Abstract

Bullying is still an issue worldwide; therefore, there is a constant need to carry out theoretical analyses and empirical research as detailed as possible to understand it and develop successful interventions. In a 2024 UNESCO report, it is mentioned that approximately one billion children aged 2 to 17 experienced some form of violence in the previous year, and a significant portion of these incidents occur within the educational environment. Regarding bullying, one in three students is victimized monthly globally. More than one in three students has been involved in a fight with a peer, and nearly one in three has been physically assaulted at least once in the past year. Therefore, the constant concern for conducting highly detailed theoretical analyses and empirical research, aimed at understanding this phenomenon and developing effective interventions, is understandable. Starting from the significant role that teachers have in the prevention of and intervention in bullying, our study aims to highlight the role of teachers and the skills they need to intervene effectively in school bullying situations, drawing on an analysis of two internationally recognized anti-bullying programs: the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program developed in 1983 and the KiVa program developed in 2006. Accordingly, the objectives of our study are as follows: (1) to present and comparatively analyze the two programs; and (2) to analyze the skills profile of teaching staff in bullying situations, based on comparative analyses of the two programs.

Keywords: anti-bullying programs; bullying; comparative analysis; competences profile of teaching staff