Cyberbullying in adolescence: investigation and intervention in six European Countries.

The project aims at preventing and combating violence acted through new technologies (cyberbullying) in groups of adolescents in schools. In particular, the project aims at enhancing actions for the intervention in people at risk of violence, with programme bases on the pro-social use of Internet in adolescents, developing pro-social behaviour, reducing their antisocial behaviour and their involvement in cyberbullying. The project addresses the 2008 priority disseminating the results obtained under the DAPNHE II programme (“An investigation into forms of peer-peer bullying at school in pre-adolescent and adolescent groups: new instruments and preventing strategies”) funded by EU from 2007 to 2009. In particular, with the new project we will adapt the previously created tools (questionnaires), and we will use videos and website already produced thanks to DAPHNE II to implement the intervention in schools. In addition, with this project we will extend the investigation and intervention in other geographic area, allowing the generalization of the results to Europe. The project also addresses the 2008 priority by bringing together complementary expertise, developing and implementing awareness-raising actions in adolescents, among adults in schools and families, and in relevant authorities. SPECIFIC PROBLEMS: The project will investigate the following problems and topics: - Investigation of diffusion and characteristics of cyberbullying among adolescents in schools in six European Countries and one non-EU Country - Testing effective strategies of intervention in European schools, as well as in an at risk context (Bosnia-Herzegovina and South of Italy). - Dissemination of the main outcomes and creation of good lessons for Europe. RELEVANCE OF THE PROJECT TO THE TARGET GROUPS: The relevance of the project consists of taking into account both adolescents and adults (e.g., parents, teachers, educators). The needs of adolescents are to improve their pro-social behaviour and to reduce their involvement in cyberbullying. The needs of adults are to know and understand the phenomenon and to acquire effective strategies to prevent violence and to cope with cyberbullying. In addition, this project is relevant to orient the political guidelines for school education. INNOVATION OF THE PROJECT: - Comparison of the diffusion and the characteristics of cyberbullying in a wide European scenario (6 EU Countries and 1 non-EU), projected for the first time with the same theoretical and methodological approach. - Creation of packages of effective anti-cyberbullying interventions, proposed for the first time.