"FearNot!": A computer-based anti-bullying-programme designed to foster peer intervention

Abstract

Bullying is widespread in European schools, despite multiple intervention strategies having been proposed over the years. The present study investigates the effects of a novel virtual learning strategy ("FearNot!") totacklebullyinginbothUK and German samples. The approach is intended primarily for victims to increase their coping skills and further to heighten empathy and defence of victims by non-involved bystanders. This paper focuses on the defender role. Applying quantitative as well as qualitative methodology, the present study found that "FearNot!" helped non-involved children to become defenders in the German sub-sample while it had no such effect in the UK sub-sample. German "New Defenders" (children who are initially uninvolved © Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada, Lisboa, Portugal and Springer Science+Business Media BV 2010.