The Effectiveness of the ‘School Heroes: Bullying Giant Conqueror’ Application in Improving Empathy and Anti-Bullying Behavior among Junior High School Students

Abstract

Bullying is a major public health concern among adolescents and is associated with adverse psychological and social outcomes, including anxiety, depression, and impaired peer relationships. Empathy has been identified as a key protective factor in reducing bullying behavior, while recent evidence suggests that gamified digital interventions may enhance both emotional and behavioral competencies among students. However, evidence regarding their effectiveness in improving both empathy and anti-bullying behavior, particularly among junior high school students, remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the “School Heroes: Bullying Giant Conqueror” application in improving empathy and anti-bullying behavior among junior high school students. A quasi-experimental study with a pretest–posttest control group design was conducted among 80 junior high school students in West Java, Indonesia. Participants were selected using cluster sampling, with two intact classes assigned to the intervention group (n = 40) and the control group (n = 40). Empathy was measured using the Empathy Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (EmQue-CA), while anti-bullying behavior was assessed using a modified Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. Both instruments showed good validity (corrected item-total correlation > 0.30) and high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.93–0.96 for EmQue-CA and > 0.80 for OBVQ). The intervention group received a gamified digital application over four sessions, while the control group received usual school activities. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests, independent t-tests, mixed-design ANOVA, and multiple linear regression. The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in empathy (19.85 ± 2.10 to 24.10 ± 2.35, p < 0.001) and anti-bullying behavior (58.20 ± 6.45 to 70.35 ± 7.10, p < 0.001), whereas the control group showed no significant changes. Posttest comparisons revealed significantly higher scores in the intervention group for both empathy and anti-bullying behavior (p < 0.001). Mixed ANOVA analysis indicated η² = 0.294) and anti-bullying behavior (F = 41.78, p < 0.001, η² = 0.349), indicating a strong intervention effect. Regression analysis showed that empathy was a significant predictor of anti-bullying behavior (β = 0.52, p < 0.001), explaining 41% of the variance. The “School Heroes: Bullying Giant Conqueror” application was effective in significantly improving both empathy and anti-bullying behavior among junior high school students. The findings highlight the potential of culturally relevant, gamified digital interventions as scalable and innovative strategies for bullying prevention in school settings.