Gender Differences in Defending Behavior Among Elementary School Students Trained in a Bullying Bystander Intervention

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in defending behavior and the moderating effect of self-esteem and fear of negative evaluation among elementary school (N = 39) who participated in a bullying bystander intervention (STAC). During the intervention, the trainers teach students four strategies they can use to intervene in bullying situations to defend targets (i.e. “Stealing the Show,” “Turning it Over,” “Accompanying Others,” and “Coaching Compassion”). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that with the exception of “Turning it Over” (i.e. reporting bullying to an adult), self-esteem and fear of negative evaluation moderated the relationship between gender and use of the STAC strategies. Specifically, for females, STAC strategy use was positively associated with self-esteem. In contrast, for males, strategy use was positively associated with fear of negative evaluation. Findings suggest that bystander training may be effective in reducing gender differences in defending behavior. This study also extends the literature by highlighting the important role of self-esteem and fear of negative evaluation in the relationship between gender and post-training defending behavior. We discuss implications for bystander training in school-based bullying prevention programs and in other counseling settings.