How Are Bystanders Involved in Cyberbullying? A Latent Class Analysis of the Cyberbystander and Their Characteristics in Different Intervention Stages

Abstract

Background: Cyberbullying is a phenomenon that occurs by means of digital devices in virtual environments. Although research reveals the relevant role played by bystanders in stopping cyberbullying, the patterns of cyberbullying bystanders among Chinese college students is not clear. Data: Participants were 1025 Chinese college students (62.0% girls, 38.0% boys). The present analyses empirically explored the roles of cyberbystanders (passive outsider online, defender of the cybervictim online, reinforcer of the cyberbully online, passive face-to-face outsider, face-to-face defender of the cybervictim, and face-to-face reinforcer of the cyberbully) using latent class analysis. Results: (1) Five latent classes were identified: defensive bystander (17.9%), indifferent bystander (10.1%), low-involved bystander (10.2%), medium-involved bystander (45.7%), and high-involved bystander (16.0%). (2) The cyberbystander patterns varied significantly for all stages of bullying intervention, among which the defensive bystander had the lowest score in the notice stage but the highest scores in the other stages. (3) There was a graded relationship between the five latent classes and the level of social network site use and cyber-victimization experience. College students with high usage of social network sites and high cyber-victimization experience were more likely to engage in diverse bystander behaviors.