Effectiveness of an Anti-bullying Forgiveness Program among Bully-Victims in Early Adolescents: A Pre-Post Study

Abstract

The present research was conducted to examine the effectiveness of an Anti-bullying Forgiveness Program among bully-victims in the early adolescence. The intervention was designed to reduce bullying behavior and anger while improving psychological well-being and academic performance. A pre-test, post-test control group design was employed. The participants (N=36) were screened by using the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ; Olweus, 2006), the Anger Expression Scale for Children (Steele et al., 2009), the Enright Forgiveness Inventory for Children (Enright, 1993) and WHO-wellbeing index (World Health Organization, 1998). In addition, participants’ academic performance was also assessed. Participants were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The experimental group received eight (08) intervention sessions, with the arrangement of two (02) sessions per week. The participants of control group were considered as waitlist group. Results showed significant improvement in the bullying and anger problems after receiving the intervention at post-test level. The psychological well-being and academic performance of the bully-victim were also improved to a considerable extent after receiving the anti-bullying forgiveness intervention. The findings provide preliminary support for the effectiveness of the Anti-bullying Forgiveness Program in addressing bullying-related behaviors and emotional difficulties among adolescents. The study further highlights the potential value of forgiveness-based interventions for school counselors, educators, and researchers working in the area of adolescent mental health and school adjustment.