Strategies for prevention and containment of bullying in schools: government and research proposals in Brazil and Spain

Author(s)

Loriane Trombini Frick

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Presidente Prudente. 2016-03-30.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia. Presidente Prudente
• Defense date: 2016-02-24
• Advisor: Maria Suzana de Stefano Menin

Abstract

This thesis was developed within the Post Graduation Program in Education of the Science and Technology College, Universidade Estadual Paulista, and it is connected to "Formative Processes, Differences and Values" research group. It was funding by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa no Estado de São Paulo - FAPESP and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES with "Doutorado Sanduíche no Exterior – PSDE scholarship". The research analysis objects were the actions of prevention and containment of bullying in schools proposed by researchers and governmental agencies in Brazil and Spain. The objectives of this study were to investigate proposals for prevention and containment of bullying in those countries, and to analyze such proposals investigating proximities and distances between them. He tried also to think over the possibilities of adapting anti-bullying propositions from Spain to Brazil. This research constitutes a descriptive and exploratory qualitative study based on literature and document analysis as methodological procedures. The literature analyzed consisted of thesis, dissertations and articles in both countries (from Brazil: three thesis, seventeen dissertations and six articles; from Spain: twenty-two articles). Besides, it described and analyzed the development of anti-bullying strategies of various types and ranges. Brazilian literature suggestions are more related to the promotion of informative actions, awareness that focus on interpersonal relations such as promoting democratic life, cooperation, friendship and suport in the school environment. They also refer to the creation of rules and to professional training. The emphasis of Spanish literature is the development of actions that promote aspects such as: the improvement of interpersonal relationships, emphasizing suport systems among students; emotional development and self-esteem; teaching social and moral value through development of social skills and moral development; teachers and families training. The Brazilian governmental strategies were related to anti-bullying legislation aproved in 19 states, none in the national level, and the actions undertaken by the State Education Departments: two of them had a specific anti-bullying project, four of them had projects for prevention of school violence that included bullying and in seventeen Departments there were isolated actions; there were no action by the Ministry of Education. The Spanish governmental strategies identified referred to state regulations that mentioned prevention or containment actions for bullying, which were aproved in 17 Autonomus Communities and in State level; initiatives from Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte; prevention and containment actions for bullying of Consejerías de Educación of the 17 Autonomous Communities. In the two countries, we conducted visits in schools (five in Spain and two in Brazil) who developed anti-bullying projects. We consider that Spain has come a longer way that Brazil, in terms of attention to bullying by educational policies, promoting the development of anti-bullying actions within a perspective of improvement of living through institutionalized action plans, investing on suport systems, such as help and mediation among equals. Few Brazilian educational administrations – Education Departments - have projects that ground on the scientific literature to give suggestions of actions for schools. We showed that Brazilian public policies need to invest in initial and continuing teacher training, as well as in institutionalization of space and time in schools for planning, evaluation, implementation and monitoring of anti-bullying actions. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/01533-0 - Strategies for preventing and contain bullying in schools: governmental proposals and researches proposals in Brazil and Spain
• Grantee: Loriane Trombini Frick
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate