Exploring Action Coils for Bystander Intervention: Modeling Bystander Consequences

Objective: Individuals who take action to reduce sexual assault can experience a range of positive and negative consequences as a result of helping. This study examined how different types of consequences explain variation in confidence and intent to help. Participants: Nine hundred sixty-six individuals who reported intervening in a situation involving interpersonal violence; approximately half were recruited from university psychology courses and half through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Data were collected from September to December of 2016. Methods: Participants completed measures of consequences related to helping, bystander efficacy, and intent to help. Results: Positive reactions from victims and other individuals who witnessed the situation were related to higher efficacy and intent, while negative reactions were associated with lower efficacy and intent. Actionists’ personal feelings (ie, positive and negative) about their behavior mediated these relationships. Conclusions: Bystander training on campuses should address the range of potential consequences actionists face

Adverse Consequences to Assisting Victims of Campus Violence: Initial Investigations Among College Students

Despite growing interest in the use of bystander education programs to address the problems of sexual and relationship violence on college campuses, little knowledge exists on adverse consequences experienced by students intervening as a bystander. The current study examined the prevalence and correlates of adverse consequences of bystander intervention in two samples of first-year college students. In Study 1, 281 students completed a measure of negative consequences experienced when acting as a bystander to help someone at risk of sexual assault, relationship abuse, or stalking. Efficacy for bystander behavior was also assessed. Approximately one third of the students (97/281) reported having tried to help someone who had been at risk of violence during the previous academic year. Of these, approximately 17% (16/97) reported experiencing a negative consequence from having tried to help. Experiencing negative consequences was associated with lower levels of bystander efficacy. In Study 2, conducted at a different university, 299 students completed measures of negative consequences resulting from intervening as a bystander and efficacy for bystander behavior. Students also participated in virtual-reality simulations that provided opportunities to intervene as a bystander. Again, approximately one third of the students (99/299) reported having tried to help someone at risk of violence. Of these, 20% (20/99) reported experiencing a negative consequence. Two of the adverse consequences (physically hurt, got into trouble) were negatively associated with bystander efficacy and observed effectiveness of bystander behavior in the virtual simulations. Results of exploratory analyses suggest that training in bystander intervention might reduce the likelihood of experiencing adverse consequences

Measuring Teen Dating Violence Perpetration: A Comparison of Cumulative and Single Assessment Procedures

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a widespread and harmful public health concern. The measurement of TDV has undergone some debate, with some researchers suggesting current measurement methods are suboptimal. The current study evaluates the use of cumulative assessments, a measurement method used previously in research on mental health and TDV victimization, to measure TDV perpetration. We hypothesized prevalence of frequency estimates of TDV perpetration would be higher when measured with cumulative assessments compared to a single report. Additionally, we hypothesized TDV perpetration measured cumulatively would more strongly relate to criterion variables than TDV perpetration measured with a single report. A sample of court-referred adolescents (n = 147, 14-17 years old) was recruited and invited into the lab for a baseline assessment, where they completed demographic questions and measures of criterion variables, including externalizing symptoms, exposure to community violence, and attitudes about dating. Adolescents were invited back to the lab for a 3-month follow-up assessment, where they reported on their TDV perpetration across the past 3 months. Between baseline and the 3-month follow-up, participants were contacted for phone interviews every 2-weeks and reported on their TDV perpetration in the past 2-weeks. All six phone interviews were aggregated to form a cumulative measure of TDV across the 3-month period. Results indicated the cumulative assessments of TDV evidenced greater prevalence for physical and emotional TDV compared to single reports, and greater frequency for all types of TDV compared to single reports. Furthermore, overall TDV was more strongly related to externalizing symptoms when measured cumulatively rather than with a single assessment, and sexual TDV was more strongly related to exposure to community violence when measured cumulatively rather than with a single assessment. Findings from the current study highlight the potential benefits of utilizing cumulative assessments in the measurement of TDV perpetration

TakeCARE, a Video Bystander Program to Help Prevent Sexual Violence on College Campuses: Results of Two Randomized, Controlled Trials

Objective: The present research reports on two randomized controlled trials evaluating TakeCARE, a video bystander program designed to help prevent sexual violence on college campuses. Method: In Study 1, students were recruited from psychology courses at two universities. In Study 2, first-year students were recruited from a required course at one university. In both studies, students were randomly assigned to view one of two videos: TakeCARE or a control video on study skills. Just before viewing the videos, students completed measures of bystander behavior toward friends and ratings of self-efficacy for performing such behaviors. The efficacy measure was administered again after the video, and both the bystander behavior measure and the efficacy measure were administered at either one (Study 1) or two (Study 2) months later. Results: In both studies, students who viewed TakeCARE, compared to students who viewed the control video, reported engaging in more bystander behavior toward friends and greater feelings of efficacy for performing such behavior. In Study 1, feelings of efficacy mediated effects of TakeCARE on bystander behavior; this result did not emerge in Study 2. Conclusions: This research demonstrates that TakeCARE, a video bystander program, can positively influence bystander behavior toward friends. Given its potential to be easily distributed to an entire campus community, TakeCARE might be an effective addition to campus efforts to prevent sexual violence

Do Instructions Intended to Reduce False Positives Improve the Measurement of Physical Partner Violence Victimization Among Adolescents and Young Adults?

Objective: We examine how instructions to exclude behaviors occurring in playful or joking contexts influence the measurement of physical partner violence victimization. Specifically, we demonstrate how such instructions influence the prevalence and validity of self-reported victimization. Method: Study 1 used a Think Aloud procedure to evaluate thoughts of college students (n = 451) reporting victimization experiences that occurred during high school. Participants were randomized to report on physical partner violence victimization with or without instructions to exclude playful acts. Study 2 experimentally evaluated whether the instructions affect the criterion validity of victimization scores with measures of depressive symptoms and emotion regulation among first-year college students (n = 615). Study 3 sought to replicate findings from Study 2 in a community sample of 18–25-year-olds (n = 398), using alternative violence items, response formats, and a different recall period. Study 4 utilized a short-term longitudinal design to replicate the pattern of findings from Studies 2 and 3, and examine how instructions influence self-reports of revictimization over a 2-month follow-up among first-year college students (n = 887). Study 5 presents a single-paper meta-analysis that synthesizes prevalence rates across these four studies. Results: Overall, instructions designed to eliminate aggressive acts in joking contexts did not consistently influence prevalence rates of victimization or improve criterion validity over standard instructions. Conclusions: Instructions designed to exclude behaviors occurring in playful or joking contexts do not necessarily produce more valid self-reports of physical partner violence victimization, as compared with standard instructions

TakeCARE, a Video to Promote Bystander Behavior on College Campuses: Replication and Extension

Previous research has demonstrated that college students who view TakeCARE, a video bystander program designed to encourage students to take action to prevent sexual and relationship violence (i.e., bystander behavior), display more bystander behavior relative to students who view a control video. The current study aimed to replicate and extend these findings by testing two different methods of administering TakeCARE and examining moderators of TakeCARE’s effects on bystander behavior. Students at four universities (n = 557) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) view TakeCARE in a monitored computer lab, (b) view TakeCARE at their own convenience after receiving an email link to the video, or (c) view a video about study skills (control group). Participants completed measures of bystander behavior at baseline and at a 1-month follow-up. Participants in both TakeCARE conditions reported more bystander behavior at follow-up assessments, compared with participants in the control condition. The beneficial effect of TakeCARE did not differ significantly across administration methods. However, the effects of TakeCARE on bystander behavior were moderated by students’ perceptions of campus responsiveness to sexual violence, with more potent effects when students perceived their institution as responsive to reports of sexual violence

College Students’ Feelings of Campus Connectedness, Party Safety Behavior and Intervening to Prevent Sexual Assault and Intimate Partner Violence

Objective: This research examines associations between college students’ feelings of campus connectedness and two types of prosocial bystander intervention behavior to prevent sexual assault: party safety behavior and intervening in high-risk situations. Method: Short-term longitudinal associations between college students’ feelings of campus connectedness and bystander intervention behavior were examined in three studies. Study 1 (n = 213) examined these associations over a 1-month period. Study 2 (n = 557) was designed to replicate findings from Study 1 in a larger, more diverse sample. Study 3 (n = 730) was designed to replicate and extend findings with party safety behavior from Studies 1 and 2 over a 2-month period. Study 3 also examined whether frequency of party attendance and feelings of responsibility might help explain the association between campus connectedness and party safety behavior. In each of the three studies, students were recruited from multiple universities; students reported on feelings of campus connectedness at baseline and on bystander behavior at baseline and follow-up assessments. Results: In each study, students’ feelings of campus connectedness predicted party safety behavior at follow-up, controlling for party safety behavior at baseline. Feelings of campus connectedness were not associated with intervening in high-risk situations. In Study 3, frequency of party attendance and feelings of responsibility did not explain the association between campus connectedness and party safety behavior. Conclusion: Feelings of campus connectedness may be important to consider in campus efforts to prevent sexual assault

Measuring Teen Dating Violence Perpetration: A Comparison of Cumulative and Single Assessment Procedures

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a widespread and harmful public health concern. The measurement of TDV has undergone some debate, with some researchers suggesting current measurement methods are suboptimal. The current study evaluates the use of cumulative assessments, a measurement method used previously in research on mental health and TDV victimization, to measure TDV perpetration. We hypothesized prevalence of frequency estimates of TDV perpetration would be higher when measured with cumulative assessments compared to a single report. Additionally, we hypothesized TDV perpetration measured cumulatively would more strongly relate to criterion variables than TDV perpetration measured with a single report. A sample of court-referred adolescents (n = 147, 14-17 years old) was recruited and invited into the lab for a baseline assessment, where they completed demographic questions and measures of criterion variables, including externalizing symptoms, exposure to community violence, and attitudes about dating. Adolescents were invited back to the lab for a 3-month follow-up assessment, where they reported on their TDV perpetration across the past 3 months. Between baseline and the 3-month follow-up, participants were contacted for phone interviews every 2-weeks and reported on their TDV perpetration in the past 2-weeks. All six phone interviews were aggregated to form a cumulative measure of TDV across the 3-month period. Results indicated the cumulative assessments of TDV evidenced greater prevalence for physical and emotional TDV compared to single reports, and greater frequency for all types of TDV compared to single reports. Furthermore, overall TDV was more strongly related to externalizing symptoms when measured cumulatively rather than with a single assessment, and sexual TDV was more strongly related to exposure to community violence when measured cumulatively rather than with a single assessment. Findings from the current study highlight the potential benefits of utilizing cumulative assessments in the measurement of TDV perpetration