RELATIONSHIP OF BYSTANDER PERSONAL, SITUATIONAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS
TO BEHAVIORAL REACTIONS TO SCHOOL BULLYING
Open Access
Author:
Oh, In Soo
Graduate Program:
Counselor Education
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
June 13, 2007
Committee Members:
Richard Hazler, Committee Chair/Co-Chair Jolynn Carney, Committee Member Jerry G Trusty, Committee Member James F Nolan Jr., Committee Member
Keywords:
bystander bullying
Abstract:
This study explored the relationship between personal, situational, and psychological variables and behavioral reaction of bystanders to school bullying. The study also examined the mediating role of psychological variables between bystander behavioral reactions and personal/situational variables. Hierarchical regression analysis with categorical regression was used to test a model predicting bystander behavior by studying a sample of 298 college students who had witnessed bullying during middle or high school. Results revealed that significant predictors of bystander behavior included: gender and past experience as a bully or bully-victim in personal variables; bullying type, presence of others and closeness to bully or victim in situational variables; and state anxiety and trauma in psychological variables. Mediation analysis showed that the psychological variables were not identified as mediators between bystander personal/situational variables and behavioral reaction. Limitations of this study and implications for research and practice were also discussed.
