Social Medicine (Jan 2025)
Assessment of the Implementation of Anti-Bullying Policies in Universities in Delta State and Implications of Bullying on Health: A Mixed Method Study
Abstract
In Nigerian schools, bullying is one form of violence that has put students' health and lives in grave danger. Emerging evidence has shown that anti-bullying laws and policies can be an effective tool in reducing bullying among school-aged youth.12 Study Objectives. This study examined: 1. The existing anti-bullying policies in universities in Delta State. 2. The perception of staff and students towards the implementation and effectiveness of the policies, and3.The health implications of bullying. The study was conducted in three selected universities in Delta State. This mixed-method study used a self-administered structured questionnaire for the quantitative aspect, a total of 600 questionnaires were distributed, and a total of 571 were satisfactorily answered and returned, i.e., a response rate of 95%. The in-depth interviews consisted of nine responders, using an interview guide for the qualitative aspect. The study populations were staff and students in Delta State universities. The most common health implications of bullying gathered from this study include: depression, self-isolation, academic setbacks, fear and anxiety, and many more. The respondents listed several anti-bullying policies, which may include: Reporting policies and punishments like expulsion, suspension, and so on. The quantitative study revealed a significant difference in the perception of students towards the effectiveness and implementation of these policies, compared to the perception of staff, from the qualitative research. While 23.3% of student participants (n = 133) thought the policies were ineffective, the largest percentage of participants (49.6% n = 286) could not determine the effectiveness of these policies. However, the staff believed that these policies were effective. According to Respondent 8, "The policies are very effective and properly implemented." And respondent 1, "Very effective and well implemented."
