Special Issue Call for Papers: The Role of Teachers in Preventing and Intervening in Offline and Online Bullying

Guest Editors

Prof Lucy R. Betts, Nottingham Trent University, UK (Guest Editor, International Journal of Bullying Prevention)

Dr Peter J.R. Macaulay, University of Derby, UK (Managing Editor, International Journal of Bullying Prevention)

 
Key Dates 

• 500‐word expression of interest / abstract due: Friday 17th November 2023
• Invitations to submit full-length manuscript for the special issue released: Friday 8th, December 2023
• Full‐length manuscript submission due: Monday 15th April 2024

Please note that invited authors to submit a full‐ length manuscript should follow the submission guidelines set out by the International Journal of Bullying Prevention. Submitted manuscripts should be between 6,000 and 9,000 words.

 
Special Issue: Message from the Editors 
Bullying, both offline and online, continues to pose significant challenges to the wellbeing and development of students in educational settings. As these behaviours remain a problem in the school environment, it becomes increasingly important to explore the vital role that teachers play in addressing and mitigating the problem (Brochado et al., 2017). Traditional bullying, involving physical, verbal, and relational harassment, and cyberbullying, which takes place through digital communication channels, both have far-reaching consequences for students' mental and emotional health, academic performance, classroom concentration, and overall school climate (Betts et al., 2017; Boulton & Macaulay, 2023; Mark & Ratliffe, 2011; Wolke et al., 2017). Teachers are uniquely positioned to make a meaningful impact in combatting these behaviours, both in and out of the school environment (Myers & Cowie, 2019; Veenstra et al., 2014; Yoon & Bauman, 2014). 

Despite this, research suggests that teachers feel unprepared to address bullying in the school environment, with inconsistent management strategies and views (Campbell et al., 2019; Macaulay et al., 2018; 2021). These different perceptions create challenges for the reporting and addressing of these incidents, understanding the most pressing correlates and consequences, and ascertaining how best to proceed with anti‐bullying interventions that directly or indirectly involve educators.

The nature of bullying has become more dynamic, nuanced, and difficult to identify/monitor, and so schools should take a whole‐school approach to prevent different acts of bullying (Valle et al., 2020). Such an approach requires the endorsement across all parts of the school team – for example, teachers, senior members of staff, and leaders – working together with the wider community to
create an overarching supportive school climate. This special issue will aim to present recent research evidence on the role of teachers in preventing and intervening in traditional bullying and cyberbullying.

The aim of this special issue is to bring together and spotlight research that:

• Examines the contextual and situational factors that constrain or support teachers in their efforts to prevent and intervene in traditional bullying and cyberbullying incidents.
• Details the optimal strategies teachers endorse to manage bullying and cyberbullying situations across different educational settings and populations of students.
• Examines the role and views of pre‐service and in‐service teachers on the prevention and intervention of traditional bullying and cyberbullying.  
• Illuminates how teachers can best work in concert with other major stakeholders to attenuate these issues.

Research focusing on other clearly related subtopics may be considered, and will be evaluated based on feasibility, merit, and overall fit with the goals of the special issue and journal as a whole.

Manuscript Submission

Initial expressions of interest, with an abstract (approx. 500 words) should be sent via email to Peter Macaulay (email: p.macaulay@derby.ac.uk) and Lucy Betts (lucy.betts@ntu.ac.uk) on or before Friday 17th November 2023. Abstracts will be reviewed by the editors, and authors will be notified following the selection process by Friday 8th December 2023. Those authors invited to submit a full‐length manuscript will need to submit the final manuscript on or by Monday 15th April 2024. All submissions will undergo a blind peer‐review process. Please note that invited authors to submit a full‐length manuscript should follow the submission guidelines set out by the International Journal of Bullying Prevention. Submitted manuscripts should be between 6,000 and 9,000 words. If accepted, final publication can be expected around 2024.