Bullying can be a serious public health issue that impacts many children and teenagers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over 15 percent of US students have experienced bullying at school in the last year. Bullying can lead to adverse outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse (Liu, Yang, & Liu, 2021). To promote mental and physical well-being in children and teenagers, it is important to prevent and address bullying.
StopBullying.gov offers resources and information to parents, teachers, and students in order to address bullying’s negative impacts and prevent it. It offers resources such as educational videos and tools that are based on research. 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 like understanding bullying, creating an environment that is safe and supportive, and how to respond to bullying.
StopBullying.gov also offers schools information about evidence-based bullying prevention programs. 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 that the program can reduce bullying by as much as 50%, and also improves school climate.
StopBullying.gov also provides students with resources, including tips on how to cope with bullying and get help. It even explains how to report bullying. Students are encouraged to share their stories with a trusted adult and ask for support from professionals such as teachers, counsellors, or other professionals.
As a conclusion, StopBullying.gov can be a useful resource in preventing and combating bullying. It provides a variety of evidence-based tools, strategies and programs that will help you take positive action to stop bullying. Parents, educators and students working together can use these resources to help prevent and tackle bullying.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Research on bullying. Taken from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/bullyingresearch/index.html
Liu, Y., Yang, X., & Liu, J. (2021). Effects of school based interventions on bullying among adolescents: A meta analysis. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(3-4), 1383-1403. doi: 10.1177/0886260517717904
Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. (2021). Olweus bullying program. Taken from https://www.olweus.org/