School bullying continues to be a serious problem in educational centers, with negative consequences for everyone involved. In this context, the A-Judo program, integrated into Physical Education classes, has successfully improved aspects such as empathy, moral reasoning, impulse control, and motivation towards the subject, in addition to reducing bullying behaviors.
As explained by Carlos Montero Carretero, a researcher at the Center for Sport Research (CID UMH) and program leader, educational institutions have an important socializing function. Psychological capacities like empathy, impulse control, resilience, and moral reasoning directly influence bullying prevention.
The program uses judo as an educational tool, leveraging its original philosophy of developing respect, responsibility, and mutual aid. Researcher Alba Roldán highlights that each session addressed a specific psychosocial objective, combining practical judo activities with guided reflections on coexistence and bullying prevention.
The study, published in the journal Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, involved 415 students aged 10 to 15 from seven public educational centers in the province of Alicante. Results showed that participants in A-Judo reduced bullying behaviors, justified aggressive actions less, improved their empathy, and showed favorable progress in impulse control.
Eduardo Cervelló, also a signatory of the study, points out that these types of programs can contribute to creating safer and more inclusive school environments, and recommends their implementation over several academic years. Researcher Paula Alfonso Asencio is currently developing a doctoral thesis to improve and facilitate the implementation of A-Judo, which is also promoted through the program's social media channels.
