Did Bullying Victimization Decrease After Nationwide School-Based Antibullying Program? A Time-Trend Study

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Health
• Public Health Interventions
• Cyberpsychology

Background:

• Bullying, encompassing traditional and cyber forms, poses a significant threat to adolescent mental health.
• The introduction of nationwide antibullying programs aims to mitigate these negative impacts.
• Assessing the effectiveness of such programs is crucial for public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a nationwide antibullying program in Finnish schools, implemented in 2009, on traditional and cyberbullying victimization.
• To examine the association between bullying victimization and mental health outcomes before and after the program's introduction.

Main Methods:

• A time-trend assessment using two cross-sectional surveys of adolescents in 2008 and 2014.
• Data collected via questionnaires on traditional/cyberbullying, mental health, and school safety perceptions.
• Statistical analysis using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with 2008 as the reference.

Main Results:

• Traditional bullying victimization significantly decreased in both boys and girls from 2008 to 2014.
• Cyberbullying victimization rates remained relatively stable for boys and showed a slight increase for girls.
• Combined traditional and cyberbullying victimization decreased, but adolescents experiencing both reported the highest mental health problems.

Conclusions:

• While the program reduced traditional bullying, cyberbullying requires further attention.
• Experiencing both traditional and cyberbullying is a strong indicator of comorbid mental health issues.
• Future interventions should integrate strategies addressing both bullying types and mental health promotion.