Building upon Bystander Intervention: A Multi-Component Prevention Programming Approach for University Sorority Members

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203

College Students; Sororities; Prevention; Sexual Abuse; Violence; Intervention; Audiences; Hypothesis Testing; Peer Relationship; Risk Assessment; Health Promotion; Student Behavior; Comparative Analysis; Student Attitudes; Self Efficacy; Rape; Misconceptions; Substance Abuse; Victims; Intention; Research Design; Statistical Analysis; Behavior Change

Sexual violence on college campuses is a pervasive problem with the potential for extensive physical and psychological health consequences. Institutions have begun implementing prevention programs; however, more research is needed to understand whether these programs are effective. Bystander intervention programs have increased in popularity likely because the model empowers all students to act as positive bystanders in situations where there is risk of sexual violence occurring. Previous research has indicated that bystander programs have been effective at increasing bystander attitudes and behaviors. The current study aimed to assess the additive benefits of combining a program targeting bystander outcomes with one that focuses on college student social and sexual development to improve outcomes. Specifically, it was hypothesized that the emphasis on relationship development would help students more effectively identify situations that involve risky or unhealthy behaviors, better enabling them to intervene. Participants were sorority women (N = 102) from four sorority organizations that elected to participate in the study. Each sorority organization was assigned to a programming condition based on the interest of the sorority's president, who selected either the bystander intervention program ("Bringing in the Bystander"), the healthy relationships program ("Sexpectations: Healthy relationships and sexuality for college students"), both programs, or the comparison condition. The study assessed bystander attitudes, bystander efficacy, bystander behaviors, and rape myth acceptance attitudes as the primary outcome variables, with alcohol use, sex-related alcohol expectancies, and emotional abuse victimization as exploratory outcomes. Results were conducted through repeated measures ANOVA and t-tests. Given that the independence of observations assumption was not met since participants were not randomized into groups, analyses were conducted with both types of analyses to reduce the risk of making a Type I error. Results indicated there were no significant differences between in the dependent variables for any of the four conditions. The only exception for the programming conditions was a significant increase in bystander intention to help strangers attitudes for the healthy relationships condition. For the comparison group, there were significant decreases in bystander behaviors and efficacy. It was unclear why the results revealed little significant change in the bystander attitudes and behaviors, given the existing literature on bystander intervention. This may have been influenced by research design and/or small sample size which could reduce power. The lack of observed changes for the bystander outcomes and the significant decreases in bystander behaviors and efficacy for the comparison group may suggest that these constructs may be less stable than originally thought, or may be influenced by outside factors such stressors or the availability of situations in which to intervene. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

As Provided

2017

ED578693