Measuring Bystander Training Efficacy: Bystander Opportunities and Behaviors

• In Event: Addressing Victimization on Campus: Research Findings from the University of Kentucky's Campus Climate Survey

Abstract

Methodological challenges arise in the assessment of bystander training efficacy. Using Kentucky’s CATS, we explored bystander efficacy to train students to both identify opportunities and act. Given the public nature of situations involving substance use, this opportunity was selected: “How often did you suspect that someone was being led away for sex while they were too high on drugs or alcohol to realize what was really happening?” (3,587/21,293, 17%). The followup was: “How often did you (or someone you asked) try to stop or change the situation?” Our results confirm those of Moynihan et al (2015), who found that students with less opportunity to intervene are more likely to use bystander behaviors after training. When comparing students receiving training versus not, there was an 11% difference in rates of doing nothing (25% vs 36% for trained vs not) when the frequency of opportunity was once; this difference declined to 6% (15% vs 21%) and 2% (17% vs 19%) for those opportunities of 2-5 and >6 times, respectively. Training appears to increase bystander behaviors when opportunities are uncommon, but as opportunities become more common, the effect of training appears to wane. Impacts of these findings on bystander efficacy assessment will be discussed.

Authors

• Ann L. Coker, University of Kentucky

• Heather Bush, University of Kentucky

• Candace Brancato, University of Kentucky

• Diane R. Follingstad, University of Kentucky