Abstract
Bullying and cyberbullying bring adverse physical and psychological impacts on individuals and an economic burden for society. Scholars have developed anti-bullying intervention programs to combat these problems. This meta-analysis aims to examine and compare the effectiveness of digital health interventions (DHIs) in reducing bullying and cyberbullying. A comprehensive search was conducted using databases (PsycINFO, Social Service Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, MEDLINE, ERIC, and EMBASE). Quasi-experimental and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before 31 January 2021 that reported the effects of DHIs in reducing bullying or cyberbullying were included. The 16 studies included in the synthesis reported overall random effect sizes (Cohen?s d) for bullying and cyberbullying reduction were 0.41 and 0.19, respectively. The results provide evidence on the effectiveness of DHIs, comparable to that of face-to-face interventions. The subgroup analysis revealed that the critical components of effective DHIs include training on bystander and bully?victim dual roles, coping skills, and interactive serious games. It highlights the promising effects of digital health approaches in bullying and cyberbullying interventions. Our review identifies avenues for future research on the development of more effective DHIs to reduce bullying and cyberbullying.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 15248380221082090 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1986-2002 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Trauma, Violence, & Abuse |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2023 |
Keywords
- bullying
- cyberbullying
- digital health
- effectiveness
- intervention
- meta-analysis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health(social science)
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Applied Psychology