Citation

Witte TH, Casper DM, Hackman CL, Mulla MM. J. Am. Coll. Health 2016; 65(3): 149-157.

Affiliation

University of Alabama.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2016.1264407

PMID

27901410

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the well-being of bystanders who witness and intervene in sexual assault and dating violence situations on campus. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 321 young men and women from a large university in the southeastern United States.

METHODS: Participants completed a survey at the end of the Spring semester of 2015 about risky situations they had witnessed with follow up questions about their responses to the situations (e.g., whether they intervened or not) and feelings about their responses. Participants also completed standardized measures of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression.

RESULTS: Over 90% of the participants reported witnessing at least 1 of the risky events presented to them, and approximately 50% reported intervening in events. Intervening was associated with positive feelings, but traumatic stress symptoms were related to witnessing events and intervening.

CONCLUSIONS: Results have direct implications for developing appropriate training programs for bystander intervention programs on college campuses.

Language: en