New research suggests standing up to bullying could do more harm than good
Study finds that standing up to bullies usually doesn’t work – what to do instead
- The Australian federal government currently recommends that schools encourage students to act as 'upstanders' against bullying.
- However, international peer-reviewed research suggests that actively encouraging students to intervene as upstanders may be counterproductive.
- Recent studies from the Netherlands, China, and Finland found no significant positive impact of peer defence on victims' self-esteem, depression, or the likelihood of being bullied.
- Meta-analyses indicate that anti-bullying programmes actively encouraging peer intervention are associated with less effectiveness in reducing victimisation.
- Experts advise schools to be wary of upstander programmes, suggesting that informal education for bystanders and a comprehensive whole-school approach are more beneficial.