1. KiVaTM Antibullying Program
Christina Salmivalli and Virpi Pöyhönen
University of Turku, Finland
Pre-implementation training in Wales, May 2012

2. Today’s topics Bullying and the peer group KiVa antibullying program
Overview
Universal actions
Indicated actions
Getting started with KiVa
Evidence of effectiveness

3. Bullying
Bullying: repeated aggressive behavior against a person who finds it difficult to defend him/herself against the perpetrator(s)
takes numerous forms
often verbal abuse, public ridicule

4. Bullying
Rather than consisting of single attacks, bullying represents a rather stable relationship further embedded in the larger peer setting
Universal phenomenon; about 10% of children and adolescents worldwide are systematic victims
WHO survey in 2010:
Finland: 11/13% victims among the 11-year-old
Wales: 10/10% victims among the 11-year-old

5. Finland: Being bullied, %
Spring 2009, N >

6. Finland: Bullied others, %
Spring 2009, N >

7. Teachers can do ”much” or ”very much” to decrease bullying, % respondents

8. Why is bullying such a persistent problem?
Bullying as proactive, goal-oriented aggression
What is the function of bullying?

9. The social architecture of bullying
Bullying can be a strategy to gain status and power in the peer group...
…and it is often succesful
bullies are perceived as popular (Caravita, DiBlasio, & Salmivalli, 2008)
bullying helps to maintain status (Juvonen & Galvan, 2008)…
…and to increase status over time (Cillessen & Borch, 2004)

10. The social architecture of bullying
By choosing victims who are submissive, insecure of themselves, physically weak and in a low-power, rejected position in the group...
... the bullies can repeatedly demonstrate their power and renew their high-status position without being confronted

11. The social architecture of bullying
The power demonstrations need witnesses
in most bullying incidents, a group of peers is present

12. The social architecture of bullying
Participant roles in bullying (Salmivalli et al., 1996)
20%
reinforcers of the bully
24% 8%
bully
outsiders
12%
victim
17%
assistants of the bully
defenders of the victim 7% 12

13. The behavior of onlookers does matter
Individual effects: short term
the defended victims are better adjusted than the undefended ones (Sainio, Veenstra, Huitsing, & Salmivalli, 2010)
Individual effects: long term
the most negative memory related to bullying is often ”no-one cared” (Teräsahjo & Salmivalli, 2000)

14. The behavior of onlookers does matter
Classroom level:
The likelihood of victimization is higher in classrooms where reinforcing the bully is occurring at high levels (Salmivalli, Voeten & Poskiparta, 2011)
Individual-level risk factors, such as anxiety, are more likely to lead to victimization in classrooms where reinforcing is common, whereas high levels of defending minimize the effects of such risk factors (Kärnä, Voeten, Poskiparta, & Salmivalli, 2010)

15. In order to reduce bullying...
We do not necessarily need to change the victims, making them ”less vulnerable”
Influencing the behavior of bystanders can reduce the rewards gained by the bullies and consequently, their motivation to bully in the first place
However, the victims need to feel that they are heard and helped by the adults at school
The bullies need to be confronted for their unacceptable behavior

16. An anti-bullying program should include...
...something for all students → universal actions
...something for bullies and victims in particular → indicated actions 16

17. KiVa antibullying program
School-based program for bullying prevention and intervention
The meaning of ”KiVa”
Developed at the University of Turku with funding from the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture
Program co-leaders: Professor Christina Salmivalli and PhD Elisa Poskiparta
In Finland, used by 90% of schools providing comprehensive education (basic education, grades 1-9)

18. Goals of KiVa Preventing bullying
Effective tackling of bullying coming to attention at school
Minimizing the negative effects of bullying 18

19. KiVa program Special characteristics:
Both universal and indicated actions
An exceptionally large amount of materials & concrete tools (not merely a ”philosophy”)
Utilizing virtual learning environments
Influencing the whole group
KiVa is more systematic than most existing anti-bullying programs

20. Precondition for implementing KiVa succesfully: School commitment
Staff meeting
Information to everyone
Implementation plan
People in charge (e.g., KiVa team)

21. KiVa antibullying program
Universal actions
Indicated actions
Student lessons
Computer game
Parents’ guide and back-to-school night
Posters, vests
Annual surveys
students
staff
Tackling the cases coming to attention
KiVa team
classroom teacher

22. Universal actions – student lessons and computer game
Three units, appropriate for different grade levels/students of different ages: Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3
Unit 2 student lessons piloted in Wales:
Ten double lessons (2x45 min) during the school year
Target age group 9-11 years

23. The aims of stundent lessons and computer game
Enhancing...
awareness of the role bystanders play in the bullying process
empathic understanding of the victim’s plight
Providing...
safe strategies to support and defend the victimized peers → self-efficacy for defending

25. Teacher’s manual includes three parts
Key to the KiVa antibullying program
Kiva in a nutshell
Universal actions
Overview of universal actions
Student lessons
Indicated actions
Tackling acute cases of bullying

26. Teacher’s manual – student lessons

27. The topics of Unit 2 student lessons
Grade 4 1. Respect is for everybody 2. In a group 3. Recognize bullying 4. Hidden forms of bullying 5. Consequences of bullying 6. Group involvement in bullying 7. Countering bullying as a group 8. What to do if I get bullied? 9. KiVa School – let’s do it together! 10. How are we doing?

28. Class KiVa rules At the end of each lesson
Emphasizes the most important aspect of the lesson

29. Activities included in student lessons

30. KiVa games and KiVa Street are closely connected to student lessons
Repeating & testing of what has been learnt during the lessons – ”I KNOW”
Learning to take action – ”I CAN”
Students go around in a virtual school and come to challenging situations (being bystanders of bullying) where they have to decide what to say and do
Motivation – ”I DO”
Students reflect on their own behavior (how they have done with following the KiVa rules) and get feedback

31. KiVa computer game; Unit 2

32. A recommended schedule; Unit 2
Month Student lesson Computer game August Lesson 1 September Lesson 2 October Lesson 3 Level 1 November Lesson 4 Dec Lesson 5 Level 2 Jan Lesson 6 Feb Lesson 7 Level 3 Mar Lesson 8 Level 4 Apr Lesson 9 May Lesson 10 Level 5

33. How to find time for student lessons?
Example: Finland
Discussion: Wales

34. Two examples
Month Student lesson Computer game August Lesson 1 September Lesson 2 October Lesson 3 Level 1 (Recognize bullying) November Lesson 4 Dec Lesson 5 Level 2 Jan Lesson 6 Feb Lesson 7 Level 3 (Countering bullying as a group) Mar Lesson 8 Level 4 Apr Lesson 9 May Lesson 10 Level 5

35. Parents’ involvement
Information leaflet for parents (kivaprogram.net/wales→material)
Print and send to each home
Parents’ guide (in electronic format)
Back-to-school night
presentation graphics available

36. To remind about KiVa... Posters
Highly visible vests for recess supervisors (in Finland, teachers)

37. Getting to know the material
Working in pairs/ small groups
One student lesson for each group
Familiarize yourselves briefly with the content of lesson
Plan a lesson
Which activities would you include?
Pick the activity that interests you the most

38. Indicated actions: tackling the cases of bullying coming to attention

39. KiVa team
Three or more adults from among the school personnel, for instance :
a principal, a teacher, a school social worker
2 X teacher, a special education tacher
a principal, a teacher, a school nurse

40. The role of the KiVa team
Tackling cases of repeated bullying in collaboration with the classroom teacher
Documenting bullying cases
KiVa-team is NOT a solution to all problems at school !

41. Which cases should be directed to KiVa team?
SCREENING based on the definition of bullying
Cases not directed to the team (e.g., a conflict or fight between students): ”treatment as usual”
Cases directed to the team
A procedure with several steps

42. Which cases are directed to the KiVa team?
Main criteria:
is this offensive/abusive?
is this repeated, or is there a fear of repetition?
The form of bullying (whether physical, verbal, indirect, cyber) is NOT relevant for making the decision
(pp in the teachers’ manual)

43. Finnish evaluation of KiVa (2007-2008)
SCREENING: An average of 9,24 cases/school, range 1-55 (!)
60.5% of these cases were directed to KiVa team, an average of 5,6 cases/school
Other cases were typically
Fight or argument 59%
Misunderstanding 11%
Single aggressive incident 30%

44. Reports to schools every month; most of them in September-October
When reported to school personnel
Frequency Percent Valid% Cumulative%
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
Total

45. The procedure for tackling the cases of bullying coming to attention
39,5%
60,5%
The procedure
for tackling the
cases of bullying
coming to attention
(p. 135 in Teacher’s
manual)

46. Case John: screening
The mother of 11-yearl-old John calls the classroom teacher: Two boys from the same class have been calling John names and pushing him around, mainly during recess time but also in way to and from school. Last week the boys had taken John’s shoes after the PE class – he had finally found them in the trash bin. John told the mother that this treatment has been going on since the beginning of school year (2 months) and even yesterday the boys had been calling him with nasty names.
The teacher tells that this sounds as systematic bullying which will be tackled by the school’s KiVa team. During /after the phone call the teacher fills in the screening form (Form 1).

47. 1. Meeting with John
One KiVa team member and John

48. Important: - Support for John!! - Concrete information
of what has happened,
when, where, by whom
- Some kids who have
not been involved

49. 2. Classroom teacher meets 2-3 classmates
During/after the meeting with John, the team member fills in the form 2 and informs the classroom teacher about the meeting and about the kids John has mentioned as nice / not involved in bullying him

50. ”John is having
a difficult time”
I believe you might
be able to support him”

51. 3. KiVa team meets the perpetrator(s) of bullying
Two different approaches:
Confronting
”You have been bullying John and that has to stop”
Nonconfronting
”John seems to be having a hard time at school, he must be feeling bad”

52. Confronting and nonconfronting approaches
E.g., Olweus’ view about intervening in bullying
Making it clear that the child has misbehaved – need to change
Nonconfronting
Pikas: The method of shared concern; Maines & Robinson: No blame approach
Creating a ”shared concern” of the child who has been bullied; blaming the bully/ies not necessary

53. Confronting approach (C)
” We know that you have been involved in bullying John for quite some time. He has been called nasty names and pushed around, and his belongings have been taken. This must stop immediately.
GOAL 1: To make it clear that adults know about the bullying and do not tolerate it.
”What are you going to do about this?”
GOAL 2: To make the child committed to changing his/her behavior
”Okay, this sounds good. We’ll meet again next week and see how it has been going”
GOAL 3: To make it clear that the situation is being followed

54. Nonconfronting approach (NC)
”We are really concerned about your classmate John who has been bullied. He has been called nasty names and pushed around, and his belongings have been taken. He must feel bad don’t you think?”
GOAL 1: Shared understanding that John is not feeling well
”Is there anything you could do about it?”
GOAL 2: To make the child suggest some way(s) to make John feel better
”Okay that sounds great. Try that, and we’ll meet again in a week and hear how it has been going”
GOAL 3: To make it clear that the situation is being followed

55. Confronting and nonconfronting approaches
Common to both:
Discussions are short
Stick to the point – remember the main goals!

56. Case John: Meeting with the perpetrators of bullying (confronting)

57. Goals, ”C”:
1.To make it clear that adults know about the bullying and do not tolerate it.
2. To make the child committed to changing his/her behavior
3. To make it clear that the situation is being followed

59. Case John: Meeting with the perpetrators of bullying (nonconfronting)

60. Goals, ”NC”:
GOAL 1: Shared understanding that John is not feeling well
2. To make the child suggest some way(s) to make John feel better
3. To make it clear that the situation is being followed

62. Case John: Follow-up with John

64. Case John: Follow-up with the perpetrators of bullying
In the Finnish evaluation study, the bullied student participated in the meeting in 30% of the cases

66. Which approach to choose?
Confronting or nonconfronting?
Which one is closer to my previous approach?
Which one feels better at the moment?

67. The two approaches IN PRIMARY SCHOOL GRADES,
NONCONFRONTING
CONFRONTING
Bullying
Stopped %
Decreased %
Remained the same 2.2%
Increased %
Bullying
Stopped %
Decreased %
Remained the same 1.5%
Increased %
IN PRIMARY SCHOOL GRADES,
NO DIFFERENCE IN EFFECTIVENESS

68. Comparing the two approaches: The proportion of cases in which bullying had stopped completely

69. ”Virtual mailbox” in the KiVa computer game
Making reporting more likely
School must activate the mailbox
addresses of KiVa team members

70. Mailbox in the KiVa computer game

71. Getting started with KiVa

72. Getting started with KiVa
Registration (until end of May, 2012)
Staff meeting
Information for everyone
Implementation plan
People in charge (e.g., KiVa team members)
Student survey (June 2012)
Kick-off for the students (beginning of school year in the fall)
Collaboration with parents
information leaflets (fall 2012)
back-to-school night (fall 2012)

73. Registration Go to website kivaprogram.net/wales/registration/
Fill in the registration form and submit it
Only one registration per school!!!
You get an confirmation of the school’s registration

74. Web-based material
Once registered, each school gets (in the confirmation ) school username and staff password
In addition, each school gets a student password for the student survey & computer game

75. Annual survey
To be filled in during June 2012 (and again in June 2013)
On the left: surveys
Students log in with the school username and student password
All students in the school can respond
Bullying others and being bullied; bullying-related attitudes; school liking; perception of teachers
Automatic feedback to each school

76. Other web-based material
kivaprogram.net/wales/
”open” and ”restricted” areas
access to the restricted area only for registered schools (click the ”login” button)
You need school username and staff password to log in

77. Restricted area in the website
Presentation graphics for...
student lessons
staff meeting
back-to-school night
All materials
short films
information leaflet for parents
parents’ guide (in electronic format)
Forms to document bullying cases

78. Staff meeting To be remembered: A common definition of bullying
KiVa program
Choosing the KiVa team
Screening & directing cases to the KiVa team
Collaboration with parents
”kick-off” for students

79. ”KICK-OFF”
All students are informed about KiVa right in the beginning of the school year
Main message: Our school is a KiVa school where bullying is not tolerated
Lessons for grade X students
KiVa team

80. Informing the parents
Information leaflets (kivaprogram.net/wales/)→ material
Send to each home in the beginning of the school year
Parents’ guide (electronic format)
Back-to-school night
Presentation graphics:
Home-school collaboration
Results from the school’s student survey

81. Evidence of effectiveness

82. Evaluation of KiVa The effects of KiVa have been tested
under the evaluation period (> students from 234 schools)
Bullying, being bullied
Self- and peer-reports, dyadic data
Participant role behaviors
Attitudes,empathy, self-efficacy
School adjustment
under large-scale diffusion (> students)
Basic variables, e.g. bullying, being bullied

83. Changes in being bullied by different forms during one school year: RCT, grades 4 to 6

84. Changes 2009-2012; primary schools

85. Changes 2009-2012; secondary schools

86. Conclusion KiVa is effective in reducing bullying and victimization
The effects vary across grade levels, being strongest in grade four (10-11 years)

87. Besides the effects on bullying and victimization...
Decreases in reinforcing the bully
Increases in empathy toward victimized peers & self-efficacy to support them
Increases in school liking and academic motivation
Decreases in depression, anxiety, and negative peer perceptions
Among teachers, increased efficacy to reduce bullying

88. Comparison of two approcahes to tackle bullying
”No Blame” vs. ”Confronting” approach
During the evaluation study of KiVa, half of the intervention schools were instructed to use C while the other half got instructions to use NC when discussing with the bully(-ies)

89. Effectiveness of the indicated actions
The proportion of cases handled by the school team in which bullying...
Stopped completely 79.4%
Decreased 18.5%
Remained the same 1.9%
Increased %
IN PRIMARY SCHOOL GRADES,
NO DIFFERENCE IN EFFECTIVENESS