhancing protective factors, such as school and family support, to foster safer and more supportive school environments.
Theoretical Background and Objective of the Study. Bullying is a widespread phenomenon in our society, with serious consequences for children and adolescents. Teachers play a critical role in addressing this issue, acting as key agents in preventing, detecting, and tackling bullying cases. Consequently, it is essential that pre-service teachers receive both theoretical and practical training about bullying during their university education. This work aimed to analyze the perception of bullying-specific training received by students enrolled in the Primary School Teacher Training degree specializing in Physical Education (PSTT-PE) and the Physical Activity and Sports Sciences degree (PASS).
Methodology. A total of 425 last-year PSTT-PE and PASS students (172 women) from 14 Spanish universities participated in this study. We administered an ad-hoc 20-item questionnaire to assess their needs and perceptions on bullying-specific-training.
Results Obtained or Expected. Results suggest a low perception of the overall bullying training received (M = 2.02; SD = 0.24). Participants also reported low levels of perceived competence in prevention (M = 2.24; SD = 0.18), detection (M = 2.47; SD = 0.42), and intervention (M = 2.29; SD = 0.42) strategies, as well as a need for more training on bullying (M = 4.4; SD = 0.23).
Conclusion with Implications for Practice. This work suggests a need to incorporate evidence-based bullying-related training content in the curricula of the PASS and PE degrees during university education.
Understanding pathways to suicidal ideation is crucial for prevention efforts, as peer victimization (PV) has emerged as a significant prospective predictor of suicidal ideation (van Geel et al., 2022). Drawing on the Approach/Inhibition Theory of Power, which links powerlessness to increased threat sensitivity and behavioral inhibition (Keltner et al., 2003), this study investigated whether power dynamics and helplessness moderate the relationship between retrospectively reported PV and current suicidal ideation (SI) in a college student sample. Participants (N = 283) were predominantly first-year college students (M = 18.99 years, SD = 1.57), cisgender women (65.05%, n = 188), and White (84.38%, n = 243). Participants reported on PV experiences from childhood through adolescence and were classified based on power dynamics relative to their bullies: less power (60.78%) versus more/same power (39.22%). Due to significant non-normality, current SI was dichotomized for logistic regression analysis. Results revealed that power significantly moderated the relationship between childhood/adolescent PV frequency and current SI. For individuals with less power than their bullies, PV was strongly, positively associated with current SI (OR = 14.12, p = .006), with 47.1% reporting ideation compared to 23.4% in the more power group. Helplessness did not moderate the relationship between PV and SI in either power group. The findings suggest that PV may be particularly harmful when accompanied by powerlessness, with effects persisting into college. Prevention efforts should focus particularly on students who experienced chronic PV within power-imbalanced relationships. Future research should explore mechanisms in the power-suicide relationship among diverse college populations.
Although research on school safety is complex and draws on multiple disciplines, there is a lack of consensus among researchers and policy makers on the best strategies for creating safe schools. To address the persistent problem of bullying as one of the most important school safety issues, schools employ a variety of prevention strategies. The purpose of this study was to test association of bullying victimization and two dimensions of school safety – physical and psychological. Physical safety was observed by the number of safety measures, procedures, and security personnel in the school. Psychological safety was observed using the following variables: feelings of safety, teacher–student relationships and peer relationships. Hierarchical multiple regression was used in this study to analyze servey data from 1526 students (age 16–18) in 19 state schools in Belgrade, Serbia. The results indicate that in terms of the psychological safety variables, feelings of safety and peer relationships were negatively associated with bullying victimization. In contrast, teacher–student relationships and the dimension of physical safety were not associated with bullying victimization.
Bullying is a public health issue and is one of the most serious concerns facing schools across the United States (Cook et al., 2010; Dinkes et al., 2009; Nickerson, 2019). Personnel with specialized training to prevent and address bullying are needed. Northern Illinois University’s Project Prevent and Address Bullying Behavior at All Tiers (PPABB) was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The project is a collaboration between the School Psychology and Special Education Behavior Analysis Program at NIU. The project provides specialized cross-disciplinary training to prevent and address bullying behavior in schools. Over a 5-year period, 12 school psychology and 12 special education scholars will a) complete 9 shared courses; b) participate in bi-weekly PPABB supervision meetings; and c) complete a collaborative practicum. During the special practicum, each school psychology scholar was paired with a special education scholar to complete an interdisciplinary, coordinated field experience in the special education scholar’s classroom. During the practicum, each pair of scholars completed a climate assessment related to bullying, implemented an appropriate class-wide intervention, conducted a functional behavior assessment of bullying behavior, and developed a comprehensive behavior intervention plan. This poster will present information about the training program to share resources with universities and practitioners.
Inclusive and supportive classroom environments are crucial, particularly during political and societal crises such as wars, disinformation, polarization, and rising populism and extremism. While existing research highlights the importance of these aspects of school environments, there is a lack of studies examining the impact of anti-hate speech prevention programs on the classroom environment and students’ social development and its interplay. Narrowing this research gap, this study investigated the direct and indirect effects of participating in the anti-hate speech prevention program HateLess on inclusive classroom climate, classroom cohesion, empathy for victims of hate speech, and self-efficacy toward intervening in hate speech among adolescents (N = 820, 12 to 16 years [M = 13.27, SD = 1.04]). Using multilevel mediation analysis showed that the intervention group reported significantly higher levels of inclusive classroom climate, classroom cohesion, empathy, and self-efficacy at T2 compared to the control group. Inclusive classroom climate and cohesion at T2 were positively associated with empathy and self-efficacy at T2. Significant indirect effects were found, with the intervention influencing empathy and self-efficacy through inclusive classroom climate and cohesion. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the HateLess program in enhancing classroom environments and promoting key psychosocial outcomes among adolescents. More broadly, these findings contribute valuable insights to educational interventions and highlight the importance of comprehensive approaches to creating inclusive and supportive learning spaces for all students.
Background: Gender non-conforming (GNC) youth face heightened risks for cyberbullying, Yet, less is known which risks and protective factors influence or reduce their vulnerability. This study explores the association between specific risk and protective factors and cyberbullying among GNC youth.
Methods: Data were derived from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). An analytical sample of 253 high school youth in grades 9th through 12th who identified as either transgender or unsure if they are transgender were analyzed using two binary logistic regression models. Model 1 examined four risk factors including missed school, witnessing violence, social media activity, and overweight. Model 2 assessed protective factors including physical activity, sleep, academic performance, and family/school support. All variables were dichotomized (no = 0, yes = 1), and covariates included age (M=15.86), physical dating violence, and race (White vs. non-White).
Results: Model 1 indicated that missing school (OR=5.87), witnessing violence (OR=2.13), being overweight (OR=2.25), social media activity (OR=7.36), not identifying as White (OR=2.61), and previous physical dating violence (OR=3.69) were statistically significant associated with cyberbullying. Model 2 indicated a statistically significant association between identifying as non-White (OR=1.16) and previous dating violence (OR=1.22).
Conclusion: While risk factors like social media activity, missing school, and witnessing violence are strongly associated with cyberbullying among GNC youth, protective factors did not show statistically significant findings, suggesting that more research is needed to identify effective ways to mitigate cyberbullying among this population. Implications for intervention, policy, and education are discussed.
Norwegian School Student Union (Elevorganisasjonen) wants to create a poster highlighting the importance of Section 9A of the Education Act, which is Section 12 in the new Education Act. We aim to show how the law helps protect students, especially those who feel school is not a safe or supportive place.
We want to convey this through these points:
The school is further obligated to implement measures to resolve situations, such as bullying and cyber-bullying etc.
The law is intended to ensure that students who experience bullying are taken care of.
The UVDBase Project phase 4 is dedicated to furthering development of a documentation and communications human-centered supportive technical system identifying and neutralizing organizational, technical, personal, cultural, and ethical barriers hindering communication and effective resolution of school-based conflict problem outcomes.
Current focus is on development of socio-technical systems design solutions addressing school climate social discord – specifically, conflicts typically traceable to cultural differences. Solutions are proposed targeting improved student-body intergroup communication, expanded teacher education resources, and supportive parental engagement tools.
Consistent with the digital transformation of public and government services, the project will produce a referential resource directly addressing known researched gaps, and provide recommendations derived from an assembled participant expert subject matter consortium (SME’s) of existing and emerging evolving technological solutions. Currently, recommendations include: Collaborative student body virtual teamwork integration; Teachers’ knowledge formation: access to cloud-based digitized library resources including historical and disaggregated cultural datasets, online interactive dashboard and data visualization tools, and parental engagement: via connectivity to integrated application programming (API) linguistic communication tools and messaging guidance.
Recognizing the social scientific concern that “culture is a neglected aspect of conflict resolution.” and the social systems theorization that “each interaction is not only affected by the characteristics of individuals or the environmental context but also by the history of interactions.” (Gunkel et al, 2016), project phase four emphasizes the benefits of social-historical cultural intelligence – holistic real-life insights - matching practical social-technical solutions fostering greater understanding and prosocial collaboration across the full spectrum of the personal and systemic-structural educational framework.
Early childhood education represents a critical period for instilling social and emotional skills that foster positive peer interactions. Unfortunately, bullying behaviors can emerge even at this tender age, highlighting the urgent need for effective, age-appropriate antibullying policies. This study will take place in one elementary school, where I will engage with kindergarten teachers, administrators, and support staff to explore how they implement these policies in their daily interactions with students.
Through qualitative interviews, I aim to identify both the challenges and successful approaches they employ to create a safe and supportive school environment.
Anticipated results from this study may suggest that when educators receive ongoing support and professional development in implementing antibullying strategies, it can lead to a more compassionate school atmosphere. Applying Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory will highlight how a nurturing school environment and strong policy play a crucial role in supporting the students’ experiences.
Ultimately, this research aims to provide valuable insights for educators and policymakers, making a compelling case about early intervention being not just about preventing bullying but also about nurturing a culture of respect and understanding from the very start. By showcasing the vital role that kindergarten educators play in shaping young hearts and minds, this study hopes to contribute to the growing body of literature in the field of bullying prevention by emphasizing the vital role of early childhood education in shaping a school environment where every child feels safe, valued, and ready to learn.
Children’s literature has been used in attempt to mitigate bullying behaviors (Wee et al., 2022). Language socialization occurs through literature, both through the types of contextual messages conveyed and within how characters are portrayed. Given the socialization process salient to storytelling, it may be important to consider the messages presented within children’s literature and the impact of such messages. The current study examined the word usage presented in children’s picture books about bullying. Critical analyses of the language used in such books may provide information about the ways in which children’s literature shapes cultural values and beliefs, which can inform bullying prevention and intervention efforts.
The Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program was used to evaluate transcripts of bully and victim characters from 69 books written in English. The language used by bully and victim characters differed in several significant ways related to specific emotion, insight, temporal focus, authenticity, analytical thinking, gendered language, and first-person centered pronoun usage. Given that linguistic styles convey psychological meaning (Tausczik & Pennebaker, 2010), these findings offer insight to the ways that children’s literature might shape children’s understanding and beliefs surrounding bullying. Findings urge caution in the selection of children’s literature for interventions, as language characteristics may convey meaning that may be counter to an intervention’s goals. Specifically, language usage may convey stereotypical information that not only socializes children to this information but also limits the ability of children to recognize more nuanced presentations of a bully or a victim.
Background: Bullying is a significant public health issue affecting children’s physical, emotional, and mental health. Traditional anti-bullying programs have shown varying degrees of effectiveness, highlighting the need for alternative approaches. This study, conducted in Norway, introduces a peer support group intervention based on a solution-focused approach (SFA), aimed at reducing bullying and promoting social inclusion among school children.
Objective: The primary study objective is to investigate the effectiveness of a support group intervention in reducing bullying, enhancing mental health, improving quality of life, and increasing general self-efficacy among school children in 5th-7th grade.
Methods: This cluster randomized controlled trial involves 26 schools, randomly assigned to either the intervention group implementing the support group model or a control group receiving usual care. The intervention leverages SFA counselling to engage children in identifying and applying solutions, supported by peers, school nurses, and teachers. Outcome measures include bullying reduction, quality of life, and mental health improvements, evaluated at baseline, intervention end, and 6- and 9-month follow-ups.
Planned outcome: Pilot studies conducted from 2020-2022 demonstrated the intervention's feasibility and acceptability, with reported improvements in peer relations and classroom atmosphere. The current study expands on these findings through a randomized design to rigorously assess the intervention’s long-term effectiveness.
Conclusion: While early findings are promising, the study is ongoing, and outcomes will be evaluated as data becomes available. This peer support group intervention utilizing a SFA model has the potential to serve as a low-cost strategy for reducing bullying and improving the psychosocial environment in schools.
Theoretical background and objective of the study. The Internet plays a crucial role in the personal and social growth of adolescents. However, the Internet also facilitates the development and proliferation of cyberbullying among adolescents. Various systematic reviews have highlighted several successful didactic actions developed within the school context to address cyberbullying. Moreover, earlier studies have shown that teachers possess significant potential to address cyberbullying. Different teachers’ individual characteristics and competencies are related to their implementation of didactic actions against cyberbullying. Nevertheless, further research is still required to investigate the teachers’ profile related to their implementation of didactic actions against cyberbullying. This study aimed to examine the relation between the teachers’ profile and their implementation of didactic actions against cyberbullying. Methodology. Participants were 728 teachers (55.77% female, age: M = 44.66, SD = 9.50) from 40 secondary education schools. This quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional, ex-post-facto and multilevel study utilized a self-report survey for data collection. Results obtained or expected. Teachers’ didactic actions against cyberbullying were predicted by having high inclusive didactics, teaching of social and emotional competencies, and teaching of responsible and safe Internet use. Conclusion with implications for practice. These results highlight the fundamental role of teachers’ profile in addressing cyberbullying, emphasizing the necessity for teacher training initiatives and robust school policies.
Antibullying programmes that focus on dynamic social group practices and discourses, such as KiVa, have been relatively successful but are less effective during adolescence when peer relationships are crucial for identity, belonging and wellbeing. To explore this further, a ‘Critical Discursive Psychology’ (CDP) approach was embedded throughout development and delivery of an intervention and provided the theoretical and methodological context of the associated research. CDP focuses on applied topics and the synthesis of macro and micro level discourses in the process of meaning making and fits well the aims of antibullying programmes to address power relations, social exclusion and practices of affect such as shaming.
The dialogic intervention of 6 interactive sessions of one hour each was delivered to thirty eight 17-18 year old pupils and three members of teaching staff in one school. It was approved by The British Psychological Society for CPD and introduced participants to the function, performance, relationality, power and positioning in bullying talk. Text-based data was collected from group activities and CDP concepts were applied in the analysis as tools to reveal interpretative repertoires, subject positions and dilemmas.
Pupils talk revealed nuanced fascinations and concerns regarding bullying, and they developed discursive strategies and social practices to enhance empathy and dignity. Evidence of 1. bystander discursive defensive strategies such as denial and 2. a strong commitment to draw on dominant discourses of individual characteristics and personal experiences of perpetrators and targets as explanatory frameworks to understand bullying may help to explain limitations in intervention efficacy generally.
Background/Objectives: Identity-based bullying experiences (IBBE) during childhood can have lasting impacts on adult well-being. Research asserts adverse bullying outcomes are more prevalent among minoritized populations, including LGBTQ individuals. Social support theory suggests supportive relationships can buffer against adverse childhood experiences. Yet, limited research has examined whether social support may buffer the effects of distinct types of IBBE during childhood on social well-being (SWB) among LGBT adults. This study examined if social support moderates the relationship between gender expression, sexuality, physical appearance, sexual orientation, and race identity-based bullying and SWB.
Methods: Data from the combined Generations and Transpop survey(N=1,629 adults aged 18-60;(M=36) were analyzed using bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression (MLR). Measures included retrospective reports of IBBE, current SWB(a=0.79), and perceived social support(a=0.73). Interaction terms tested the moderating effects of social support. Age, education, marital status, and income were entered into the models as covariates.
Results: Physical appearance(r =-.11,p< .0001), race(r=-.08,p=.0011), gender expression (r=-.08,p=.0017), and sex-based(r=-.07,p=.0056) bullying were negatively correlated with adult SWB. MLR results concluded only sex orientation-based bullying was associated with SWB (β =.011,p=.0197), and social support demonstrated a significant main effect with SWB (β=0.22, p<.0001) but did not significantly moderate the relationship between IBBE and SWB. Age(β=-0.006,p<.001, education level(β=0.26,p< .0001), and poverty status(β=-0.29,p<.0001) were significant covariates.
Conclusion: While social support benefits SWB, it may not fully buffer against the impacts of IBBE. These findings highlight the need for preventive interventions targeting identity-based bullying and supportive services for LGBTQ individuals. Implications for research, practice, and programming are discussed.
Introduction:
When children are bullied, parental support is crucial for mitigating negative effects (Lereya et al., 2013). Research highlights how parents help their children cope, but little focuses on how parents themselves cope with their child's bullying. Research suggests that parents often feel anger, stress, and sadness, and lack adequate support from schools, turning to chat rooms for help (Harcourt et al.,2014). Such findings highlight the need for better support systems for parents to manage their own stress and well-being (Noret, 2023). But beyond that, there is limited and varied evidence on the impact of bullying on parents. Therefore the aim of this scoping review is to synthesise evidence examining the impact of a child being bullied on parents and how parents cope with their own feelings.
Methods:
This scoping review follows the PRISMA process of conducting and reporting reviews (Tricco et al., 2018). A range of search engines have been used to search for articles relating to a series of search terms relating to “parents”, “bullying” and “mental health”. At this time all papers identified have been screened and eleven papers have been identified for data inclusion in this scoping review.
Results:
A descriptive content analysis will focus on the factors associated with parental mental health in the context of their child being bullied. Results will be discussed focusing on key findings.
Conclusion:
As this is a scoping review, no direct conclusions are currently expected, but conclusions will be formed from the results.
Theoretical background and objective of the study:
Research on stigma-based bullying has focused on individual variables, such as personal characteristics or beliefs of aggressors, leaving out contextual factors. This study investigates the influence of school climate on student roles as non-aggressors, general bullying aggressors, or stigma-based bullying aggressors, focusing on factors such as teacher-student relationships, peer relationships, social justice, and equitable treatment.
Methodology: 1,241 students participated, with 82% as non-aggressors, 13.4% as general aggressors, and 2.6% as stigma-based aggressors. Multilevel multinomial logistic regression was conducted, clustering by class, with bullying involvement as the dependent variable and stigma-based aggression as the reference category. Independent variables included school climate perceptions, age, and gender.
Results obtained: Results revealed that, at the individual level, lower perceptions of equitable treatment were associated with a higher likelihood of being a stigma-based aggressor compared to the two other groups. Class-level analyses showed similar results, where lower class perceptions of equitable treatment increased the likelihood of stigma-based aggression over other roles. Additionally, lower perceptions of social justice at the class level correlated with a higher probability of being a stigma-based aggressor over general or non-aggression.
Conclusions with implications for practice: These findings highlight that specific aspects of school climate, as equitable treatment and social justice perceptions, play are crucial in differentiating the likelihood of general versus stigma-based bullying aggression. Improving school climate could be essential in reducing both types of aggression, with a targeted focus on reducing stigma-based aggression by enhancing equity and justice in the school environment.
Bullying literature has primarily focused on school and child impact, yet bullying has a negative impact on parent wellbeing (Harcourt, Green, and Bowden 2015). Schools are often seen as an obvious institution for interventions with children as, by their very nature, they interact with children in their daily lives during their formative years. For schools in England, Head Teachers have a legal duty to ensure that within their schools ‘any incident of bullying, discrimination, aggression, and derogatory language are dealt with quickly and effectively’ (gov.co.uk 2024). What remains unclear is how anti-bullying policies provide support to parents on how to manage their child’s experiences of bullying. Therefore, the aim of this review was to examine secondary school anti-bullying policies in Yorkshire and the Humber to identify what support and guidance is provided in the policies. Based on the approach used by Smith et al. (2008), a review was conducted to examine whether the policies include statements on: directly sharing the policy with parents, the responsibilities of parents if they know of bullying (this can include knowing if their child has a behaviour problem if bullying is included elsewhere), consultation with parents about the policy, gives advice for parents about bullying, and provides clear signposting for further advice and support for parents. The findings will be discussed in relation to parent wellbeing and support offered through schools.
Background: Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) is a narrow personality trait that encompasses an individual’s tendency to accept and endorse group-based social hierarchies and the extent to which they desire their in-group to be superior to out-groups. Such attitudes about group hierarchies are often a prelude to discriminatory behaviour. Indeed, it has been argued that bullying is a form of social dominance orientation such that bullying behaviour coincides with negative attitudes about social groups in which the aggressors do not belong.
Methods: A cross-sectional design will be employed to examine (1) whether there is a relationship between SDO and cyberbullying behaviour among adolescents and (2) how empathy and moral disengagement mediates the relationship between SDO and cyberbullying behaviour. A self-report anonymous survey with adolescents aged 15 to 24 years in Ireland will be employed.
Findings: A series of stepwise regression analyses will examine the relationship between cyberbullying behaviour and SDO while controlling for participant gender and gender. Empathy and moral disengagement will be included to examine the mediating role they hold in the relationship between SDO and cyberbullying behaviour.
Conclusions: The findings will be interpreted in light of the role of personality variables implicated in a range of prejudiced attitudes to cyberbullying behaviour, and the potential of self-reflecting (moral disengagement) and other-reflecting (empathy) in strengthening or not that relationship. Suggestions will be made for further research and tentative recommendations for anti-bullying interventions.
In Japan, the Act for the Promotion of Bullying Prevention Measures was enacted in 2015. This study aimed to evaluate the state of bullying and students' assessments of school anti-bullying efforts in compulsory education (six years of elementary and three years of middle school) post-enactment. In March 2024, a retrospective online survey was conducted with 3,500 high school students aged 15–18 (mean age 16.9, ±0.86; 83.5% male, 16.5% female) who had completed compulsory education. Results indicated that 69.1% of students had received explanations of anti-bullying measures at school (average frequency 6.19 ± 2.92 times), and 75.2% had attended lessons on bullying prevention (average frequency 5.41 ± 2.94 times). During compulsory education, 88.9% reported experiencing victimization, 8.96% admitted to perpetrating bullying, 18.61% experienced both roles, and 11.09% had no involvement. A multinomial logistic regression analysis examined the impact of anti-bullying explanations, preventive lessons, and classroom environment (rated 1–10) on victimization, perpetration, and dual involvement. The cumulative effects of these interventions over grades were also evaluated. Results showed that explanations alone did not have a consistently significant impact on bullying involvement across grades. However, preventive lessons showed a cumulative suppressive effect on victimization in some grades, although the effect varied by grade level. Better classroom conditions were consistently associated with lower levels of both victimization and perpetration across grades. These findings suggest that consistent implementation of anti-bullying explanations and lessons, alongside improvements in classroom environments, may enhance the effectiveness of anti-bullying measures. Further verification through prospective studies is recommended.
“Voice is not enough” for meaningful approaches to children’s participation in research. Other factors such as the creation of a safe space for children to express themselves, and actions that ensure that children and young people’s views are taken seriously into consideration are necessary preconditions.
This work presents the evaluation of the prototype version of the Happy Onlife, quiz-based game for children, designed to raise awareness of the opportunities and risks of the online world. Developed in line with the EU's Better Internet for Kids strategy, the digital game is part of an edutainment toolkit promoting safe and responsible use of Internet among children and adults as well as raising awareness on online safety, risks for privacy, cybersecurity and cyberbullying.
We conducted a Gamified Participatory Evaluation with N= 114 children aged 8-12 years to maximize children’s engagement and fun. While for previous development and assessment, we arranged school workshops, on this occasion, we wanted to embed the assessment within the game itself.
The results of the study indicate that children rated the majority of the questions as fun but they suggested improvements regarding the relevance of the questions to their everyday activities and the use of terminology that is more common among young people. This study contributes with the refinement of the final version of the game before its final launch and provides a novel approach for evaluating serious games by incorporating digital play into the evaluation process. The study shows how policy and research results are implemented in schools.
Online hate speech (OHS) is a form of cyberviolence characterized by the spread of discriminatory or offensive content targeting groups based on attributes such as ethnicity, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. Despite increasing research on OHS, systematic understanding of OHSs targeting sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) remains limited. This focus is critical, as SGMs often face discrimination and violence both online and offline. OHS targeting SGMs may compound these challenges, reinforcing stereotypes that affect individual well-being and shape public opinion and policy potentially perpetuating inequities. This systematic review aims to 1) identify factors that predict OHS targeting SGMs; 2) evaluate the impact of OHS on health and social behaviors; and 3) examine the coping strategies SGMs use in response to OHS. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, and LGBTQIA+ Source, resulting in 13 studies included. Findings reveal a lack of quantitative articles on OHS targeting SGMs. The reviewed studies highlight a high prevalence of OHS targeting SGMs and describe its harmful impact on their well-being, often resulting in a decreased sense of community cohesion and increased social isolation. Several risk factors associated with OHS frequency were identified, along with variables that influence moral disengagement and intervention of bystanders. These factors included political ideology, frequency and nature of social media use and prejudice toward SGM. In conclusion, the review emphasizes the need for advanced research to develop assessments and interventions to mitigate OHS’s effects on SGMs and address online discrimination.
The Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) developed a United Against Bullying (UAB) Programme, which was available free to schools in England across a three year period from November 2021 to March 2024. The programme was a whole school approach to preventing and responding to bullying, with a particular focus on those children who are most vulnerable and more likely to be victims of bullying such as pupils in receipt of free school meals (FSM), disabled pupils and those with special educational needs (SEN/D).
The main data source was the self-report Pupil Questionnaire consisting of 24 questions which provided baseline data across the program for nearly 140,000 pupils aged between 4-18 years, the data provides a picture of children and young people’s experiences of bullying, school experience and wellbeing.
Schools who enrolled in the programme were provided with a whole-school audit tool, interactive action plan with associated resources and a range of CPD training.
Findings examined trends over time for gender, SEND and FSM status, reported on school experience and pupil wellbeing. Almost one in four pupils (24%) reported being frequently bullied, this was higher for SEN/D pupils (31%) and FSM pupils (30%).
Having SEN/D, or in receipt of Free School Meals (a measure of socio-economic deprivation) increased risk of involvement substantially. Involvement (either as target or perpetrator) was associated with significantly poorer school experience, and poorer reported wellbeing.
In summary, the project found encouraging findings regarding implementation of the programme with general reductions in victimisation and bullying, and improvements in Pupil Wellbeing.
Theoretical background and objective
Bystanders' responses to cyberviolence, such as cyberbullying, cyberhate, and non-consensual sexting, play a critical role in mitigating or intensifying its impact. Traditional research has been limited to classifying bystanders —defender, reinforcer, and passive—without considering possible roles’ variations based on context. Therefore, this study aims to understand how factors such as the bystander's relationship with the victim or perpetrator, their popularity, perceived social support, perceived situation’s severity and the social network influence these responses.
Methodology
The study involved 195 Spanish adolescents (48.9% girls) aged 12-18 years (M= 14.11; SD= 1.48). Thirty web-based scenarios assessed bystander responses on cyberviolence examining influences of the conditioners.
Results
In cyberbullying, defensive responses stood out in identity theft on Instagram, reinforcing responses in social exclusion on WhatsApp, and passive responses in the same type of situation on TikTok. In cyberhate, defensive responses were prominent in bias-based hate on TikTok, reinforcing responses on WhatsApp, and passive responses in hate-by-hate situations on TikTok. For sexting, defensive responses were highest when receiving girls’ content on WhatsApp, reinforcing responses in receiving boys’ content from TikTok, and passive responses in forwarding boys’ content on Instagram. Furthermore, across all forms of cyberviolence, adolescents primarily responded defensively when the situation seemed severe, and the victim was a friend. Reinforcing and passive responses occurred mainly when severity was perceived as low, and the victim was unknown.
Conclusion
Findings highlight the importance of considering context on the cyberviolence situations and underscore the relevance of these findings for future psychoeducational programs.
Previous research has consistently shown that there is a longitudinal path from defender self-efficacy to defending behavior, however, it remains unclear whether there is also a path in the reverse direction from defending to self-efficacy.
Theoretical background and goal: Guided by the reformulated social information-processing model, this three-wave longitudinal study examines the reciprocal relations between defender self-efficacy and defending behavior. It aims to clarify whether defender self-efficacy and defending behaviors are reciprocally related in school bullying situations.
Methodology: Data were collected at three time points in the school year 2022/2023. Participants are from four ordinary public schools (grades 7 to 9) in Yunnan and Guizhou provinces in southwest China. At Wave 1, the sample comprised 997 adolescents (50.1% girls; M age = 13.21 years, SD = 0.87, range = 12–16 years). At each wave, participants completed measurements of self-reported defender self-efficacy and defending behavior. Peer-reported defending behavior was also assessed.
Results and implications: An autoregressive cross-lagged panel model analysis will be conducted, and main results will be presented in the poster session. Results of this study will provide insight into the interplay between defender self-efficacy and defending behavior over time. This study is expected to highlight the importance of both the cognitive influence of defender self-efficacy and the behavioral influence of defending behavior for anti-bullying programs at schools.
While the term “bullying” is widespread in international research, non-English-speaking countries often use different terminology. In France, “harcèlement scolaire” (harassment in English) is the dominant term; however, it seems to frequently refer to severe cases of violence. Thus, one can ask if this denomination is relevant to translate the concept of bullying. This study examines the impact of two different French translations of “bullying” —“harcèlement” and “degrading behaviors between students” (DB), which may refer to more common situations— on perceptions and judgments in educational settings.
The study involved two phases. In the first, 287 participants (education professionals, trainee teachers and students) were divided into two priming conditions using a verbal evocation task: one with the inductor “harcèlement scolaire” (“school harassment”), and the other with “DB”. Then, both groups read the same scenario involving subtle bullying dynamics and reported their sensitivity to the issue. Finally, as a complementary data, participants were asked about their bullying experiences, once using the term “harcèlement” and once describing verbal bullying characteristics without using the word “harcèlement”.
Results indicated that participants primed with “harcèlement” were less sensitive to the ambiguous bullying scenario. In France, "harcèlement" may evoke a narrower understanding of bullying, limiting awareness of subtler forms of aggression. Furthermore, 60% of participants reported having experienced verbal bullying, yet only 32% identified themselves as victims of “harcèlement”, indicating a gap in how the items are interpreted. This discrepancy could impede early detection and intervention, highlighting the need for training on the full spectrum of bullying.
Bullying in schools is a serious and unrecognized problem in Sri Lanka. Through my personal experiences and observations of unfortunate events in schools, I realized many students, parents and teachers still fail to understand what bullying is and recognize associated signs and behaviour patterns. Some believe bullying is a normal part of childhood that helps build stronger character, failing to understand its lifelong health problems.
To address this problem I conducted an awareness campaign. I designed posters, bookmarks and other stationery items to carry anti-bully messages into classrooms. I spoke to the public through market stalls. Recognizing the importance of my campaign; the two largest circulating English newspapers in the country carried my appeal; I was invited to speak at the Galle Literary Festival; and the largest online retailer in Sri Lanka partnered with me to spread my message during December 2024.
My campaign was limited due to lack of vocabulary to define and describe bullying in Sinhala and Tamil, the national languages spoken by the majority. It reflects the insignificance our society has placed on this problem. So, I wrote to; the Minister of Education; President; Prime Minister; UNESCO; and National Languages Commission of Sri Lanka, to highlight this issue and to initiate the government to look for solutions. I have appealed to the Sri Lankan government to introduce lessons about bullying in classrooms and declare a National Anti-Bullying Week targeting schools. I currently work to increase awareness and bring policy change to address bullying in Sri Lankan schools.
The heightened ambiguity in text-based banter due to the absence of non-verbal cues can lead to misinterpretations and escalations into perceived bullying. This research explored university students' perspectives of online banter, focusing on the use of graphical cues such as emojis, GIFs, and stickers. The aim was to explore commonly used graphical cues among the age group, along with the interpretation of meanings, and general perceptions of the role graphical cues play in online banter. Five focus groups with university students aged 18-25 (N =32) were conducted, followed by a mixed-methods anonymous survey (N = 168) for comprehensive insights. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, the data suggest that participants perceive emojis as facilitators in conveying lighthearted intentions during banter. However, choosing which emojis to use and when to use them requires social understanding, highlighting relational and generational distance. Also, this study found nuanced differences in the use and interpretation of graphical cues within this age group compared to existing literature, particularly in the presence of hidden/multiple meanings attached to emojis, and avoidance of certain graphical cues, such as GIFs, that are considered ‘old-fashioned’. The results further revealed that the graphical cues can blur the lines between humour and harm, providing insights into their potential role in online bullying. Additionally, graphical cues often take on in-group meanings, potentially leading to social exclusion and other psychosocial harm. These findings could be crucial for researchers, educators, and digital platforms aiming to understand the communicative nuances among young people and to create safer online spaces.