Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Bullying Prevention Program - Research Paper Example

The literature review focused so much on bullying behavior. It reviewed literature that explains that bullying occurs both as a reaction (to anger and frustration) and proactive reaction in the form of aggression. Other issues discussed include direct behaviors like, hitting, stealing and indirect ones like social isolation of victims; definition of bullying as the resultant behavior due to the imbalance of power between the bully and the victim that prevents the victim from defending himself.

The research also reviews the prevalence rates of bullying in Europe and Australia that shows the prevalence rates as higher than fifteen percent o the student population. The percentage of students that are victims of bullying is about 75% of the surveyed population.The research reviewed the negative impacts of bullying on the victims. For instance, twenty-nine percent of victims of bullying suffer clinical depression while 20% suffer clinical anxiety. Other effects include a general drop in school grades, problems with relationships.

Long-term effects include school dropouts, loss of self-esteem which may continue through adulthood.Programs designed to prevent bullying came into effect as a consequence of the rise in the effects of bullying. The original preventive programs were in four levels and included; general level for teacher awareness; a school level that ensured proper monitoring of students; class levels created class rules that minimize bullying; an individual level included engaging bullies and victims in conversation at home with their parents.

The result from this program showed a fifty percent reduction in the rate of bullying. However, attitude change towards bullying was not properly researched. The literature review fails to focus on the main purpose of the research. While the research is about the effectiveness of the anti-bullying programs put in place to combat bullying, the literature review gives too much attention to the subject of bullying.