Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 1 — Meta-analysis / systematic reviewPeer-reviewed

School-Based Intervention on Cyberbullying-Related Outcomes and Psycho-Social Well-Being in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Yu Shi, Ying Lau, Ho Hin Henry Chan, J Choi, Antonio Calvo-Morata, Sai Ho Wong

Trauma Violence & Abuse · 2025

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Summary

This systematic review and meta-analysis of 44 RCTs assessed school-based cyberbullying interventions across 15 countries. Interventions produced small but significant reductions in cyberbullying perpetration, victimisation, and negative behaviour, and increased knowledge; however, no meaningful effects were detected on bystander involvement, attitudes, awareness, or broader psychosocial well-being. Interventions with longer duration (≥5 hours total) showed greater effectiveness, though the authors note the evidence certainty was low to very low and recommend future rigorous trials with extended follow-up.

Regional applicability

This international meta-analysis does not isolate United Kingdom findings, though schools in the UK operate in the same global cyberbullying context. The review's conclusions on intervention design (notably that longer, sustained programmes are more effective) may inform UK school policy and safeguarding frameworks, particularly as digital literacy and online safety become increasingly integrated into the curriculum.

Key measures

Cyberbullying perpetration (Hedges' g = −0.15), victimisation (g = −0.11), behaviour (g = −0.28), knowledge (g = 0.15), and psychosocial well-being outcomes at post-intervention and follow-up (≤6 months) assessments

Outcomes reported

The study examined the effectiveness of school-based interventions on cyberbullying perpetration, victimisation, behaviour, knowledge, and psychosocial well-being in children and adolescents across 44 RCTs involving 65,707 participants from 15 countries.

Theme
Policy, governance & rights
Subject
Out of scope / non-food
Study type
Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Study design
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
International
System type
Other
DOI
10.1177/15248380251375480
Catalogue ID
SNmpeyutlw-b65zwi

Topic tags

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