The purpose of this study is to develop and carry out a prevention program for bullying for general elementary school students in higher grade, and to verify the effect of this program. Study questions designed to achieve this purpose are as follows: ...
The purpose of this study is to develop and carry out a prevention program for bullying for general elementary school students in higher grade, and to verify the effect of this program. Study questions designed to achieve this purpose are as follows: First, how should the prevention program be constructed?, Second, what kind of effects does the prevention program have on the behaviors in relation to bullying of elementary school students in higher grade.
Two hypotheses to be tested according to study questions were that ‘the prevention program for bullying focusing on sympathy will have an affect in reducing behaviors related to bullying’ and that ‘the prevention program for bullying focusing on sympathy will have an effect in reducing indifferent attitudes towards bullying’.
Study subjects selected was one class among fifth grade students of Selementary school in Seoul. This prevention program for bullying focusing on sympathy is researched, analyzed, designed, draft-framed, and applied on the basis of the development model for systematical counseling program, which was established by Park, In-Woo(1995) and is recently being used widely in the development of adolescent counseling program. After completing a demand research on a desired program, this program was also constructed with reference to Group Training Program Focusing on Sympathy to Improve Pro-social Behavior of Elementary School Students(Lim, Jeong, 2005), Peer-Support Group Counseling Program(Kim, Seon-Jin, 2005), You and I, Together(Kwak, Keum-Joo, 2000), Guardian Angel Program(Park, Gyeong-Hyeon, 2000), and Woof Threads and Warp Threads of Love(Seoul office of education, 1999). In addition, video materials were used Video of Peer Alienation Victim produced by E-channel of EBS Knowledge channel(2006), Animal Farm in A Variety of Stories program(2005), and Circumstantial Thought by EBS Documentary-Prime(2008). This program also used books named ‘Alienation story of Onion’(2001) and ‘Bitter Joke’(2008). To verify the hypotheses, the experimental group took part in the prevention program for bullying focusing on sympathy and carried out post-test twice(Tuesday and Friday) a week from September 1st to October 3rd during discretionary activities, and the control group carried out post-test without any program. ‘Harm-Damage Measure by bullying’ created by Choi, Eun-Sook(2000), ‘Questionnaire to measure indifferent attitude levels toward bullying’ by Choi, Chuon-Ryeo(2000) were employed as pre-/post-testing tools.
Statistical result data was analyzed using Mixed ANOVA with SPSS 12 for Windows, and in order to make up for the limitations on reliability of quantitative results, periodic experience reports of the groups and observations by counselors were analyzed and presented. Also, analysis on questionnaires for the evaluation of the program was used for quantitative analysis. The main conclusions suggested by this study are as follows: First, the changes in bullying damage-harmful behavior and indifferent attitudes among the experimental group were significant, compared with those among the control group.
Second, as a result of analyzing experience reports of the groups, observations by counselors, and program evaluation questionnaires, this program proved to have a positive effect on preventing bullying. This study is significant in that the prevention program for bulliying for each class was developed by means of the factor, i.e. sympathy, to change damage-harmful behaviors and indifferent attitudes in the phenomena of bullying. This is worthwhile in that each group member, playing as a key human resource to solve bullying problem, can prevent bullying by employing positive peer-pressure along with group rules against bullying.
Followings are expected future researches suggested from above results. First, long-term vertical study is required, for those factors such as attitudes and sympathy towards bullying are formed and maintained for a long time. Second, for the application of the prevention program for bullying, a study on efficiency carried out in association with families, schools, and societies is required.