TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of the KiVa anti-bullying program on adolescents' depression, anxiety, and perception of peers
AU - Williford, Anne
AU - Boulton, Aaron
AU - Noland, Brian
AU - Little, Todd D.
AU - Kärnä, Antti
AU - Salmivalli, Christina
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was supported by the Ministry of Education, Finland.
PY - 2012/2
Y1 - 2012/2
N2 - The present study investigated the effects of the KiVa antibullying program on students' anxiety, depression, and perception of peers in Grades 4-6. Furthermore, it was investigated whether reductions in peer-reported victimization predicted changes in these outcome variables. The study participants included 7,741 students from 78 schools who were randomly assigned to either intervention or control condition, and the program effects were tested with structural equation modeling. A cross-lagged panel model suggested that the KiVa program is effective for reducing students' internalizing problems and improving their peergroup perceptions. Finally, changes in anxiety, depression, and positive peer perceptions were found to be predicted by reductions in victimization. Implications of the findings and future directions for research are discussed.
AB - The present study investigated the effects of the KiVa antibullying program on students' anxiety, depression, and perception of peers in Grades 4-6. Furthermore, it was investigated whether reductions in peer-reported victimization predicted changes in these outcome variables. The study participants included 7,741 students from 78 schools who were randomly assigned to either intervention or control condition, and the program effects were tested with structural equation modeling. A cross-lagged panel model suggested that the KiVa program is effective for reducing students' internalizing problems and improving their peergroup perceptions. Finally, changes in anxiety, depression, and positive peer perceptions were found to be predicted by reductions in victimization. Implications of the findings and future directions for research are discussed.
KW - Bullying
KW - KiVa
KW - Prevention
KW - Program evaluation
KW - Structural equation modeling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84858382012&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10802-011-9551-1
DO - 10.1007/s10802-011-9551-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 21822630
AN - SCOPUS:84858382012
SN - 0091-0627
VL - 40
SP - 289
EP - 300
JO - Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
JF - Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
IS - 2
ER -