Teachers Perspectives of Social Marketing in Combating Bullying in School: Results from a Pilot Study

Abstract In Greece, especially in elementary schools, school bullying has increased significantly. Teachers are the primary responders to bullying, implementing anti-bullying campaigns or school interventions. Therefore, understanding their perspectives helps to decrease the chances of failure in social marketing practices. In this context, the present study explores elementary school teachers’ perceptions towards social marketing campaigns in combating bullying in elementary schools and examines gender differences in these perceptions and attitudes. Via an online questionnaire, nine statements were rated on a 7-point Likert Scale. Targeting elementary school teachers of any domain, over a five-month period (September 2024–January 2025), 127 responses were collected. The analysis included classical descriptive methods, reliability, factor analysis, and t-tests of means. Gender differences were found regarding perceived limitations in using social marketing to combat bullying in elementary schools.