Are bullying programs effective?

Hi, there! Thank you for reaching out to us at Better Help. My name is Stacey Shine, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor. I read over your question and think I can give you some clarity about what you are asking.

You asked the question of whether or not bullying programs are effective. First, I will let you know a little background knowledge about me. I worked as a school-based therapist in an elementary school for over seven years. During that time, I was actually trained in a nationwide bullying program. I also got to see a few other programs and how they are implemented in schools. So, I have a pretty good grasp of the common themes in these types of programs. In short, my answer is yes, I do think that these programs can work. Programs in recent years have shifted the focus quite a bit, and they are focused more on wording, labeling, and emotional/mental health. One thing that used to be pretty typical is the word bully. There is now a shift in language to saying bullying behavior. This takes the label of bully-off of a child and shows that they had negative behaviors, but that is not who they are. This can help take the weight of trying to meet a certain type of behavior to fit into a label that has been placed on them. There is more focus on positive aspects in friendships and interactions. For example, it is more common to see friendship benches on playgrounds. This allows someone to sit at the bench, which is a sign that they want someone to either come to sit with them or ask them to play.  For older grades, there is more focus on positive interactions and inclusion rather than isolation. This focus has been positive for those students that may be labeled as different than their peers.

I would encourage you to research different nationwide programs that are being used in schools today. Some statistics can be helpful to read and understand how this plays out in day-to-day life. I hope this was helpful. Best of luck to you!