Mental Health

Online Anti-Bullying Course Drops School Abuse

By Sara Gale | Update Date: Apr 21, 2016 05:35 AM EDT

Bullying at schools that has increased largely in the recent decades not only affects the lives of numerous children but also has a bad impact on the society. While a lot of in-person training at schools didn't earn positive results against bullying, an online anti-bullying course is said to have proved effective in containing the abuse.

"Part of convincing schools to use technology to address bullying is proving its effectiveness," said Jane Timmons-Mitchell, a senior research associate with the university's Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education at the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, according to Eurekalert.

School-age bullying is a serious concern that affects children a lot mentally though there are no signs of physical injury. There are also children that end up their life not being able to handle the abuses and ill-treatments by their mates. While teasing or bullying seem funny little thing for children that does that, the impact on the victim could be traumatic.

The children carry the inner anguish sometimes all through their lives. In most cases they feel helpless, they have no idea whether to fight or adjust and whether or not to discuss it with their parents and seek help.

Many schools have tried including anti-bullying in the curriculum as well as in-person training to resolve this issue but they were found less effective. Meanwhile, an online anti-bullying course named Standup seemed to have fetched good results in containing abuses against children caused by their mates.

"We have to go where the kids are, instead of telling them where they should be," said Timmons-Mitchell. "We do that by using new technology. Any participation in bullying can affect youth negatively. Being both a bully and a victim can lead to depression, self-harm, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts," she added.

The Standup program consists of three half-hour sessions that children should take three months apart. The program is designed appropriately to educate the victim, bystander and the one who bullies separately. The students need to identify themselves on the category they fall and since it is an online course they tend to be more open than with an instructor and so on.

The course discusses six healthy methods to stop anti-bullying, notes Phys Org that includes the following:

  • Using calm, nonviolent ways to deal with disagreements (leaving the room to cool down, for example);
  • Respecting the boundaries of others;
  • Communicating feelings and needs clearly and respectfully;
  • Making decisions in social situations that are right for each person;
  • Respecting the feelings and needs of other people;
  • How to appropriately take a stand to stop bullying.

© 2023 Counsel & Heal All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Join the Conversation

Real Time Analytics