Magdalen Fellow and Professor of Psychopathology Professor Lucy Bowes co-led a recent trial that shows that a low-cost, structured, anti-bullying programme can improve social dynamics in primary schools and reduce bullying by up to 13%.
The year-long trial of the Finnish Kiusaamista Vastaan (“Against Bullying”) or KiVa school-based bullying prevention programme, which focuses on the behaviour of all children and emphasises the role that bystanders can play, was implemented in over 100 primary schools in England and Wales and involved over 11,000 students. It significantly reduced incidents of bullying and was equally effective across socio-economically diverse schools and from small rural schools to large, urban ones. The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Children in schools that implemented the programme were 13% less likely to report being bullied, compared to schools using standard procedures. The schools undertaking KiVa also reported that their children were more empathetic towards victims and that children’s problems with their peers were reduced.
Being bullied may have devastating consequences for children and young people, including increasing the risk of mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, as well as poor school outcomes
Professor Lucy Bowes
“Being bullied may have devastating consequences for children and young people,” said Professor Bowes, “including increasing the risk of mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, as well as poor school outcomes. This means that any improvement is worthwhile and even small percentage changes can substantially impact those individual children and will cumulatively improve the situation in the school over time.
“The Finnish data show year-on-year improvements over seven years for schools that continue with the programme. Addressing bullying in schools is a major public health concern, and evaluating anti-bullying programmes used in our schools is vital.”
Addressing bullying in schools is a major public health concern, and evaluating anti-bullying programmes used in our schools is vital
Professor Lucy Bowes
The project was led overall by Bangor University working with the Universities of Exeter, Oxford, Warwick, and Birmingham and the trial itself was managed by the Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University. The Children’s Early Intervention Trust charity, that has the UK KiVa dissemination license, organised intervention costs, training schools and implementation.
‘The effects and costs of an anti-bullying programme (KiVa) in UK primary schools: a multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial’ is published in Psychological Medicine.
