Bystander Bullying Reduction Interventions: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aims to: (1) identify and analyze various intervention programs conducted to reduce the passive role of bystanders in bullying cases, (2) evaluate the effectiveness of each intervention program based on its strengths and weaknesses, and (3) examine the characteristics of intervention programs that successfully change the behavior of bystanders into defenders. The review process included planning, sourcing, selection, data extraction, and synthesis of results. Based on 14 articles that met the criteria, several types of interventions involving bystanders were found, such as bystander education programs, bystander social skills training, empathy enhancement, and teacher training. The results show that bystander education and empathy enhancement programs tend to be effective in reducing the passive role of bystanders in bullying cases. The bystander education program aims to build bystander awareness about the importance of defending victims of bullying in a constructive way. Increased empathy in bystanders is shown to motivate bystanders to take action to defend because they are able to understand the feelings of the victim. Meanwhile, bystander social skills training aims to improve bystander interpersonal skills in order to effectively interact with victims and perpetrators of bullying. In general, it can be concluded that interventions involving education, increasing empathy, and providing skills seem to be more effective in reducing the passive role of bystanders in school bullying cases than other interventions.