The anti-bullying program that cut victimization by changing bystanders

Most anti-bullying efforts target bullies and victims. KiVa, developed in Finland, focuses on the bystanders — teaching the silent majority to stop rewarding bullies and to defend peers — alongside clear protocols for handling cases. In a large Finnish randomized trial across 234 schools, KiVa significantly reduced bullying and victimization across every form including cyberbullying, increased empathy and school liking, and lowered anxiety and depression. Remarkably, 98% of victims who met with their school's KiVa team felt their situation improved.

Now used in many countries, KiVa shows its largest effects in primary grades. Its core insight — that bystander behavior is the lever — transfers to how families talk about standing up for peers online and off.

• Teach your child the 'upstander' role: small acts of support shift the whole dynamic.
• Ask whether your school uses an evidence-based program like KiVa.
• Frame bullying as everyone's responsibility, not just the target's problem.

• Share KiVa's research with your school if it lacks a structured program.
• Coach kids on safe ways to support a targeted peer and report serious cases.
• Pair school programs with consistent home messages about kindness and reporting.

• Blueprints — KiVa Antibullying Program blueprintsprograms.org ↗
• KiVa Program — research in Finland kivaprogram.net ↗
• Psychological Medicine — KiVa UK cluster RCT cambridge.org ↗

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