International Journal of Behavioral Development · 2011 · 432 citations · 22 references
Public HealthEducational PsychologySocial PsychologyBehavior AnalysisSocial ControlViolence PreventionBehavior TherapyBullyingBullying PreventionVictimization PreventionViolenceYouth Violence PreventionBullying PoliciesBullying PrevalenceBullying Prevention EducationBullying Prevention PolicyResearch Program DesignSchool Bullying PreventionSchool Victimization PreventionStudent Bullying
The study evaluates the impact of the KiVa anti‑bullying program on nine forms of bullying among 5,651 fourth‑to‑sixth‑grade students in 78 Finnish schools. KiVa combines universal classroom activities with targeted interventions, implemented across 39 intervention schools versus 39 controls, to reduce bullying. Results show significant reductions in all bullying forms, with control students 1.32–1.94 times more likely to be bullied, indicating a well‑designed program can curb multiple bullying types without separate interventions.
In 2006, the Finnish Ministry of Education mandated our research group to develop an antibullying program for comprehensive schools. The new program, KiVa, includes both universal and indicated actions to reduce bullying. The present study reports the effects of KiVa on nine different forms of being bullied in a sample of 5,651 fourth to sixth graders from 78 schools (39 intervention, 39 control). The findings showed positive effects on each form of being bullied assessed. After 9 months of intervention, control school students were 1.32— 1.94 times as likely to be bullied as students in intervention schools. A well-designed, research-based program can thus reduce multiple forms of being bullied, and there might be no need to develop specific programs for different forms of bullying.
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A Large-Scale Evaluation of the KiVa Antibullying Program: Grades 4–6
Antti Kärnä, Marinus Voeten, Todd D. Little et al. · Child Development · 2011 · 711 citations
Public Health, Educational Psychology, Social Psychology +16