Contemporary cultural, ideological, and socioeconomical changes have situated schools as central spaces for either nurturing or disrupting social cohesion. Targeted violence, including violent extremism, intergroup conflict, and harmful discourse, weakens this cohesion by fostering an us-versus-them mentality. While interventions designed to counter targeted violence or promote respectful intergroup contact have proliferated in educational settings, evidence concerning their effectiveness remains inconclusive.


This study presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of school-based interventions aimed at mitigating targeted violence among adolescents aged 10-19. The study pursues three primary objectives: (1) identifying existing interventions; (2) determining their overall effectiveness; and (3) examining potential moderators, including delivery method and classroom composition. The review is pre-registered on PROSPERO to ensure transparency.


Following PRISMA guidelines, English-language publications from 2001 to 2025 are identified across multiple databases, such as PsycINFO, ERIC, and Scopus, and complementary searches of grey literature on NGO websites and institutional repositories. Eligible studies are conducted with students aged 10 to 19 in a school context and focus on constructs related to targeted violence. Data extraction covers methodological features, sample attributes, intervention components, and measured outcomes. To determine pooled effect sizes (Hedges' g) and perform moderator analysis, random-effects meta-analytic models are employed through subgroup comparisons and meta-regressions.


Although data collection and synthesis are ongoing, preliminary expectations suggest that interventions fostering peer discussion, media competence, and empathy development will demonstrate stronger effects than exclusively informative or disciplinary approaches. Interpersonal engagement is anticipated to improve outcomes, with offline or hybrid executions yielding more positive results than purely online formats. Additional factors, including intervention duration and educator involvement, are expected to moderate effectiveness.


By determining the most effective approaches, this study addresses central research gaps and provides practical directions for educators and policymakers dedicated to preventing targeted violence in progressively diverse school environments.