A digital positive youth development game for prevention of bullying and cyberbullying

Abstract

This paper presents a brief literature review on the issue of bullying and cyberbullying (BCB) among adolescents. It then introduces the project P.A.T.H.S. which sponsored the design and production of this digital positive youth development (DPYD) game to strengthen three positive youth development (PYD) constructs -- social competence, moral competence, and pro-social norms among early adolescents. It then describes how it can be used to enhance media literacy to prevent BCB which are very often intermingled as a result of prevalent use of information and communication technology (ICT). A description on how to use the game in conjunction with related teaching units of the project P.A.T.H.S. for primary prevention is presented. Teaching points and tips of related units are also provided. To demonstrate the potential effectiveness, two young users – a 15-year-old female from China and a 21-year-old male from the United States were invited to play the digital game and provide comments on the game design and perceived effectiveness. How the game can be used for secondary and tertiary prevention is also discussed.