Bullying affects many adolescents and children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA, nearly 20% of American students have experienced bullying at school and 15% were bullied electronically in the last year. Bullying can lead to adverse outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse (Liu, Yang, & Liu, 2021). Bullying can lead to negative outcomes such as depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and substance abuse (Liu Yang & Liu, 2021).
StopBullying.gov offers resources and information to parents, teachers, students and others who want to stop bullying and reduce its effects. This website provides a range of resources to help people take steps against bullying. These include educational videos and research-based strategies as well as evidence-based tools. For example, the website includes a “training center” that provides interactive training modules for educators, school administrators, and parents to learn how to prevent and address bullying. These modules include topics such as bullying understanding, how to create a supportive and safe environment and how to respond.
StopBullying.gov provides additional information regarding evidence-based bullying prevention programs schools could implement. For example, the website recommends the “Olweus Bullying Prevention Program,” which is a comprehensive, school-wide program that includes teacher training, parent education, and classroom curricula to prevent and address bullying. It has been proven to decrease bullying by as much as 50%, and to improve school climate (Olweus Bullying Prevention Program 2021).
StopBullying.gov also offers resources to students who are bullied. These include tips on how to cope with bullying and where to find help. It encourages students who have been bullied to share their stories with a trusted adult and get support from teachers, counselors and other professionals.
Endorsing StopBullying.gov as a resource is invaluable for dealing with bullying prevention and its consequences. StopBullying.gov provides evidence-based tools, programs, strategies and methods that encourage children and teenagers to be safe. These resources can be used by students, parents and educators to help prevent bullying, promote good social interactions, and improve mental health and wellbeing.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Bullying research. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/bullyingresearch/index.html
Liu, Y., Yang, X., & Liu, J. (2021). Meta-analysis of the effects school-based intervention on bullying among adolescents. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(3-4), 1383-1403. doi: 10.1177/0886260517717904
Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. (2021). Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. Retrieved from https://www.olweus.org/