Exploring the Effectiveness of Cyberbullying Awareness Training in Middle School Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Cyberbullying, which occurs when information and communication technologies are used to harm individuals, is one of the most important problems for adolescents today. This study evaluated the effectiveness of nurse-led cyberbullying awareness training for 7th-grade middle school students. Methods: This study was conducted as an experimental study (NCT06203028). A total of 122 students, 62 in the control group and 60 in the intervention group, were included in the study. “Introductory Information Form” and “Cyberbullying Awareness Scale (CAS)” prepared by the researchers in line with the literature were used as data collection tools. The level of cyberbullying awareness of all students selected for the intervention and control groups was determined before the training program. The training program was given in four sessions. Three months after the training, students in both the intervention and control groups were asked to fill out the CAS. Results: It was determined that the control and intervention groups had a homogeneous distribution in terms of demographic characteristics. In terms of their pre-test and post-test mean scores on the CAS, there was no statistically significant difference between the control and intervention groups ( P > .05). However, within the control group, a statistically significant difference was found between the pre-training and post-training CAS scores (Z = −2.890; P = .004 < .05). In contrast, the intervention group showed no statistically significant difference between their pre-training and post-training CAS scores ( P > .05). Conclusions: This study evaluated the effects of nurse-led training program aimed at increasing cyberbullying awareness. Comprehensive and long-term awareness programs led by nurses are likely to produce more lasting and effective outcomes for young individuals.