Examining Teacher Concerns and Anxiety on the Implementation of a Universal Body Image Program.

In the past 30 years, there have been numerous positive body image and eating disorder prevention programs targeting youth developed for school-based settings. Frequently, teachers are used as interventionists to increase dissemination, decrease costs relative to researchers, and increase scalability. However, little is known about teacher concerns and barriers that may hinder successful uptake and implementation. The current study recruited a total of 269 teachers who consented to implement a universal body image and appearance-related bullying and teasing prevention program in their classrooms as part of a randomized controlled trial. Teachers expressed some worry that they may say the wrong thing, and concern about feeling uncomfortable teaching the program due to their own body dissatisfaction. Teacher's ethnicity, gender, years teaching, dieting behaviors and other weight control behaviors, and self-efficacy were not associated with concerns related to teaching the curriculum. Teachers with lower body esteem reported higher concerns and anxiety related to teaching a body image curriculum. In free response items, teachers worried about handling student comments that were beyond the scope of the curriculum. Teacher self-efficacy was the only variable associated with the number of program sessions implemented. Findings suggest avenues to increase implementation.

Bullying in the Arab World: Definition, Perception, and Implications for Public Health and Interventions.

The present research aimed to examine bullying among diverse Arab nationalities residing in Qatar across two separate studies. Study 1 examined how Arabic-speaking adolescents and adults describe and perceive bullying, participants (N = 36) from different Arab nationalities (i.e., Egyptians, Qataris, Syrians, and other Arabs) were presented with three tasks in a focus group where they were asked questions about how they describe and perceive three scenarios without reference to the term "bullying". Findings indicated that (1) the majority of participants referred to the intention to cause harm and the imbalance of power in their descriptions, and (2) differences in describing the behaviours in the scenarios were notable when comparing Egyptians with the three other nationalities. Overall, participants frequently chose different Arabic terms (e.g., Ta'adi (تعدي)) in their descriptions of the scenarios. Interestingly, the term Tanammor (تنمُّر), which has been used in previous studies as the Arabic term for bullying, was chosen the least by the current sample. Study 2 examined how Arab-speaking students (N = 117) describe bullying behaviour in seven scenarios using Arabic and English terms. The procedure was administered in English in the international schools, and Arabic in the independent schools. English-speaking students often used the term "bullying", whereas Arabic-speaking students often used behavioural descriptions (e.g., the term "solok sayea" (سلوك سيء) which translates to "bad behaviour"). These findings are discussed in relation to the definition and perspective of bullying among Arabic speakers. There is a need for further investigations to introduce a novel term for bullying within the Arabic language while considering cultural values, norms, and beliefs. This has the potential to promote heightened awareness and comprehension, enabling the formulation of customised intervention approaches, policies, and educational initiatives intended to prevent and alleviate bullying behaviours.

Sex and Racial/Ethnic Differences in School Security Measures, Bullying Victimization, and Perceived School Safety: Implications for Pediatric Health Care.

INTRODUCTION: Using the 2017 National Crime Victimization Survey dataset, this study examined the association between the types of school security measures and students' bullying victimization and perceived school safety. METHOD: Using logistic regression and ordinary least square regression analyses, the study addressed whether these associations vary by sex and race/ethnicity, as most research has treated sex and race/ethnicity as covariates. RESULTS: The study found that none of the security measures were associated with bullying victimization among the total sample. However, there were sex and racial differences in the association between security measures and bullying victimization. There were also sex and racial/ethnic variations in the association between security measures and perceived school safety. DISCUSSION: Scholars, health care practitioners, and policymakers must reflect and reconsider whether increasing school security and control would contribute to the safety and well-being of racial/ethnic minority students in school.

Strategies for Developing a Nurturing Environment for the next Generation of Nurses.

With the introduction of more complex health conditions and the changing landscape of the healthcare infrastructure, burnout is increasingly becoming a crisis for the nursing profession and for the public. Recruitment in nursing must consider the concept of a nurturing environment as a key driver of sustainability within the profession. Human beings cannot flourish in hostile and unwelcoming environments. Failure to thrive in nursing is a real phenomenon that is driven by multiple factors, including incivility, workplace bullying, and lack of support. Mitigation requires intentional, strategic interventions toward building nurturing environments in education and practice for the next generation of nurses.

The effect of motivational interviewing on peer bullying and cyberbullying in adolescents: A randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: The study was carried out to investigate the effect of motivational interviewing on peer bullying and cyberbullying among adolescents. DESIGN: A parallel-group randomized controlled trial. METHODS: The study population consisted of ninth-grade (aged 14 years) high school students (n = 200). The study was completed with 48 participants (intervention: 24; control: 24). The data were collected using the Participant Information Form, the Stages of Change Questionnaire, the Peer Bullying Scale, and the Cyberbullying Scale. The intervention group received a preparatory session and five weekly motivational interviewing sessions. Instruments were administered to both groups before the intervention, at the end of the last motivational interviewing session (post-test), and at 3rd- and 6th-month follow-ups. The data were analyzed using chi-square test, independent sample t-test, and two-way mixed-design ANOVA with Bonferroni's test. RESULTS: In the pre-test, no statistically significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups regarding mean scores for peer bullying and cyberbullying (p > 0.05). Following the motivational interviewing sessions, adolescents in the intervention group had a significantly lower mean score for peer bullying and cyberbullying than the control group at the post-test and follow-up tests (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The present study concluded that motivational interviewing effectively reduced peer bullying and cyberbullying behaviors among adolescents. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Nurses would implement motivational interviewing to prevent bullying behaviors in schools.

Sexual Minority Youth Reporting SOGIE-Based Harassment to Adults at School: The Roles of Experienced Harassment, Outness, Safety, and Adult Support at School.

Despite a proliferation of bullying prevention programs in recent time, limited work has investigated support-seeking behaviors in response to elevated bullying levels among sexual minority youth (SMY). To address this gap, the current study examined how harassment targeting SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), sexual identity outness, school safety, and perceptions of teacher/staff support were associated with SMY talking to an adult at school about harassment. A large contemporary national sample of SMY (N = 5538) between the ages 13-18 (Mage = 15.53, SD = 1.33) who experienced at least one form of SOGIE-based harassment in the past year was leveraged for analyses. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regressions revealed more frequent SOGIE-based harassment was associated with greater odds of reporting harassment to school personnel, particularly among SMY who felt safe at school. Findings highlight the need for school-based interventions to foster school safety among SMY who experience peer harassment to promote their reporting of this behavior.

Does Implementation Matter? Associations Between Implementation of Maine's Anti- Bullying Law and Bullying Victimization Among High School Youth.

PURPOSE: To characterize the relationship between implementation of an antibullying law and bullying rates among high school youth. METHODS: School staff (administrators, counselors, and teachers) from public high schools in Maine completed a survey assessing: (1) the frequency with which they implemented 17 components of their district's antibullying policy as mandated by state law; and (2) confidence in implementing the law. Their responses were linked to data on bullying victimization among high school respondents to the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey, which created a population-based dataset of 84 high schools with 29,818 student responses. RESULTS: Students in schools where administrators (adjusted odds ratio = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.89, 0.97) and counselors (adjusted odds ratio = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.81, 0.92) reported implementing more mandated components of the law experienced notable reductions in the odds of bullying, controlling for student-level characteristics (sex, race, grade) and for school-level bullying rates assessed prior to the passage of the law. With respect to specific implementation components, bullying was most consistently reduced in schools where staff reported increased referrals for counseling and other supports for targets of bullying and in schools where counselors and teachers were interviewed as part of bullying investigations. Students in schools where teachers reported increased confidence in implementing the antibullying law also had reduced odds of bullying. DISCUSSION: These data provide some of the first evidence that the efficacy of a state's antibullying law depends in part on the extent to which school personnel implement the law.

Associations between school-wide practices and school-wide bullying: Advancing the cross-country understanding of teachers' perspectives from the U.S. and China.

To understand the role of different school-wide practices in school-wide bullying prevention in the global context, this present study was guided by the social-ecological framework to examine cross-country similarities and differences in the association between three forms of school-wide practices (i.e., punitive, positive, and social and emotional learning [SEL] practices) and school-wide bullying between United States (n = 1,833) and Chinese (n = 1,627) teachers from middle and high schools. Measurement invariance tests confirmed that the associations between the three forms of school-wide practices and school-wide bullying were comparable across the two countries. Results of multilevel analyses suggested that more frequent positive practices at the between-school level were associated with increased school-wide bullying in the United States but decreased school-wide bullying in the Chinese. Also, more frequent punitive practices at the within-school level were associated with increased school-wide bullying in both the U.S. and Chinese samples, and this positive association between punitive practices and school-wide bullying was significantly stronger in the Chinese sample than in the U.S. sample. More frequent punitive practices at the between-school level were also associated with increased school-wide bullying in the U.S. sample, but not in the Chinese sample. Moreover, the frequent SEL practices at the within-school level were significantly associated with decreased school-wide bullying in the United States, but not in China; the frequent SEL practices at the between-school level were associated with decreased school-wide bullying in the United States but increased school-wide bullying in China. Implications for school-wide practices in bullying prevention and intervention with sociocultural considerations were discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The development of anti-bullying, discrimination and harassment guidance: a survey among the Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT) council members.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical trainees have a reasonable expectation to feel safe and valued in their workplace. Previous reports proved that poor behaviour and misconduct existed in national health systems. This study aimed to conduct a survey among the Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT) council members to identify the need for guidance to report bullying, discrimination and harassment for trainees who experienced any type of poor behaviour in the workplace. METHODS: Data among executive and council members were collected. Questions were related to trainee demographics, level of training, specialties, and experience of, witnessed or reported poor behaviours including bullying, discrimination and harassment. We asked if participants lacked direction when experiencing poor behaviours, and if support strategies were needed such as a standardised guidance for reports. RESULTS: A total of 58 survey responses were received: 55.17% of participants experienced bullying, 77.58% witnessed it and 67.25% did not report the incidents. Furthermore, 37.93% experienced discrimination, 62.07% witnessed it and 68.97% did not report. A total of 24.14% experienced sexual harassment, 29.69% witnessed it, while 72.41% did not report. Over 80% mentioned they need more guidance to support trainees. Almost all participants (98%) agreed that surgical trainees should be made aware of routes for reporting, and 88% agreed that ASiT should develop the guidance to support trainees against poor behaviours. CONCLUSION: Most of the trainees who experienced or witnessed poor behaviours did not report the incidents. A new standardised anti-bullying, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment guidance was developed based on our study results. We envisage that its use may play a role in eliminating misconduct in surgical training.

Global prevalence of bullying and associated factors among nursing students during clinical practice: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aims to estimate the global prevalence of bullying among nursing students during clinical practice and identify associated factors. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. REVIEW METHODS AND DATA SOURCES: We conducted a comprehensive literature search across ten databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, Chinese Biomedical, China National Knowledge Internet, and WANFANG) from their inception to January 3, 2023. Two researchers independently screened potentially eligible studies, extracted data, and assessed study quality. Data were analyzed using random-effects or fixed-effects models. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression explored the influence of participant and study characteristics on bullying prevalence. Publication bias and sensitivity analyses were also performed. RESULTS: We included 28 studies (N = 9511) from 13 countries on five continents. The pooled estimate of bullying prevalence among nursing students during clinical practice was 65.60 % (95 % CI 55. 75 to 74.27), with no evidence of publication bias (t = 1.51, p-value = 0.14). Subgroup and moderator analyses highlighted the impact of country, continent, publication year, and assessment tool on bullying prevalence. CONCLUSION: Nursing students face a high prevalence of bullying during clinical practice. Addressing this issue in nursing education requires prioritizing associated factors, fostering a culture of safety, providing effective training, and promoting individual resilience. These actions can prevent and mitigate bullying, creating a supportive and empowering learning environment for future nurses.

Improving the implementation of KiVa antibullying program with tailored support: Study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There are no evidence-based models to support the implementation of school-based bullying prevention programs. Our primary objective is to examine the impact of tailored support on the implementation of the KiVa antibullying program. Our second objective is to evaluate whether the offered support influences student outcomes (e.g., victimization, bullying perpetration). We also assess the cost-effectiveness of the provided support and conduct a process evaluation. METHODS: In a cluster randomized control trial (cRCT), we compare program fidelity between schools that receive implementation support and those that do not. Twenty-four (N = 24) schools in Finland were randomized to either the IMPRES condition (receiving support, n = 12) or the control group (KiVa as usual, n = 12). In the IMPRES condition, pre-assessment and staff training were organized, and a selected team of staff members received four mentoring sessions during one academic year. Staff and students answer questionnaires at the end of school year 0, at post-intervention (year 1) and again at the 1-year follow-up (year 2). Our primary outcomes concern two main program components - universal and indicated actions - reflecting program fidelity. As secondary outcomes, we examine the level of bullying victimization and perpetration as well as students' perception of several program fidelity indicators. Finally, we assess several tertiary outcomes, collect resource data and conduct qualitative interviews to perform additional analyses. CONCLUSION: This trial will inform us of whether implementation support can boost program fidelity and have a distal impact on bullying prevalence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN15558617 https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN15558617.

Prevalence of Violence Victimization and Perpetration During Middle and High School in Underresourced, Urban Communities.

This study describes rates of violence victimization, perpetration, and witnessing in 6th-11th grade for a multisite sample (N = 3,466) of predominantly Black and Hispanic middle- and high-school students from urban areas with high rates of crime and economic disadvantage. Students completed surveys in middle and high school assessing teen dating violence, stalking, sexual violence and harassment, bullying, cyberbullying, and physical violence perpetration and victimization, as well as witnessing violence. The highest prevalence rates are observed most often in 8th or 9th grade. Youth reported high rates of witnessing serious assault and severe community violence throughout adolescence. These findings suggest that efforts to prevent violence among youth living in under-resourced communities need to start early and address community-level socioeconomic disparities.

Systematic audit of Australian specialty colleges' policies on bullying, discrimination, and harassment.

Objective To support policy makers and healthcare workers to reduce high rates of bullying, discrimination, and harassment (BDH) that affect doctors in Australian specialty training sites. Methods This audit assessed the quality of policies regarding BDH and associated complaints of the Australian Medical Council-accredited Australasian specialty training Colleges (Colleges). Policies were systematically identified and scored against a national standard BDH policy checklist. Results Fourteen of the 16 Colleges have each written and curated their own BDH policies for their members, with wide variation between Colleges regarding content and processes. This impairs the efficacy of BDH handling in specialty training sites. Conclusions Key areas for improvement were identified. A checklist is proposed that is specific to College BDH policies and processes involving specialty training sites.

Examining the impact of a universal social and emotional learning intervention (Passport) on internalising symptoms and other outcomes among children, compared to the usual school curriculum: study protocol for a school-based cluster randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: School-based universal social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions implemented during the transition to adolescence may be efficacious in preventing the development of mental health difficulties. This protocol describes a two-arm parallel cluster randomised controlled trial to investigate the impact of a universal SEL intervention (Passport, compared to usual provision) on internalising symptoms (primary outcome), emotion regulation, well-being, loneliness, social support, bullying, academic attainment, and health-related quality of life in English primary school pupils aged 9-11 years. A developer-led trial demonstrated the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of Passport; this will be the first independent trial. METHODS: Sixty primary schools will be recruited across the Greater Manchester city region and surrounding areas, involving 2400 pupils aged 8-9 at baseline. Schools will be allocated to the intervention arm to implement Passport over 18 weekly sessions or to the control arm to implement the usual school curriculum. Random allocation will be at school level following completion of baseline measures, with minimisation to ensure balance across trial arms in school size and free school meal eligibility. Measures will be collected at baseline, post-intervention (12 months post-baseline), and at 12 months follow-up (24 months post-baseline). The primary outcome analysis (intervention effects on internalising symptoms at post-intervention) will comprise a two-level (school, child) hierarchical linear model, following the intention-to-treat principle. Additional analyses will be undertaken to assess intervention effects on secondary outcomes, maintenance effects for all outcomes, intervention compliance moderator effects, subgroup moderator effects, and mechanisms underpinning intervention effects on the primary outcome. A mixed-methods implementation and process evaluation will examine factors that influence implementation, and a health economic evaluation will assess the cost-effectiveness of the intervention. DISCUSSION: Findings will provide educators with crucial knowledge of whether and how increasing emotion regulation through a universal intervention impacts internalising symptoms and a range of related outcomes. Findings will also inform policy related to the promotion of mental health among children and young people. If the intervention is found to be efficacious in reducing internalising symptoms and is also cost-effective, it may offer high potential as a preventative intervention for widespread implementation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN12875599; registered on 24 November 2022.

The impact of bullying in childhood and adolescence.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Bullying is a common adversity affecting many children and adolescents. It has been shown to negatively impact the psychological well being not only of targets of bullying, but also that of bullying perpetrators and those witnessing bullying. Bullying is linked to depression and poorer mental health and functioning among children and adolescents. Given the high prevalence of bullying among children and adolescents and the negative mental health sequelae of bullying, this is an area of urgent public health concern. This narrative review brings forth recent research findings in this arena, which could help shape public health policies for addressing and preventing bullying. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent findings demonstrate an association of bullying among children and adolescents with depression, nonsuicidal self-injury, sleep loss, reduced health-related quality of life, poorer rates of graduation from high school and later mental health problems. A recent systematic review also showed an association of peer-victimization among children and adolescents with activation of amygdala, left parahippocampal gyrus and fusiform gyrus, and alterations in other brain areas. SUMMARY: Evidence indicates that bullying in childhood and adolescence is associated with higher odds of developing mental health problems; therefore, early identification and timely intervention is crucial.

Impact of the TEI Peer Tutoring Program on Coexistence, Bullying and Cyberbullying in Spanish Schools.

The TEI peer tutoring program (in Spanish, Tutoría entre Iguales, hereinafter TEI ) is Spain's most important coexistence program for the prevention of violence and bullying in secondary schools and one of the first worldwide. So that we may better appreciate the effectiveness and benefits of this program, a comparative study has been developed between four schools that are presently following this preventive strategy (TEI centres) and four other schools that do not carry out the TEI program (non-TEI centres). Controlling the other sociodemographic variables, students' perception of coexistence, bullying and cyberbullying has been evaluated. In total, 1015 secondary school students belonging to eight schools from four autonomous communities in Spain participated. The results reveal that the students of TEI centres have a more favourable perception of educational coexistence and indicate lower rates of bullying and cyberbullying than those studying at non-TEI centres. These results highlight the benefits of the TEI program and the need to continue promoting and expanding these preventing bullying strategies in schools.