Strengthening Bullying Prevention Through School Staff Connectedness

Experiences of bullying can have significant psychological consequences, including an increased risk of social anxiety. This study aimed to examine changes in social anxiety following Virtual Reality Social Exposure (VRSE) among bullying victims. A one-group pretest–posttest design without a control group was employed with 12 participants. The intervention consisted of three gradual exposure sessions in virtual environments representing social situations. Social anxiety was measured before and after the intervention, and the data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. The results indicated a statistically significant decrease in social anxiety scores following the intervention (p = 0.002), with a reported effect size of 0.974. These findings suggest that VRSE may be a promising approach for reducing social anxiety among bullying victims. However, the absence of a control group and the small sample size limit conclusions regarding its effectiveness and safety. Further studies with larger samples, control groups, and systematic safety assessments are needed.

Bullying is a behavior that can affect students’ sense of safety and comfort in the school environment. This activity aimed to increase elementary school students’ awareness of the forms, impacts, and prevention of bullying through a Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata/KKN). The activity was conducted at SD 1 Way Gubak involving fifth- and sixth-grade students. A qualitative descriptive method was applied through observation, question-and-answer sessions, and documentation. The results showed that students were able to recognize bullying, particularly teasing, hitting, and hurting others, although their initial understanding mainly focused on physical actions. Materials presented using simple language and concrete examples helped broaden students’ understanding of bullying and its prevention. The activity also identified bullying experiences related to students’ social and economic conditions.

School – Based violence has been recognized as a major educational challenge (UNESCO, 2019). In Uganda, and particularly in urban centers such as Mbale City, reports of student misconduct, peer influence, and group-related conflicts are becoming more common. These challenges not only affect academic performance but also threaten the safety and well-being of learners. Therefore, this study examined the causes, effects, and prevention strategies of school-based violence and gang activity in Mbale City. This study adopted a mixed-approach design, combining literature review with contextual observations in the community whereby Secondary data was obtained from text-books, reports, academic publications and newspapers. Studies indicated that violence in schools negatively affects learners’ academic performance, psychological well-being, and social development (UNESCO, 2019; UNICEF, 2018). Locally, informal observations and reported cases in Mbale City suggested increasing incidents of bullying, student grouping, fighting among students, Intimidation and harassment, Group-based conflicts and indiscipline. The study identified key contributing factors such as peer pressure, family background, Weak school discipline systems (Gottfredson, 2001), Exposure to violence in media and community influence, Overcrowding in some schools and school environment. This further highlighted that effective prevention requires a combination of school-based interventions, parental involvement, and policy support. In Mbale City, these activities remain significant challenges in education and these issues are increasingly visible which require urgent attention according to media reports (Daily monitor 2026, April 17). The study concludes that a coordinated approach is essential in promoting safe and supportive learning environments by combining global research with local understanding to strengthen discipline systems and supervision, Guidance and counseling services in schools, student behavior monitoring by parents and Government’s support to policies that promote school safety.

The advancement of digital technology has led to increased use of the internet and social media, particularly among adolescents. However, this development has also contributed to various challenges, one of which is cyberbullying. A low level of digital literacy knowledge may influence how students communicate and behave in digital environments. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the level of digital literacy knowledge and cyberbullying behavior among high school students. This study employed a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design. A total of 99 students were selected as research participants using a total sampling technique. Data were collected using a questionnaire, while the relationship between the variables was analyzed using the Chi-Square test. The results showed that the majority of respondents had a high level of digital literacy knowledge (59.6%), while the majority demonstrated a low level of cyberbullying behavior (57.6%). Statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between the level of digital literacy knowledge and cyberbullying behavior (p-value = 0.001). Thus, the better the students' level of digital literacy knowledge, the lower their tendency to engage in cyberbullying behavior. Therefore, strengthening education and understanding of digital literacy should be enhanced as a preventive strategy to reduce the occurrence of cyberbullying in school environments.

Background: Young adults' extensive use of smartphones has resulted in several health concerns and one of which is Text Neck Syndrome. Prolonged neck flexion during smartphone use can lead to neck pain, disability and functional limitations. The study focused on determining the prevalence and knowledge regarding Text Neck Syndrome and identify predicting factors associated with the condition. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 240 undergraduate students selected using convenience method of sampling from four colleges in East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. A standardized questionnaire with questions on demographics, participant behaviour and understanding of text neck syndrome was used to gather data. Two standardized tools neck disability index and the smartphone addiction scale-short version were used with prior permission to assess neck disability and smartphone addiction.8,9 Results: The results demonstrated that, prevalence of Text Neck Syndrome among the participants discovered to be 35.8% (95% CI:29.8%–42.3%) and 41.0% participants had smartphone addiction. Majority (71.7%) participants had adequate knowledge regarding Text Neck Syndrome and smartphone addiction was identified as a significant independent predictor of Text Neck Syndrome, with 2.2 times higher odds of developing the condition. Additionally, there was a significant positive correlation found between smartphone addiction and neck disability. Conclusions: Text Neck Syndrome is a prevalent health issue among undergraduate students in Meghalaya, affecting more than one-third of the study population. Although most of the participants had adequate knowledge regarding text neck syndrome, the occurrence of the syndrome suggests the need of targeted educational, ergonomic and behavioural interventions among young adults.