Outcomes of a curriculum-based anti-bullying intervention program on students' attitudes and behavior

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to examine the short-term and long-term effects of a curriculum-based anti-bullying intervention program on students' attitudes towards bullying, intentions to intervene in bully-victim problems, perceived efficacy of intervening and actual intervening behavior. The intervention program was applied in primary schools and was implemented by trained teachers within the classroom context. The sample consisted of 454 pupils drawn from fourth to sixth grade classrooms of 10 primary schools in central Greece. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was used. The findings indicate positive short-term program outcomes concerning students' attitudes towards bullies and victims, perceived efficacy of intervening in bully-victim incidents and actual rates of intervening behavior. However, the magnitude of the program effects was quite small, since the positive short-term outcomes were not sustained in the long-term (post-test two measures). The results of the study also indicated clear time effects for attitudes towards bullies and victims, self-efficacy of intervening and intention, as well as actual intervening behavior. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for anti-bullying interventions.