Cyberbullying prevention within a socio-ecological framework: The ViSC social competence program

Based on a socioecological perspective on development, this chapter discusses the value of implementing a general antibullying program to change cyberbullying and cybervictimization. To date, etiological models for cyberbullying and cybervictimization prevention are lacking, and longitudinal and experimental research on risk and protective factors regarding cyberbullying and cybervictimization is rather sparse. Therefore, it is important to know whether a general antibullying program is able to change cyberbullying and cybervictimization. This chapter describes the elements of the ViSC program, a socioecological primary prevention program originally developed in Austria, and reports evaluation results from studies conducted in Austria, Romania, Cyprus, and Turkey. In line with the socioecological framework, the program is more effective in reducing traditional bullying and victimization when delivered as a whole school program. Furthermore, the program is also effective in reducing cyberbullying and cybervictimization indicating that cyberforms of bullying share similar mechanisms with traditional forms of bullying.