Responsive bystander behaviour in cyberbullying: a path through self-efficacy

ABSTRACT

Bystander behaviour and self-efficacy beliefs play an important role in cyberbullying incidence. This study tested the relationship between the Bystander Intervention Model phases and the mediating role of adolescents’ self-efficacy beliefs. Children from the fifth to twelfth grade (N = 676) participated in this study by responding to questionnaires concerning the various phases of the Bystander Intervention Model and self-efficacy beliefs to resolve cyberbullying-related problems. Through structural equation modelling, noticing an incident of cyberbullying had a direct and indirect effect on aggressive behaviour, and an indirect effect on reporting and problem-solving behaviour. The indirect effect of interpreting the event through attributing responsibility was significant for aggressive and problem-solving behaviour. The mediator role of reflective decision-making had a stronger effect on direct problem-solving. Self-efficacy beliefs significantly affected the relationship between interpreting the event and all behaviour, but stronger for direct problem-solving. These findings help explain empirically how bystanders respond to incidents of cyberbullying.

KEYWORDS:

• Cyberbullying
• bystander intervention
• aggressive behaviour
• prosocial behaviour
• self-efficacy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

P. C. Ferreira http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8679-4566

A. M. Veiga Simão http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3652-5573

A. Ferreira http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8280-1623

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (grant number: SFRH/BPD/110695/2015; PTDC/MHC-PED/3297/20⁣14); Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.