The Systematic Application of Network Diagnostics to Monitor and Tackle Bullying and Victimization in Schools

Abstract

Despite increased attention to tackling bullying and the use of effective anti-bullying programs that can reduce victimization for many, some children remain victimized. Preventing persistent victimization requires that teachers identify victims and intervene at an early stage, but this is often difficult because teachers cannot always recognize victimization or the underlying social dynamics that determine what kind of interventions are necessary. This proposal discusses how network diagnostics of the social structure of the classroom can help teachers to recognize and reduce victimization more systematically. First, it discusses research that shows promising effects of the use of network diagnostics to reduce health problems. It describes how these diagnostics (for bullying and victimization, social position, and school well-being) can help in recognizing victimization and tailoring interventions to the most relevant students. Second, this proposal discusses a systematic stepwise approach for teachers to interpret the diagnostics and translate them into structural actions. Overall, this proposal aims to raise awareness of the potential of network information to facilitate the daily practice of reducing bullying and gives researchers directions for further empirical research on teachers' role in tackling bullying and on the situations that may affect whether their approaches are effective. Moreover, it discusses potential barriers to teachers' use of network diagnostics, such as a lack of time and resources at school.

Multi-Informant Assessment of Bullying in Austrian Schools

“…The results of sociometric nominations can further be a valuable source for (peer-based) interventions at different levels (Veenstra and Huitsing, 2021). Nominations can be helpful in identifying hidden bullying issues and those students who need special support; both perpetrators and victims (Kaufman et al, 2020). Interventions can thus be targeted to individual students or groups of students rather than, or in addition to, working with the entire class.…”

Efficacy of a Web-Enabled, School-Based, Preventative Intervention to Reduce Bullying and Improve Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: Study Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Modifying the group's social architecture and supporting the victim has proven to be effective in reducing bullying ( 47 ). It has recently been posited that the effectiveness of these strategies could be increased by a systematic application of network diagnostics to the classroom social structure in order to identify bullying situations and develop interventions ( 59 ) such as those used in the LINKlusive program.…”

A Large-Scale Replication of the Effectiveness of the KiVa Antibullying Program: a Randomized Controlled Trial in the Netherlands

“…The first modification concerned the introduction of an additional intervention condition, the so-called KiVa+ condition. Twice per year (in November and June) teachers received feedback about the social relationships in their class (see Appendix 3 for an example, and Kaufman et al 2020), based on the peer-nomination data for each wave. At the start of the RCT, there were indications (Sainio et al 2011) that teachers at Finnish KiVa schools were able to identify only one out of four victims and that female victims were recognized less often than male victims (Haataja et al 2016).…”

“…Our findings suggest that it requires more than merely providing teachers with feedback to further reduce bullying and victimization. In a new study, we will ask teachers to translate the feedback into a specific action plan, in particular for persistent victims (see Kaufman et al 2018Kaufman et al , 2020.…”