Bystander Responses to School Bullying: A Cross-Sectional Investigation of Grade and Sex Differences

Abstract

Addressing the impact of peer bystanders on school bullying, this cross-sectional study examined whether student responses to bullying that they witnessed varied as a function of sex and grade. In a school-based survey regarding social experiences at school, Grade 4 to 11 students (N = 9397, 51% male) who reported witnessing bullying (68%) rated how often they had engaged in different bystander responses. Results indicated significant differences across sex and grade level, such that younger students and girls were more likely to report taking positive action than were older students and boys by directly intervening, helping the victim, or talking to an adult. Generally, boys and girls were equally likely to report that they ignored or avoided the person(s) who bullied although reports that they did nothing increased with grade level. Implications for schoolwide antibullying intervention efforts are discussed.

Abordant l’impact des pairs témoins de l’intimidation à l’école, cette étude transversale examine si la réponse des élèves à l’intimidation à laquelle ils assistent varie en fonction du sexe et du degré de scolarité. Dans un questionnaire distribué en milieu scolaire sur les expériences sociales à l’école, les élèves de 4e à 11e année (N = 9,397, 51% masculin) qui rapportent avoir été témoins d’intimidation (68%) ont évalué la fréquence à laquelle ils s’engagent dans différents types de réponses. Les résultats montrent des différences significatives entre le sexe et le degré de scolarité. En effet, les élèves plus jeunes et les filles rapportent plus souvent recourir à des actions positives que ne le font les élèves plus vieux et les garçons, en intervenant directement, en aidant la victime ou en parlant à un adulte. Les garçons et les filles de tous les degrés de scolarité rapportent dans la même proportion qu’ils ignorent ou évitent la personne qui se fait intimider, bien que la proportion de ceux qui rapportent qu’ils ne font rien augmente avec le degré de scolarité. Les implications pour les efforts de prévention de l’intimidation dans les écoles sont discutées.

Keywords

bullying victimization bystander witness

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