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Journal article
Who helps, who intervenes?: Understanding bystander characteristics and intervention using audio-vignettes involving mental health scenarios
Journal of experimental criminology, Vol.online ahead of print
10/14/2025
Web of Science ID: WOS:001592730300001
Abstract
Objectives : The current study examines how situational context and bystander characteristics influence bystander intervention in scenarios involving a victim experiencing a mental health crisis.
Methods: Using a national demographically matched sample of 850 adults in the United States and a factorial design with audio vignettes (which varied in victim symptomatology, victim/offender sex, event location, and type of victimization), we examined how the context and characteristics of bystanders influence indirect and direct bystander intervention.
Results: Using logistic regression models, results show that all varied situational factors influenced bystander intervention. Several domains of bystander characteristics, including those specific to mental health, biopsychosocial factors, and demographics impacted bystander intervention.
Conclusions: Understanding who intervenes and why is essential for developing strategies that foster sustained engagement. Our findings provide avenues to ensure the durability of intervention effects through targeting individual characteristics and motivations that influence decision-making in behavioral crisis situations.
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Details
- Title
- Who helps, who intervenes?
- Publication Details
- Journal of experimental criminology, Vol.online ahead of print
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Springer New York LLC; DORDRECHT
- Number of pages
- 23
- Grant note
- Carolinas Consortium
Open access funding provided by the Carolinas Consortium.
- Copyright
- © 2025, The Author(s)
- Identifiers
- WOS:001592730300001; 99381522452206600
- Academic Unit
- Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies; College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities
- Language
- English