In order to prevent bullying and sexual harassment at school we have to focus more on the context where these conducts occur and less on individual behaviors. Earlier studies show that schools where pupils report a high degree of participation in the classroom have higher grades and less bulling than other schools and less discrimination in general as well as less psychosomatic symptoms. The definition of participation in this study is measured as aspects of social and civic objectives (Ahlström 2010). There is a need to develop interventions that not only can prevent bullying and sexual harassment IRL, but also different forms of online victimization.
The overall aim is to analyze if pupils who report a high degree of participation also report a low degree of online and offline victimization.
A web-based questionnaire will be distributed to about 20 schools during January-February 2023. With a calculated response rate of about 80%, the final sample will consist of about 1100 students in grade 9, representing half of the targeted population in a county in Northern Sweden. The questionnaire has a focus on mental health and includes a broad spectrum of online and offline bullying and harassment as well as sociodemographic and school-related variables. Participation is measured with the Social and Civic Objectives Scale (SCOS) constructed from the three dimensions democratic competence, co-operation and communication in the classroom.
The results are expected to show that pupils who experience a high degree of participation at school also report a lower degree of online and offline bullying and sexual harassment compared with those who report a low degree of participation.
The results in this study can inform schools about the possibilities to work for a positive psychosocial environment in the class and in the school through a pedagogy that not only increases the pupil’s social and civic competence but also decrease the level of different forms of bullying and harassment