NCJ Number
236047
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 55 Issue: 6 Dated: September 2011 Pages: 846-862
Date Published
September 2011
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study examined bullying in Hong Kong high schools.
Abstract
With bullying in schools high on policymakers' agendas, researchers are looking for effective strategies to tackle its disruptive effects. The present study sets out to address this issue. First, the prevalence of bullying is examined in Hong Kong High Schools, and second, the effectiveness of a Restorative Whole-school Approach (RWsA) in reducing bullying is examined in a quasi-experimental design. The RWsA emphasizes the setting up of restorative goals, clear instructions, team building, and good relationships among students, parents, and teachers. Over the course of 2 years, and across four schools, the effectiveness of this program was observed by comparing an intervention group with a partial intervention group (which did not receive the full treatment) and a control group (which received no treatment whatsoever). The group that received the RWsA treatment exhibited a significant reduction of bullying, higher empathic attitudes, and higher self-esteem in comparison to the partial intervention and the control group. (Published Abstract)