The implementation of a statewide bullying prevention program: preliminary findings from the field and the importance of coalitions.

Bullying in schools has become recognized as a significant public health problem. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) has been identified as an effective means to reduce bullying behavior in schools. The goal of this large population-based initiative was to reduce bullying by producing a quantifiable change in school climate using an established program and standardized measurement tool. Program participants over a 2-year period included 56,137 students and more than 2,400 teachers from 107 schools in 49 counties across Pennsylvania. An age cohorts design was used, and data from two equivalent age cohorts of students were compared at two or more points in time. After 1 to 2 years of program implementation, across cohorts, there were reductions in student self-reports of bullying others, and improvements in student perceptions of adults' responsiveness, and students' attitudes about bullying. This study is the largest bullying prevention initiative to date in the United States. This initiative reaffirms the efficacy of the OBPP, emphasizes the importance of an identified coalition, and highlights several positive outcomes. It is recommended that the OBPP be implemented through the establishment of community partnerships and coalitions as consistent with the public health model.