35
1
Health Care Center Mostar, Medical
Faculty University of Mostar
2
Health Care Center Široki Brijeg
3
Health Care Center Tuzla, Medical
Faculty University of Tuzla
Corresponding author:
Edita Černi Obrdalj
Medical Faculty University of Mostar
Bijeli Brijeg bb, 88 000 Mostar
Bosnia and Herzegovina
ecerniobrdalj@gmail.com
Tel./Fax.: +387 36 343 220
Received: 27 September 2013
Accepted: 14 March 2014
Copyright © 2014 by
Academy of Sciences and Arts
of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
E-mail for permission to publish:
amabih@anubih.ba
Satisfaction with the program of school bullying prevention
and mental health promotion – Cross sectional study among
primary school pupils in Mostar
Edita Černi Obrdalj
1
, Kristina Zadro
2
, Olivera Batić-Mujanović
3
, Amra Zalihić
1
Original article
Acta Medica Academica 2014;43(1):35-39
DOI: 10.5644/ama2006-124.98
Objective. e aim of this study was to assess the frequency of ex-
perience in school bullying and family violence, satisfaction with the
preventive-promotional program, knowledge about methods for op-
posing violence and attitudes toward the role of the family physician
in bullying prevention. Materials and methods. e project was con-
ducted by family physicians, nurses and sixth year medical students.
e target group were 5
th
to 8
th
grade pupils of two primary schools
randomly selected by computer. Basic information about the presence
and types of bullying, the long-term consequences of violence and
methods to oppose violent behavior was given as an interactive lecture
to large groups of pupils. Aſter the lecture, pupils received question-
naires about their experience of school violence, satisfaction with the
program and their opinion about the role of the family physician in
bullying prevention. Results. e results of the short term outcome
evaluation of the program show that younger pupils evaluate the pro-
gram better than older ones. Furthermore, we found that the frequen-
cy of experienced violence is not connected with satisfaction with the
program. Conclusion. Most students have never experienced violence
in schools and families, 5
th
and 6
th
grade students showed greater satis-
faction with training, better knowledge of help in case of violence and
a more positive attitude towards medical help. We found no significant
differences in pupil’s satisfaction with the program, knowledge about
methods of opposing violence and attitudes towards the role of the
family physician in bullying prevention, in relation to the frequency of
experience of family violence and school violence.
Key words: Family medicine, Promotion, Prevention, School violence.
Introduction
Bullying is defined as repeated, negative acts
committed by one or more children against
another child. It may be physical or verbal
(hitting or kicking, teasing or taunting), or
may involve indirect actions such as manipu-
lation in friendships or intentional exclusion
of other children from activities. One of its
main characteristics is an imbalance in real
or perceived power between the bully and
the victim (1). Bullying is a highly prevalent
phenomenon with harmful and long-lasting
effects on victims and a negative impact on
the school climate (2). Recent studies con-