Using VR to Assess the Efficacy of a Motivational Interviewing Intervention to Increase Bystander Behaviors

Overview

With the present project, we will a evaluate a new, motivational interviewing (MI) intervention for increasing bystander behaviors to prevent sexual violence. In the intervention, motivational interviewing will be used to build each participant's unique motivation for engaging in bystander intervention behaviors. To assess the efficacy of the intervention, we will utilize the Bystanders in Sexual Assault Virtual Environments (B-SAVE), a virtual reality measure of bystander behaviors, along with self-report measures examining relevant bystander behaviors and attitudes. We will also examine key moderators of intervention efficacy to provide valuable knowledge (e.g., whom the intervention is most effective for) for further tailoring of the intervention.

This study will provide a comprehensive examination of Motivate-The-Bystander and provide information about whom the intervention is most effective for. Specifically, at T1, participants will be randomly assigned to the MTB condition, a motivational interviewing intervention designed to increase participants' bystander intervention behaviors, or an assessment only control condition. All participants will complete a battery of self-report measures, including our three proposed moderators (gender, alcohol use, and rape myth acceptance). Participants assigned to the MTB condition will also engage in a motivational interviewing intervention designed to build each participant's unique motivation for engaging in bystander intervention behaviors. Approximately two months later, at T2, participants will complete a battery of self-report measures assessing their bystander behaviors and attitudes over the past two months. Then, all participants will complete the B-SAVE, where they provide open ended verbal responses to a series of sexually risky and non-risky interactive scenes they witness in the virtual environment.