Modeling the bullying prevention program design recommendations of students from grades five to eight: a discrete choice conjoint experiment

We used a discrete choice conjoint experiment to model the bullying prevention recommendations of 845 students from grades 5 to 8 (aged 9–14). Students made choices between experimentally varied combinations of 14 four‐level prevention program attributes. Latent class analysis yielded three segments. The high impact segment (27.1%) recommended uniforms, mandatory recess activities, four playground supervisors, surveillance cameras, and 4‐day suspensions when students bully. The moderate impact segment (49.5%) recommended discretionary uniforms and recess activities, four playground supervisors, and 3‐day suspensions. Involvement as a bully or bully‐victim was associated with membership in a low impact segment (23.4%) that rejected uniforms and surveillance cameras. They recommended fewer anti‐bullying activities, discretionary recess activities, fewer playground supervisors, and the 2‐day suspensions. Simulations predicted most students would recommend a program maximizing student involvement combining prevention with moderate consequences. The simulated introduction of mandatory uniforms, surveillance cameras, and long suspensions reduced overall support for a comprehensive program, particularly among students involved as bullies or bully‐victims. Aggr Behav 37:521–537, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.