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The Longitudinal Effect of Bullying Victimization on Bystander Behaviors Among Vocational School Students: Roles of Fear of Missing Out and Grit
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DOI：10.1080/2372966X.2026.2628522.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
While bystanders’ role in bullying has been well-documented, the long-term effects of victimization on bystander behaviors have remained understudied. This study examined how bullying victimization influenced students’ bystander behaviors over a one-year period, with a focus on fear of missing out (FoMO) related to uncertainty in social information and grit. Using three waves of data collected over one year from 670 Chinese vocational students (Mage = 16.14; 33.7% boys), results indicated that students who experienced early bullying victimization were less likely to defend peers and more likely to become outsiders or support the bullies one year later. These effects were partly explained by increased FoMO on social information six months after baseline. Conversely, FoMO related to general situational awareness did not play a significant role. Furthermore, grit moderated how social information FoMO influenced students’ bullying bystander responses. Specifically, when students experienced higher levels of social information FoMO, those with higher grit showed stronger negative bystander behaviors, while students with lower grit were less impacted by social information FoMO. The findings indicate that bullying prevention and intervention should address uncertainty in social contexts and enhance adaptive coping strategies among students.
Impact Statement
This study found that students in vocational schools who have previously experienced bullying may become more fearful of missing out on social experiences, which can affect how they respond when witnessing bullying. Students who have higher grit may react more strongly to these fears in unhealthy ways, while those with lower grit may avoid getting involved in social situations. Schools can support students by addressing these emotional challenges and promoting coping skills to create safer and more inclusive school environments.
Keywords:
bullying victimization
bystander behavior
fear of missing out
grit
vocational school adolescents
Cixin Wang
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