Bullying remains a serious issue in the education sector, as it has a direct impact on students’ mental health. Data from the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (KPPPA, 2022) shows that one in four Indonesian adolescents has experienced physical or psychological violence. This condition indicates that bullying is not merely an individual behavioral problem, but also a reflection of a school ecosystem that is not yet fully safe and supportive for students’ psychological development.
In response to this issue, the Center for Public Mental Health (CPMH), Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, through its 2025 community service grant, is currently developing a Psychoeducation Module on Bullying Prevention in Schools. The module development team is led by Dr. Diana Setiyawati, M.HSc.Psy., Psychologist, who also serves as a lecturer and the head of CPMH. This module development is a follow-up to the Anti-Bullying Pocket Book previously published by CPMH. The pocket book serves as a practical guide to understanding the basic concepts of bullying and its prevention strategies, while the ongoing psychoeducation module aims to provide an applicable framework for interventions and educational activities in schools.
Developed based on the Whole School Approach principle, this module involves all elements of the school community in an integrated effort to prevent, promote awareness of, and handle bullying cases. These elements include teachers, parents, students, school staff, management, and the broader school community. The module’s content covers topics such as bullying literacy, coping with bullying, psychological first aid for those involved in bullying incidents, as well as cyberbullying prevention and safe online practices. CPMH also includes reflective activities, case studies, and simulations to make the module interactive and applicable for classroom learning or extracurricular activities.
This module is expected to serve as a tool for enhancing mental health literacy and supporting schools in developing internal policies that prioritize psychological well-being. As a partner school, SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Yogyakarta has provided feedback during the early development stages to ensure that the module remains relevant to the context of Indonesian secondary schools.
Additionally, CPMH is developing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Bullying Prevention, Promotion, and Intervention in Schools, which can serve as an institutional guideline for partner schools. This approach reinforces CPMH’s commitment to building a sustainable system that goes beyond one-time training by instilling values of empathy, respect, and social awareness in daily school life.
The developed psychoeducation module is planned to be registered as an Intellectual Property Right (IPR). The team also plans to produce reflective videos and digital psychoeducational materials to broaden the module’s reach and impact.
Through this initiative, CPMH UGM reaffirms its role in strengthening schools’ capacity to be mentally and socially healthy learning environments. The development of this module is not only an academic endeavor but also a tangible contribution toward fostering an educational culture free from bullying and centered on the psychological well-being of all school members.
Writers:
Raden Roro Anisa Anggi Dinda
Alifah S. Sabekti
Annisa Khomsah S.