Session: Measurement Issues in Bystander Intervention (Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference - Social Work Science and Complex Problems: Battling Inequities + Building Solutions)

Bystander intervention is an evidence-based approach to preventing multiple forms of harm (including interpersonal violence, bullying, and discrimination). However, a perennial challenge in the field of bystander intervention is how to best measure bystander intervention behaviors and related constructs (e.g., intentions, self-efficacy, barriers). Relatively few validated measures of bystander intervention behavior and related constructs exist, and many have become outdated as trends shift and new knowledge about bystander opportunity and behaviors emerge. The purpose of this symposium is to highlight current and emerging research into the complex topic of measurement of bystander intervention behaviors and related constructs. Social workers have an important role to play in the development, implementation, and evaluation of such programs. Paper 1 documents the results of a systematic review of validated measures of bystander intervention. Relatively few scales (n=24) were identified across domains of harm, with considerable limitations in scope and sampling. Study 2 describes the process of creating a measure of bystander intervention to combat sexual harassment within workplaces, accounting for complexities such as power dynamics and the role of identities impacted by systematic forms of oppression (e.g., racism, homophobia). Relatedly, Paper 3 describes the psychometric properties of a measure of bystander intervention behaviors among faculty and staff on a university campus, suggesting a 3 factor structure for both bystander attitudes (innapropriate comments from students, inappropriate comments from faculty, desire to participate in activities) and bystander behaviors (concern regarding the victim, activities to end sexual violence, concern over inappropriate statements). This provides important context for determining the best practices for assessing bystander intervention behaviors. Paper 4 provides additional nuance to the measurement of bystander intervention behavior by asking 2,266 students from 2 universities about their amount of opportunity to directly confront someone at risk of perpetration sexual violence, frequency of taking the described action, and consequences of acting. Students reported intervening in the majority of situations and most reported no harmful consequences as a result. Lastly, Paper 5 describes the results of a qualitative content analysis of 5,154 open-ended responses from students at 15 universities, responding to prompts about what bystander behaviors they utilized and what opportunities they had for bystander behavior. Preliminary themes suggest a need to include more diverse options when assessing for bystander behaviors (e.g., getting drunk friends home safely), as well as a range of concerning events that respondents viewed as opportunities for intervention (e.g., racist events, suicidal ideation by peers, public fights) which are not typically considered targets of bystander intervention. Together these five papers highlight a range of novel techniques that are being utilized to improve measurement of bystander intervention behaviors and related constructs. As bystander intervention is recognized as an evidence-based technique central to a comprehensive approach to violence prevention, more social workers will be tasked with implementing such strategies in schools, workplaces, and communities. It is critical to have rigorous measurement tools that can inform both program design and evaluation.