title: Modeling the bullying prevention program design recommendations of students from grades five to eight: a discrete choice conjoint experiment.
abstract: We used a discrete choice conjoint experiment to model the bullying prevention recommendations of 845 students from grades 5 to 8 (aged 9-14). Students made choices between experimentally varied combinations of 14 four-level prevention program attributes. Latent class analysis yielded three segments. The high impact segment (27.1%) recommended uniforms, mandatory recess activities, four playground supervisors, surveillance cameras, and 4-day suspensions when students bully. The moderate impact segment (49.5%) recommended discretionary uniforms and recess activities, four playground supervisors, and 3-day suspensions. Involvement as a bully or bully-victim was associated with membership in a low impact segment (23.4%) that rejected uniforms and surveillance cameras. They recommended fewer anti-bullying activities, discretionary recess activities, fewer playground supervisors, and the 2-day suspensions. Simulations predicted most students would recommend a program maximizing student involvement combining prevention with moderate consequences. The simulated introduction of mandatory uniforms, surveillance cameras, and long suspensions reduced overall support for a comprehensive program, particularly among students involved as bullies or bully-victims.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. cunnic@hhsc.ca
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vaillancourt
authors.forename: Lesley J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jenna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ratcliffe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires