Bullying: The Effectiveness of a Direct Emotional Literacy Intervention in the Primary Phase

Background: Research demonstrates negative outcomes for children who engage in bullying/aggressive behaviours, and for victims of bullying. Interventions for children who have engaged in bullying/aggressive behaviours, delivered in school settings have not been rigorously evaluated and thus questions remain regarding the effectiveness of direct intervention. 

Methods: The study examined the effectiveness of a 12 week Emotional Literacy programme for children identified as having engaged in bullying/aggressive behaviours, in the primary phase. The results of a two phase evaluation study are reported.  Study participants were 53 Year 4 children identified by a peer nomination questionnaire as engaging in bullying/aggressive behaviours. A between-group pre/post design was adopted and children were randomly allocated to either the intervention or the comparison group.

In phase 1 the intervention children received the intervention. In phase 2 children in the comparison group received the intervention and data was analysed across both phases of the study.

Results: No relationship was found between trait emotional intelligence and aggressive/bullying behaviours in primary aged children. 

There was a reduction over time in direct bullying scores and victim scores as reported by peers for both intervention and control group children. No statistically significant increases were found in Trait Emotional Intelligence scores, Emotional Literacy scores or improvements in functioning. Analysis of implementation effectiveness did not yield statistically significant findings. 

Conclusions: Direct emotional literacy interventions need to be tailored to the needs of children who engage in bullying, accounting for individual factors and the type of bullying behaviours exhibited. This study suggests that more substantial generic training is required by staff implementing direct interventions to improve effectiveness and outcomes.

Keywords: Bullying, victim, aggression, emotional literacy, emotional intelligence, intervention, school, primary, fidelity, implementation, delivery.