ABSTRACT
Bullying and victimization are persistent school problems that impede learning and threaten the psychological well-being of students. Th e eff ects of repeated hurtful, intimidating, and exclusionary actions are not limited to the individuals directly involved in bullying episodes. Student bystanders may feel afraid or envious of the aggressor. Th ey may also feel confused or guilty if they enjoy watching the event (Bradshaw, Sawyer, & O’Brennan, 2007; O’Connell, Pepler, & Craig, 1999). On days in which middle school students witness others being victimized, they may feel increased anxiety or dislike of schools (Nishina & Juvonen, 2005). Some schools and classrooms develop “cultures of bullying” (Unnever & Cornell, 2003) in which abusive treatment is expected and tolerated.
