Assist. Prof. Ursina Schaede, Ph.D.

Anti-Bullying Intervention

In this project, Ursina Schaede and her collaborators study the long-run effects of a large-scale school-based anti-bullying intervention. KiVa, first implemented in Finnish compulsory schools, aims to reduce bullying by shifting bystanders’ attitudes and behaviors. The researchers link rich survey data from the original randomized controlled trial with comprehensive administrative records to track children’s educational and labor market outcomes. They find that treated students are more likely to enroll in academic high school and obtain a university degree. In early adulthood (ages 27–29), they also earn higher wages. They document reductions in bullying, particularly among boys, as well as improvements in school climate and student grades.

As an applied microeconomist, Ms. Schaede studies labor markets with a focus on education and gender. Her current research explores families' decision-making processes around maternal labor supply following childbirth.

Ursina Schaede is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Economics at Tufts University. She was previously a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Economics at MIT. Ms. Schaede holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Zurich, a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and BAs in Economics as well as International Affairs from the University of St. Gallen. She is an Affiliate of the CESifo Research Network, and holds research affiliations at the University of Zurich and Aalto University.