Correlates of Bystander Readiness to Help Among a Diverse College Student Population: An Intersectional Perspective

• Published in: Research in higher education Vol. 60; no. 8; pp. 1195 - 1226
• Main Authors: Christensen, M. Candace, Harris, Richard J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.12.2019; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: College Students; Correlation; Education; Gender Differences; Helping Relationship; Higher Education; Instructional Program Divisions; Majors (Students); Readiness; Sexual Harassment; Sociodemographics; Bystander intervention programs; Sexual violence prevention; Sexual harassment; Intersectionality; Bystander readiness to help; Diversity
• ISSN: 0361-0365; 1573-188X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11162-018-09544-6

This study seeks to understand which socio-demographic variables explain bystander readiness to help (BRH) among a diverse (via race/ethnicity) sample of college students. This study uses an intersectional approach by investigating how gender intersects with variables, specific to a college student population (e.g., class level, college of major, sexual harassment on campus), to influence readiness to help. The results are from a survey about campus climate experiences, which includes a stratified random sample of college students from a large Southwestern university in the United States, with 964 respondents. We conducted bivariate crosstabulations, comparisons of means, and multiple regressions. The multiple regression analyses illustrate that for women, the single most robust relationship with BRH is experiences with sexual harassment. For men, the strongest correlate is being a student within the college of liberal and fine arts. The practical and research implications of these findings are discussed.