Cluster randomized control trial to reduce peer victimization: An autonomy-supportive teaching intervention changes...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Peer victimization is a persistent global issue with limited success in research and interventions over 50 years.
• Previous interventions often focused on individuals, proving ineffective without addressing the broader social environment.
• Integrating self-determination theory and a social-ecological perspective offers a novel approach to understanding and mitigating bullying.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of autonomy-supportive teaching on classroom climate and the emergence of pro-victim student bystanders.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a teacher-focused intervention in reducing peer victimization.
• To test the hypothesis that a supportive classroom climate fosters bystander intervention.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal cluster randomized control trial involving 24 teachers and 1,178 middle and high school students.
• Teachers were assigned to either an autonomy-supportive teaching (AST) workshop or a control group.
• Data on perceived autonomy support, defender role adoption, and peer victimization were collected over 18 weeks using multilevel structural equation modeling.

Main Results:

• Teachers in the AST group created a significantly more supportive classroom climate.
• This enhanced climate led to student bystanders adopting the defender role.
• The emergence of pro-victim peer bystanders resulted in a substantial reduction in peer victimization (effect size = -0.40).

Conclusions:

• Teacher-led interventions focused on creating a supportive classroom climate are effective in reducing peer victimization.
• Empowering bystanders through a positive classroom norm is crucial for mitigating bullying.
• Shifting focus from individual students to the classroom environment offers a more successful strategy for combating peer victimization.