Teens who intervene:Empathy and Self-efficacy as Predictors of Cyber-bystander Intervention in Intragroup and Intergroup Cyberbullying

• In Event: How Intergroup-related and Social-cognitive Factors Shape Bystanders' Responses to Bias-based Bullying and Exclusion Across Three Countries

Abstract

Abstract
Purpose. The current study compared adolescents’ prosocial cyber-bystander intentions in an intragroup (‘UK-born’ victim status) and intergroup (‘immigrant’ victim status) cyberbullying context. State empathy and state self-efficacy were examined as potential mediators, accounting for baseline trait levels of these two factors and gender.
Methods. British adolescents (N=129; 13.5-15 years old; 59.7% female; predominately White) from two schools in the UK took part in a two (gender: female/male) by two (victim status: U.K.-born/immigrant) between-subjects quasi-experimental study. Adolescents’ bystander responses were evaluated in the context of intragroup and intergroup cyberbullying context.
Results. Findings showed that higher empathy was reported by females and, unexpectedly, within the ‘immigrant victim’ (not UK-born ingroup) condition. An indirect relationship was found between victim status and prosocial cyber-bystander intentions, with state empathy as a significant mediator.
Conclusions. The present study supports promoting bystander state empathy in anti-cyberbullying programmes, but future research should explore cyber-bystander behaviour towards at-risk groups inter-sectionally, accounting for additional intergroup variables.

Author

• Nicola Abbott, UCL Institute of Education
  Presenting Author