Evaluation of a Bystander-Focused Interpersonal Violence Prevention Program with High School Students

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 7-session, bystander-focused, classroom delivered curriculum (i.e., Bringing in the Bystander-High School Curriculum [BITB-HSC]) in reducing rates of interpersonal violence among high school students. High schools (N = 26) were randomly assigned to the treatment or control condition. In classrooms in treatment schools, students (n = 1081) completed a baseline survey, participated in the BITB-HSC, and completed an immediate post-test, a short-term post-test (appx. 2 months after intervention) and a long-term post-test (appx. 1 year after intervention). Youth in control schools (n =1322) schools completed surveys at similar time points, but did not participate in the BITB-HSC. Participants were 15.8 years old on average and largely White (85.1%) and heterosexual (84.5%). Students exposed to the BITB-HSC demonstrated significant short-term changes in victim empathy and bystander barriers/facilitators, and long-term changes in rape myths, media literacy, bystander readiness, and knowledge relative

Rape Myth Acceptance in Sexually Assaulted Adolescents' School Contexts: Associations with Depressed Mood and Alcohol Use

“…Data were collected in the context of a larger cluster randomized control trial to evaluate a bystander‐focused violence prevention curriculum among high school students (Edwards, Banyard, Sessarego, Mitchell, & Chang, ). Baseline data collected before the implementation of the intervention were used for the current analyses.…”

Sexual violence in medical students and trainees in Flanders: a population survey 

“…Bystander roles have proven to be an effective source of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. [18][19][20] This is also reflected by the fact that in one third of the cases of sexual violence, nobody reacted. Therefore, this subject should be addressed in the training and all university and hospital personnel should also receive a training in bystander roles.…”

Preventing Teen Relationship Abuse and Sexual Assault through Bystander Training: Intervention Outcomes for School Personnel

“…These data are embedded in a larger project that evaluated via a cluster randomized control trial the BITB‐HSC among high school students during the 2014 to 2015 academic year (see Edwards, Banyard, et al, for student outcome data). In the larger study, high schools ( N = 25) were randomly assigned to the treatment ( n = 12) or control ( n = 13) condition; in the current paper, we use survey data from school personnel in the treatment condition ( N = 488) who completed a 4‐month follow‐up survey (at which time point exposure to intervention components was assessed since the intervention components were delivered between the baseline and 4‐month follow‐up survey).…”

“…Using a 26‐school cluster randomized control trial, researchers conducted an initial efficacy trial of the BITB‐HSC program. The results showed that students exposed to the BITB‐HSC demonstrated significant short‐term changes in rape myths, victim empathy, and bystander barriers, and long‐term changes in media literacy, bystander readiness, and knowledge relative to youth in the control conditions (Edwards, Banyard, et al, ). Although the BITB‐HSC had little long‐term impact on actual bystander behavior, there were reductions in sexual harassment and stalking among students in the intervention condition compared to the control condition.…”

“…The BITB‐HSC student program is a seven session classroom curriculum was delivered to a mixed sex audience and co‐facilitated by male‐ and female‐identified young adults (mostly college students; see Edwards, Banyard, et al, , for an overview of the student curriculum). BITB‐HSC teaches students how to safely and effectively intervene before, during, and after situations of RA and SA to both prevent and stop these forms of abuse from happening, as well as supporting victims in the aftermath of these experiences.…”