Preventing and countering bullying behaviour amongst students in Irish schools at a nationwide level

Abstract

This thesis documents a project in which it was attempted to recruit, select, train and resource a nationwide professional network of anti-bullying training / consultancy personnel, and to co-ordinate and evaluate their subsequent implementation of a research-based ‘whole-school’ anti-bullying programme (the ‘ABC’ programme) within their local areas. Initially, an exploration of how psychologists have approached the more general area of aggressive behaviour was undertaken. This was followed by a review of how the incidence of and means of intervening against school bullying behaviour have been researched. A review of the Irish situation in particular formed a third area of literature review, in which a general background to the attempted nationwide intervention programme against bullying behaviour in Irish schools (2003 - 2006) was provided. In the evaluation phase of this project, questionnaire data from 7, 295 students were obtained. These data permitted both (i) a general survey regarding the incidence and typology of and attitudes towards bullying behaviour amongst young people (based on the 5, 569 pupil respondents), which could be compared to previous national and international findings; and, (ii) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the ‘ABC’ programme in the academic year 2004 - 2005. Finally, through the implementation of this project, it was possible to investigate some of the practical challenges involved in intervening against bullying behaviour in schools in Ireland on a nationwide basis.