PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENT BYSTANDERS OF BULLYING SITUATIONS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the perceptions of students identified as observers of bullying situations from the perspective of health promotion. This was a qualitative research study conducted with 20 students who reported witnessing bullying situations in a school in the interior of the state of São Paulo. Data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The participants have a good understanding of the phenomenon, classifying it as negative or harmful, especially for the victims. However, this understanding does not translate into behaviors of helping or defending the victims. Students revealed that anti-bullying interventions should bring schools and families together to address the problem in an intersectional way. These findings align with health promotion principles, emphasizing the importance of encouraging participation, promoting empowerment, and reinforcing behaviors that maintain or enhance individual and collective well-being and self-realization. In conclusion, bystanders have the potential to prevent bullying, but this potential must be harnessed through institutional actions that increase their sense of self-efficacy and collective responsibility.
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