اندازه گیری از مدل مداخله اطرافیان برای زورگویی و آزار و اذیت جنسی

Abstract Although peer bystanders can exacerbate or prevent bullying and sexual harassment, research has been hindered by the absence of a validated assessment tool to measure the process and sequential steps of the bystander intervention model. A measure was developed based on the five steps of Latané and Darley’s (1970) bystander intervention model applied to bullying and sexual harassment. Confirmatory factor analysis with a sample of 562 secondary school students confirmed the five-factor structure of the measure. Structural equation modeling revealed that all the steps were influenced by the previous step in the model, as the theory proposed. In addition, the bystander intervention measure was positively correlated with empathy, attitudes toward bullying and sexual harassment, and awareness of bullying and sexual harassment facts. This measure can be used for future research and to inform intervention efforts related to the process of bystander intervention for bullying and sexual harassment.

Conclusion Peers who witness bullying and sexual harassment have the power to exacerbate or mitigate the effects of these types of peer victimization. In this study, we tested a measure of the bystander intervention model in this context using a well-established social psychological theoretical framework. Results supported the five-step bystander intervention model for bullying and sexual harassment, and indicated that empathy, attitudes, and awareness related to bystander intervention in predicted directions. This research fills a gap in the literature by providing a measure that can be used to further our understanding of the variables related to the process of bystander intervention for peer victimization. It also has implications for further developing, refining, and testing interventions for providing bystanders with the information and skills necessary to intervene to reduce peer victimization and its pervasive negative effects.