Teachers’ Empathy for Bullying Victims, Understanding of Violence, and Likelihood of Intervention

ABSTRACT Relational bullying is still underappreciated by teachers. Based on the theoretical model of teachers’ intervention competence in bullying, the aim of the current research was to gain insights into the concurrent relationships between teachers’ empathy, understanding of violence, and likelihood of intervention. In this study, n = 556 teachers (79.4% female, M age = 50.6) indicated on a questionnaire their empathy, understanding of relational violence, and likelihood of intervention in a relational bullying situation. The relationships were simultaneously estimated in a structural equation model. The results suggest significantly positive concurrent relations between these variables. We conclude that the effectiveness of teacher trainings could be increased through such elements as cognitive empathy training, raising awareness of violence, and teaching appropriate interventions in relational bullying situations.