Kimberly J Mitchell1, Victoria Banyard2, Michele L Ybarra3. 1. Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire. Electronic address: kimberly.mitchell@unh.edu. 2. Rutgers University, School of Social Work, New Brunswick, New Jersey. 3. Center for Innovative Public Health Research, San Clemente, California.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand the range of emotions reported by youth bystanders, as well as the reactions they received from the at-risk individual engaging in self-directed violence. METHODS: A national sample of 1,031 youth and young adults (aged 13-23 years) was recruited online between November 27, 2020 and December 4, 2020. Sixty-two percent (n = 638) reported intervening with someone engaging in self-directed violence and comprise the analytical sample. Suicidal ideation, nonsuicidal self-injury, and suicide attempts were examined separately. RESULTS: One in five (21.9%) who engaged in bystanding behavior with someone attempting suicide felt really good about their helping; 42.9% said they felt somewhat good. About half (51%) said that the at-risk person responded negatively, however. Similar percentages were noted for bystanders of people with suicidal ideation and nonsuicidal self-injury. Singularly positive responses from the at-risk person were associated with increased odds of the bystander feeling somewhat/really good about their decision to help and feeling like what they did really helped. For every additional type of bystander behavior, the odds of feeling good about helping increased. Bystander behaviors most consistently associated with increased odds of feeling good about helping were "encouraging the person to talk to their family" and "telling the person they were important to them." CONCLUSIONS: Future research should work to better understand what forms of bystander behavior are most successful at protecting at-risk individuals, how one's perceptions of their bystander behavior change over time, and how effective forms of helping relate to how they are perceived.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand the range of emotions reported by youth bystanders, as well as the reactions they received from the at-risk individual engaging in self-directed violence. METHODS: A national sample of 1,031 youth and young adults (aged 13-23 years) was recruited online between November 27, 2020 and December 4, 2020. Sixty-two percent (n = 638) reported intervening with someone engaging in self-directed violence and comprise the analytical sample. Suicidal ideation, nonsuicidal self-injury, and suicide attempts were examined separately. RESULTS: One in five (21.9%) who engaged in bystanding behavior with someone attempting suicide felt really good about their helping; 42.9% said they felt somewhat good. About half (51%) said that the at-risk person responded negatively, however. Similar percentages were noted for bystanders of people with suicidal ideation and nonsuicidal self-injury. Singularly positive responses from the at-risk person were associated with increased odds of the bystander feeling somewhat/really good about their decision to help and feeling like what they did really helped. For every additional type of bystander behavior, the odds of feeling good about helping increased. Bystander behaviors most consistently associated with increased odds of feeling good about helping were "encouraging the person to talk to their family" and "telling the person they were important to them." CONCLUSIONS: Future research should work to better understand what forms of bystander behavior are most successful at protecting at-risk individuals, how one's perceptions of their bystander behavior change over time, and how effective forms of helping relate to how they are perceived.
Authors: Peter A Wyman; C Hendricks Brown; Mark LoMurray; Karen Schmeelk-Cone; Mariya Petrova; Qin Yu; Erin Walsh; Xin Tu; Wei Wang Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2010-07-15 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Alison Krauss; Ernest N Jouriles; Kristen Yule; John H Grych; Kelli S Sargent; Victoria L Banyard Journal: J Interpers Violence Date: 2017-12-22