The Zero Violence Brave Club: A Successful Intervention to Prevent and Address Bullying in Schools

Abstract

Bullying among peers in schools is a growing problem affecting children and adolescents from an early age worldwide. The consequences of bullying victimization in the emotional development of children and youth and their academic achievement are adverse for them and the rest of the school community, with its negative impact extending into the mid and long run. The Zero Violence Brave Club is implemented in schools in the framework of the Dialogic Model of Violence Prevention, a successful educational action according to the INCLUD-ED project [Strategies for inclusion and social cohesion in Europe from Education] (6th Framework Program of Research of the European Commission). The Zero Violence Brave Club has decreased peer bullying in schools by establishing and cultivating a culture of zero tolerance to violence in educational centers located in diverse socioeconomic and cultural contexts. This evidence-based intervention is grounded in the principle that only the person who denounces violence suffered by a peer and takes a stand always on the victim's side—and those who support her or him—against the aggressor can be considered brave. This article reports a qualitative study of the Zero Violence Brave Club as a successful intervention in seven schools in Spain. The schools are diverse in terms of public or private ownership, religious or lay background, and population served (different proportions of cultural minorities and students with special needs), challenging the misconception that the impact of educational interventions depends on the context. Interviews were conducted with teachers in the schools implementing the Zero Violence Brave Club in their class, using the communicative methodology of research. The results shed light on specific mechanisms through which the Zero Violence Brave Club prevents and responds to bullying in schools, such as emptying of social attractiveness any aggressive behaviors or attitudes. Benefits on mental health and psychological wellbeing are also reported.

Chains of tragedy: The impact of bullying victimization on mental health through mediating role of aggressive behavior and perceived social support

“…Recent research in the related area also discovered the similar phenomenon that forgiving rather than revenge can regain the feeling of humanity after the victimization experience (Schumann and Walton, 2022). Furthermore, the results of the present study support the implementation of bully prevention programs and actions, including: enhancing individual strategies effectively counteract bullying, and increasing empathy toward victims; attaching importance to the social support from peers, school staff, parents, and other stakeholders, guide them to improve assistance afforded to victims, and other relative interventions (Salmivalli et al, 2011;Roca-Campos et al, 2021). The mediating chain effect of the study sheds light on the underlying processes that the victim's maladaptive behavior would reduce the perceived social support, and then deteriorate mental health.…”

Neuroedumyhts: A Contribution from Socioneuroscience to the Right to Education for All

“…Ramon y Cajal explained this property of the brain as the ability of synapses, neurons and entire brain regions to change their properties in response to use or to different profiles of stimuli (Kandel et al, 2013). Therefore, instead of teaching teenage girls that male violence is in males' genes, and teaching teenage boys the control of their instincts, as some trainers indicate teachers to do with their students, schools should implement the successful actions that have reduced and even erradicated abusive relationships in many contexts, such as the Zero Violence Braves Club (Roca-Campos et al, 2021) and the Dialogic Feminist Gatherings (Salceda et al, 2020). Such successful actions evidence that a safe interactive environment, free from violence, and where what is attractive is equality, changes preferences and behaviors.…”

The Impact of One Book About Friendship in the Lives of Readers

“…In relation to friendship, the results have no relevance at all on the impact of friendship in the lives of people. It makes no concrete new contribution to the benefits that the scientific literature has found about what quality friendships provide: happiness throughout the life (Lyubomirsky et al, 2005;Waldinger, n.d.); bullying prevention (Canales et al, 2018;Duque et al, 2021;Roca-Campos et al, 2021), achieving meaning of the life (O'Rourke et al, 2019), better adjustment (Waldrip et al, 2008) and lesser risk behaviors (Telzer et al, 2015) among young people; better health among adults (Ríos-González et al, 2021); and prevention of loneliness and depression between older individuals (Mullins & Dugan, 1990).…”

“…Scientific literature has emphasized that not only the quantity, but the quality of the friendships is especially important for the adjustment of early adolescents (Waldrip et al, 2008). The protective factor friendship has against bullying has been widely studied (Canales et al, 2018; Duque et al, 2021; Roca-Campos et al, 2021). Friendship has also proven to be a source of achieving meaning in life among young people (O’Rourke et al, 2019).…”