School violence, bullying, and cyberbullying in South America: risks, protective factors, and interventions

Abstract

School violence, bullying, and cyberbullying have been documented in all regions of the world, yet some specific aspects have not been examined enough in South America. For instance, many of its countries today have higher rates of violence and inequity than other regions, which can be related to these behaviors. Previous studies do not always consider differences within the region that can help us better understand and prevent these behaviors. This chapter aims to summarize studies about prevalence, risk and protective factors, and local responses for different aggressive behaviors in five countries: Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil, which is the only non-Spanish-speaking country. The chapter also identifies promising interventions and local legislation addressing these behaviors as part of the review. Finally, at the end of the chapter, we discuss the importance of considering differences within countries in South America to understand these behaviors in this regional context better.