Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is a universal intervention for the reduction and prevention of bully/victim problems. It focuses on the school environment; school staff have the primary responsibility for implementation. All students participate in most aspects. Additional individual interventions are targeted at students who are identified as bullies or victims of bullying.

Developed at the University of Bergen, Norway, wide implementation of the program has been shown to result in: substantial reduction in boys’ and girls’ reports of bullying and victimization; significant reduction in students’ reports of general antisocial behavior such as vandalism and fighting; significant improvements in the "social climate" of the class, as reflected in students’ reports of improved order and discipline, as well as more positive attitudes generally. Not every evaluation has been positive: a study in Austria found no effects whatsoever.

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is a Blueprints Violence Prevention Model Program.