TY - JOUR

T1 - Introducing and piloting the KiVa bullying prevention programme in the UK

AU - Hutchings, Judith

AU - Clarkson, Susan

PY - 2015/3/1

Y1 - 2015/3/1

N2 - The history of bullying research is summarised and the KiVa bullying prevention programme described.KiVa is a whole-school programme with universal and indicated actions for children aged 7 to 15 years inthe Finnish comprehensive school system. It was developed at Turku University, Finland, by socialpsychologist Christina Salmivalli and colleagues. It has demonstrated significant benefits in a large-scalerandomised controlled trial and a subsequent roll-out of the programme to 90 per cent of schools in theFinnish comprehensive system (www.kivakoulu.fi/). KiVa is based on research showing the important roleplayed by bystanders in the bullying process. The universal and indicated actions within the programmeare described. The universal actions consist of class lessons, whole school actions and a parent website.Evidence from the Finnish trials is summarised.The paper describes the introduction of the programme to the UK in 2011 and the results from the first,psychologist led, UK pilot trial of the programme are reported. Seventeen schools participated in the trial ofUnit 2, at the time the only material available in English (for children aged 9 to 11 years), and deliveredKiVa lessons to year 5 and/or year 6 pupils. Children completed the online KiVa survey prior to programmecommencement and at the end of the school year. Significant reductions were reported in bullying andvictimisation. Teachers reported high levels of pupil acceptance and engagement with lessons. The paperconcludes with reflections on the role that educational and other applied psychologists can play in furtherdisseminating this programme.

AB - The history of bullying research is summarised and the KiVa bullying prevention programme described.KiVa is a whole-school programme with universal and indicated actions for children aged 7 to 15 years inthe Finnish comprehensive school system. It was developed at Turku University, Finland, by socialpsychologist Christina Salmivalli and colleagues. It has demonstrated significant benefits in a large-scalerandomised controlled trial and a subsequent roll-out of the programme to 90 per cent of schools in theFinnish comprehensive system (www.kivakoulu.fi/). KiVa is based on research showing the important roleplayed by bystanders in the bullying process. The universal and indicated actions within the programmeare described. The universal actions consist of class lessons, whole school actions and a parent website.Evidence from the Finnish trials is summarised.The paper describes the introduction of the programme to the UK in 2011 and the results from the first,psychologist led, UK pilot trial of the programme are reported. Seventeen schools participated in the trial ofUnit 2, at the time the only material available in English (for children aged 9 to 11 years), and deliveredKiVa lessons to year 5 and/or year 6 pupils. Children completed the online KiVa survey prior to programmecommencement and at the end of the school year. Significant reductions were reported in bullying andvictimisation. Teachers reported high levels of pupil acceptance and engagement with lessons. The paperconcludes with reflections on the role that educational and other applied psychologists can play in furtherdisseminating this programme.

M3 - Article

VL - 32

SP - 49

EP - 61

JO - Educational and Child Psychology

JF - Educational and Child Psychology

SN - 0267-1611

IS - 1

ER -