Katie M. Edwards|Victoria L. Banyard|Stephanie N. Sessarego|Emily A. Waterman|Kimberly J. Mitchell|Hong Chang
Evaluation of a Bystander-Focused Interpersonal Violence Prevention Program with High School Students
University of New Hampshire|Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey|University of New Hampshire|University of New Hampshire|Tufts Medical Center
study evaluated effectiveness sevensession bystanderfocused classroomdelivered curriculum ie bringing bystanderhigh school curriculum bitbhsc reducing rates interpersonal violence among high school students high schools n 26 randomly assigned treatment control condition classrooms treatment schools students n 1081 completed baseline survey participated bitbhsc completed immediate posttest shortterm posttest approx 2 months intervention longterm posttest approx 1 year intervention youth control schools n 1322 completed surveys similar time points participate bitbhsc participants 158 years old average largely white 851 heterosexual 845 students exposed bitbhsc demonstrated significant shortterm changes victim empathy bystander barriersfacilitators longterm changes rape myths media literacy bystander readiness knowledge relative youth control condition although bitbhsc little longterm impact actual bystander behavior reductions forms violence among students bitbhsc condition relative control condition future research needed determine contexts eg classroombased versus schoolwide initiatives bystanderfocused violence prevention initiatives reduce violence