Colloquium Series
The Risks and Rewards of Peer Defending in Bullying Situations
![Headshot photo of Lydia Laninga-Wijnen, PhD.]()
Lydia Laninga-Wijnen, PhDSenior Research Fellow
University of Turku, FinlandRecipient of 2024 Alberti Center Early Career Award
- Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2025
- Time: 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. ET
- Location: Online via Zoom
Bullying is often considered a group phenomenon in which bystanders are present. Many anti-bullying programs encourage bystanders to defend their victimized peers, in the hope that this ceases the bullying and improves victims’ psychological functioning. But does peer defending truly have these intended effects? And what about the defenders themselves—how risky or rewarding is it to step in? While many youth disapprove of bullying, only a few actually intervene, often fearing retaliation or a loss of social standing. Are these fears justified? To answer these questions, I launched the large-scale SOLID project, gathering both survey and daily diary data from nearly 6,500 Finnish students in grades 4 to 9. During the Colloquium, I will share my key findings of the SOLID project, shedding light on the risks and rewards of defending for victims and defenders.
Attendees will be able to:
- Learn how to take different perspectives in examining bullying as group process
- Understand theoretical underpinnings explaining the risks and rewards of peer defending
- Learn how to critically evaluate empirical studies testing the effectiveness of peer defending
One hour of NASP-approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is available for this event.