Determinants of defending in prejudice-based bullying situations: Findings from the GATE-BULL project

This symposium, with work from scholars from 5 different countries, looks at how (cyber)bullying can be addressed adequately. The first paper reports the results of an explorative, qualitative study amongst Swedish high school students. This study reveals that these students consider the creation of supportive environments and the promotion of internet literacy, as key elements to cultivate resilience among younger students. These two elements are further reflected upon in the other contributions. Paper two, for instance, reports the results of a study on the effectiveness of the Italian school-based program NoTrap!, which is based on peer-led approaches to prevent and combat (cyber-)bullying. This paper pays particular attention to factors that moderate the program’s effectiveness (e.g. in promoting resilience). Paper three focuses on the important role of bystanders, especially in the case of bias-based bullying, and looks at the potential of technological tools (i.e. a game) to promote positive bystandership. In the last paper, the attention shifts towards the role of online social competencies (OSC) as an important part of adolescents’ overall media literacy and as a possible protective factor against cyberbullying experiences. This paper provides an overview of what OSC entail (according to the literature) and presents the results of a pilot study amongst 1.508 pupils from seven German schools, that aimed to develop a self-report measure for OSC

Tackling bias-based bullying in children using a serious game approach: Results from the GATE-BULL project'

Background: Bias-based bullying is a serious phenomenon having a negative impact on the well-being of children with socially devaluated identities or attributes. Driven by social-cognitive factors of stigma, intergroup theories and strategies are needed to tackle this form of bullying. The aim of the GATE-BULL project was to develop and evaluate a serious game and classroom lesson plan to encourage bystander intervention in weight-, ethnicity-, and religion-based bullying situations. Methods: The intervention was a 4-week school-based intervention targeted at 9–13-year-olds tested using a quasi-experimental design. In total, 578 children from The Netherlands, Scotland and Greece were included in analyses. Measures on self-efficacy and intention were self-construed; measures on intergroup anxiety and attitudes, moral disengagement, and peer norms were adapted from other research. Hypotheses were tested using MRA. Findings: Results of The Netherlands show that children in the intervention group reported a more positive peer norm (p=.048, d=0.40); minority children reported higher confidence to defend other minority children (p=.010, d=0.65); and majority children reported to be less anxious towards Muslim children (p=.037, d=0.41). In Scotland, children reported higher intention to defend overweight children (p=.01, d=.25). In Greece, no effects were found. Discussion: The intervention was received well by teachers and children and had some important effects on determinants of bystander behavior. The intervention was less effective in Scotland and Greece, which could be attributed to only white schools being included in the trial. The intervention shows much potential in setting a more inclusive classroom norm. However, additional research is recommended. GATE-BULL: Using a GAmes approach to TEach children about prejudice-based BULLyin

Tackling bias-based bullying in children using a serious game approach: Results from the GATE-BULL project'

Background: Bias-based bullying is a serious phenomenon having a negative impact on the well-being of children with socially devaluated identities or attributes. Driven by social-cognitive factors of stigma, intergroup theories and strategies are needed to tackle this form of bullying. The aim of the GATE-BULL project was to develop and evaluate a serious game and classroom lesson plan to encourage bystander intervention in weight-, ethnicity-, and religion-based bullying situations. Methods: The intervention was a 4-week school-based intervention targeted at 9–13-year-olds tested using a quasi-experimental design. In total, 578 children from The Netherlands, Scotland and Greece were included in analyses. Measures on self-efficacy and intention were self-construed; measures on intergroup anxiety and attitudes, moral disengagement, and peer norms were adapted from other research. Hypotheses were tested using MRA. Findings: Results of The Netherlands show that children in the intervention group reported a more positive peer norm (p=.048, d=0.40); minority children reported higher confidence to defend other minority children (p=.010, d=0.65); and majority children reported to be less anxious towards Muslim children (p=.037, d=0.41). In Scotland, children reported higher intention to defend overweight children (p=.01, d=.25). In Greece, no effects were found. Discussion: The intervention was received well by teachers and children and had some important effects on determinants of bystander behavior. The intervention was less effective in Scotland and Greece, which could be attributed to only white schools being included in the trial. The intervention shows much potential in setting a more inclusive classroom norm. However, additional research is recommended. GATE-BULL: Using a GAmes approach to TEach children about prejudice-based BULLyin