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"This book offers an engaging overview of bystander intervention in school bullying, combining rigorous research with practical insights. It is an excellent resource for researchers, educators, and policymakers committed to fostering safer and more inclusive environments for youth."
—Laura Lambe, Assistant Professor, St. Francis Xavier University, Canada
Bystander Intervention in Bullying and Peer Victimization offers a clear, research-based roadmap for understanding and promoting bystander action in bullying and peer victimization situations. Drawing on decades of scholarship, the authors examine bullying as a group process, the psychological steps behind intervention, and the risks and benefits of defending peers.
Central to the book is the five-step Bystander Intervention Model, adapted from social psychology, which explains how individuals notice, interpret situations, assume responsibility, know what to do, and act. The text explores individual, peer, family, and school-level influences on bystander behavior and provides practical strategies for fostering safer, more inclusive environments. It also reviews evidence-based programs and training approaches for real-world application, addressing bullying, cyberbullying, sexual harassment, and microaggressions.
This book is an essential resource for researchers, educators, school psychologists, and policymakers committed to reducing bullying and improving school climate.
Amanda B. Nickerson is a SUNY Distinguished Professor of School Psychology and Director of the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, USA. She is a licensed psychologist and Fellow of the American Psychological Association and American Educational Research Association.
Lyndsay N. Jenkins is Michael and Jean Shahnasarian Endowed Professor of Counseling and School Psychology at Florida State University, USA. Her research focuses on bullying, peer victimization, and bystander intervention. She is a licensed psychologist in Florida and Fellow of the American Psychological Association.
Stephanie S. Fredrick is Associate Professor of School Psychology and Associate Director of the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, USA. She serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of School Psychology.
List of contents
1. The Problem of Bullying and Peer Victimization.- 2. Bullying and Participant Roles.- 3. Who Defends and Who Stands By?.- 4. Risks, Benefits, and Options for Defending.- 5. Bystander Intervention Model.- 6. Noticing and Identifying Bullying as a Problem.- 7. Assuming Responsibility for Intervening.- 8. Knowing What to Do and Taking Action.- 9. Bystander Intervention Training.- 10. Conclusion.
About the author
Amanda B. Nickerson is a SUNY Distinguished Professor of School Psychology and Director of the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, USA. She is a licensed psychologist and Fellow of the American Psychological Association and American Educational Research Association.
Lyndsay N. Jenkins is Michael and Jean Shahnasarian Endowed Professor of Counseling and School Psychology at Florida State University, USA. Her research focuses on bullying, peer victimization, and bystander intervention. She is a licensed psychologist in Florida and Fellow of the American Psychological Association.
Stephanie S. Fredrick is Associate Professor of School Psychology and Associate Director of the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, USA. She serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of School Psychology.
Summary
Bystander Intervention in Bullying and Peer Victimization offers a clear, research-based roadmap for understanding and promoting bystander action in bullying and peer victimization situations. Drawing on decades of scholarship, the authors examine bullying as a group process, the psychological steps behind intervention, and the risks and benefits of defending peers.
Central to the book is the five-step Bystander Intervention Model, adapted from social psychology, which explains how individuals notice, interpret situations, assume responsibility, know what to do, and act. The text explores individual, peer, family, and school-level influences on bystander behavior and provides practical strategies for fostering safer, more inclusive environments. It also reviews evidence-based programs and training approaches for real-world application, addressing bullying, cyberbullying, sexual harassment, and microaggressions.
This book is an essential resource for researchers, educators, school psychologists, and policymakers committed to reducing bullying and improving school climate.
