Forms of Bystander Interventions in High School Students: The Role of Empathy, Personal Attitudes, and Peer Attitudes

Bullying and sexual harassment are common problems among high school students in the United States and have been linked to many adverse outcomes. There are several prosocial ways in which peers can intervene in ongoing bullying and harassment episodes, such as direct intervention, emotional intervention, and involving an adult. This study sought to understand whether and how these prosocial interventions are associated with empathy (cognitive and affective), personal attitudes, and perceptions of peer attitudes. Surveys were completed by 788 predominantly White high school students from the northeast area of the United States. Path analyses revealed that a pattern emerged suggesting affective empathy and personal attitudes, and to a lesser extent, cognitive empathy, were particularly salient in prosocial bystander interventions. In contrast, perceptions of peer attitudes toward bullying and sexual harassment were not. Impact Statement In the context of bullying and sexual harassment, empathy was especially salient in its relationship to different types of bystander intervention, even more than personal and peer attitudes. Schools may aim to implement strategies or interventions that develop empathy in their students and to provide bystander training for students that teach multiple intervention options.