Reinforcing school-bullied adolescent’s self-esteem by group intervention: Integrative review on successful interventions
Hartikainen, Elina (2019)
2019
Kaikki oikeudet pidätetään
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201903183316
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201903183316
Tiivistelmä
School bullying correlates highly with adolescents’ self-esteem, and self-esteem affects social relationships, social behavior and social skills. Social relationships, acceptance and a sense of belonging are highly important for adolescents’ self-esteem, psychological wellbeing, school achievements and development. High or healthy self-esteem leads to emotional and social well-being. It has been argued that supporting self-esteem with peer support might be the most efficient and effective method to reduce the negative outcomes of bullying.
Thus, the aim of this study was to examine how adolescents’ self-esteem could be rein-forced by a peer group intervention after bullying in elementary school settings. An inte-grative literature review was used to find evidence-based information about good prac-tices for improving 12-18-year-old adolescents’ self-esteem by a low threshold peer group intervention. The collected information can be used to build an even more effec-tive, evidence-based peer group scheme for the largest Finnish child welfare organiza-tion, The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL). The aim was to improve the MLL ‘Selviydytään kiusaamisesta’ project’s ‘Vahvuudet esiin’ -peer group model and create a new ‘Selviytyjät’ -peer group intervention.
This review offers recommendations for MLL’s new Selviytyjät -peer group intervention, but they should be considered carefully. This is because there were some validity and reli-ability problems regarding the sample size of the relevant studies, the context analysis process and other limitations. Still, some careful recommendations can be made. The results suggest that themes, such as assertiveness skills, locus of control, schooling, gender role identity, establishing independence, using support and resources when facing struggles or making plans could be added as learning objectives during the intervention. In addition, reflective thinking via a diary, making realistic plans and positive reinforcement could be used as methods for behavioral change.
Thus, the aim of this study was to examine how adolescents’ self-esteem could be rein-forced by a peer group intervention after bullying in elementary school settings. An inte-grative literature review was used to find evidence-based information about good prac-tices for improving 12-18-year-old adolescents’ self-esteem by a low threshold peer group intervention. The collected information can be used to build an even more effec-tive, evidence-based peer group scheme for the largest Finnish child welfare organiza-tion, The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL). The aim was to improve the MLL ‘Selviydytään kiusaamisesta’ project’s ‘Vahvuudet esiin’ -peer group model and create a new ‘Selviytyjät’ -peer group intervention.
This review offers recommendations for MLL’s new Selviytyjät -peer group intervention, but they should be considered carefully. This is because there were some validity and reli-ability problems regarding the sample size of the relevant studies, the context analysis process and other limitations. Still, some careful recommendations can be made. The results suggest that themes, such as assertiveness skills, locus of control, schooling, gender role identity, establishing independence, using support and resources when facing struggles or making plans could be added as learning objectives during the intervention. In addition, reflective thinking via a diary, making realistic plans and positive reinforcement could be used as methods for behavioral change.