Meta-Analysis Highlights Effectiveness of Bringing in the Bystander® College
By LB Klein, PhD, MSW, MPA
Adding to the growing evidence that Bringing in the Bystander® College (BITB) works, a recently published meta-analysis from researchers at Simon Fraser University describes how 14 evaluations point to the effectiveness of BITB for preventing sexual violence on college and university campuses. The study found significant and positive results across the studies for decreasing rape myth attitudes and increasing bystander efficacy, and bystander intentions.
Meta-analyses aggregate results from multiple studies, making them the most robust and highest quality form of evidence in the hierarchy of research quality. This meta-analysis calculates 38 effect sizes across four key outcome measures of BITB: (1) rape myth attitudes, (2) bystander efficacy, (3) bystander intentions, and (4) bystander behavior.
Why BITB Works
Bringing in the Bystander® focuses on equipping students with the skills and confidence to safely intervene in situations that could lead to sexual violence. Rather than focusing solely on the potential victim or perpetrator, BITB empowers the entire community to take action, fostering a culture of accountability and responsibility.
Using rigorous methods, the Simon Fraser University researchers found that BITB:
Increased participant willingness to intervene as a prosocial bystander
Increased participant responsibility to intervene as a prosocial bystander
Increased confidence to intervene as a prosocial bystander
Increased knowledge of sexual and relationship violence
Increased self-reported bystander behaviors
Decreased acceptance of rape myths
Currently, there are 11 studies of BITB’s effectiveness related to rape myth acceptance, bystander efficacy, and bystander intentions. As the authors mention, more research is needed on bystander behavior over time, as only 5 studies reported findings on this outcome. Bystander behavior assessment over time requires more resources and monitoring, and we hope to see more funded studies in this area.
The authors of the study describe that the BITB curriculum has key differences from other bystander intervention programs that help enhance its effectiveness:
BITB teaches college students to intervene before, during, and after incidents of sexual and relationship violence, including through advocating for community change.
BITB devotes considerable time to the key first step of bystander intervention: recognition. In order to intervene effectively, students must build skills to see a variety of situations as potentially harmful to individuals and communities.
BITB provides opportunities for students to customize the program to their own identities, positionalities, personalities, experiences, and settings to widen options for intervention–rather than telling students what to do.
A Program That Adapts to Campus Needs
The strength of BITB lies in its flexibility. It is designed to adapt to each campus’s unique culture and needs while maintaining the core principles that make it effective. Whether implemented through in-person workshops or virtual training sessions, BITB has shown remarkable results in engaging college communities.
As more colleges and universities search for proven ways to address the widespread issue of sexual violence, Bringing in the Bystander® stands out as an evidence-based program with demonstrable impact.
The Importance of Research in Guiding Prevention
We are excited to see this study added to the evidence base that BITB works. This meta-analysis not only confirms the efficacy of BITB but also underscores the importance of using research-backed methods to prevent sexual violence. Colleges and universities have a responsibility to provide safe learning environments, and programs like BITB, with their growing evidence base, are essential tools in that mission.
With the recent Simon Fraser University findings, institutions have yet another reason to consider integrating BITB into their violence prevention strategies, ensuring their campus community is not just educated but empowered to make a difference.
For more information on this study:
Bouchard, J., Wong, J. S., & Lee, C. (2023). Fostering college students’ responsibility as prosocial bystanders to sexual violence prevention: A meta-analysis of the Bringing in the Bystander program. Journal of American College Health Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2022.2162825
Ready to Learn More About Bringing in the Bystander®?
If you are interested in how Bringing in the Bystander® can benefit your campus, reach out to us to explore how the program can be customized to meet your institution’s needs.
Learn more about Soteria Solutions and our Solutions for College here.
Developed by:
LB Klein, PhD, MSW, MPA (they/she) is director of evaluation and implementation for Soteria Solutions and has served as a lead trainer for the Bringing in the Bystander® College Program since 2014. Learn more about LB.