Cyberbullying Prevention: Which Design Features Foster the Effectiveness of School-Based Programs? A Meta-Analytic Approach

Abstract

Cyberbullying is a global phenomenon that affects 10-40 per cent of youth (Hinduja & Patchin, 2014) and has severe consequences such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. A large and growing body of literature discusses and assesses programs aimed at preventing cyberbullying, to which the present article aims to contribute. My purpose was to examine whether prevention programs that have certain features - in particular, social-emotional learning, a whole-school approach, mentoring and education on online safety, and cyberbullying - are more effective than others. This ambition is novel in the cyberbullying literature. The analysis is based on the results of 23 impact evaluation articles that examined 15 school-based cyberbullying prevention programs or program variants. It was found that programs that include social-emotional learning and mentoring are more effective at reducing perpetration, whereas those including education about e-safety and cyberbullying are more effective at reducing victimization. The policy implications and limitations of the study are also discussed.