Preventing violence and bullying in schools: A review of school-based and classroom-based approaches

School violence and bullying are very serious problems. Not only are there adverse effects on the victims, but the perpetrators and bystanders are also thought to be adversely affected. From now on, school counselors and school psychologists will be expected to plan and implement programs for preventing these problems before they occur, as well as caring for students who have been involved in incidents of violence and bullying. The purpose of the present article is to review the literature on programs aimed at preventing violence and bullying in schools, and to consider the outcomes and limitations of those programs. Many preventive programs have been developed quite recently, and findings regarding those programs are being reported by researchers in many countries. These programs, developed on the basis of theory and data, contain elements promoting awareness of the problem, social skills training, social problem solving, emotional management, and peer support. Countermeasures against relational, progressive aggression, and the possible role of the school in violence and bullying are also discussed.