Contributions of personal and situational factors to bystanders' reactions to school bullying

Abstract

The intent of this study was to explore bystanders' personal and situational variables predicting their behavioural reactions to school bullying by investigating a sample of 298 college students who had witnessed bullying during middle or high school. Results indicated that the bystander personal variables, gender and past experience as a bully or bully-victim, significantly predicted their reactions to bullying. All three types of bullying (physical, verbal and social), plus bystander relationship with bully or victim were identified as significant situational predictors of bystander behaviour. School Psychology International Copyright © 2009 SAGE Publications.