The Role of Peer Support in Helping the Victims of Bullying in a School with High Levels of Aggression

Abstract

This study examines the impact of a peer support service as an intervention to counteract bullying in a school with a serious problem. The impact of the intervention was assessed by a survey and by qualitative interviews with staff, peer supporters, users and potential users of the service. The survey indicated that the intervention had no overall effect on levels of bullying in the school as a whole or on the likelihood that peers would intervene to help. However, the interviews indicated that peer helpers and some victims were helped by the initiative, and some potential users of the service perceived it in a positive light. Some explanations of the findings and implications for implementation of such interventions are discussed.