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Cause and Effect of Cyber Bullying

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Introduction, causes of cyberbullying (essay), effects to the victims, works cited:.

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Child of Tiger Mom Speaks Out [Video]. (2011, January 18). YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU6o4vV5Dm0
Gross-Loh, C. (2014). Parenting in America vs. Parenting in Other Countries: What Makes Chinese Moms So Different. Slate.
Hogan, L. (2012). The Tiger Mom Meets A Western Dad. NPR.
Kohn, A. (2012). The truth about the Tiger Mother's family. Salon.
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Tong, R. (2012). From Tiger Mothers to Dragon Ladies: East Asian Women, Symbolic Ethnicity, and Politics. Asian Ethnicity, 13(2), 139–158. doi: 10.1080/14631369.2012.670594
Wang, S. (2018). Parenting Styles: A Comparison of Chinese and American Parents. Master’s thesis, University of Tennessee.

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Cyberbullying and its influence on academic, social, and emotional development of undergraduate students

Yehuda peled.

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Corresponding author. [email protected]

Received 2018 Sep 25; Revised 2019 Jan 16; Accepted 2019 Mar 18; Collection date 2019 Mar.

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

This study investigated the influence of cyberbullying on the academic, social, and emotional development of undergraduate students. It's objective is to provides additional data and understanding of the influence of cyberbullying on various variables affecting undergraduate students. The survey sample consisted of 638 Israeli undergraduate students. The data were collected using the Revised Cyber Bullying Survey, which evaluates the frequency and media used to perpetrate cyberbullying, and the College Adjustment Scales, which evaluate three aspects of development in college students. It was found that 57% of the students had experienced cyberbullying at least once or twice through different types of media. Three variables were found to have significant influences on the research variables: gender, religion and sexual preferences. Correlation analyses were conducted and confirmed significant relationships between cyberbullying, mainly through instant messaging, and the academic, social and emotional development of undergraduate students. Instant messaging (IM) was found to be the most common means of cyberbullying among the students.

The main conclusions are that although cyberbullying existence has been proven, studies of cyberbullying among undergraduate students have not been fully developed. This particular population needs special attention in future research. The results of this study indicate that cyberbullying has an influence on the academic, social, and emotional development of undergraduate students. Additional Implications of the findings are discussed.

Keywords: Sociology, Psychology, Education

1. Introduction

Cyberbullying is defined as the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person (such as a student) often done anonymously ( Merriam-Webster, 2017 ). Most of the investigations of cyberbullying have been conducted with students in elementary, middle and high school who were between 9 and 18 years old. Those studies focused on examining the prevalence and frequency of cyberbullying. Using “cyberbullying” and “higher-education” as key words in Google scholar (January, 2019) (all in title) yields only twenty one articles. In 2009, 2012 and 2013 one article appeared each year, since 2014 each year there were few publications. Of these articles only seven relates to effect of cyberbullying on the students, thus a gap in the literature exists in that it only minimally reports on studies involving undergraduate students. Given their relationship and access to technology, it is likely that cyberbullying occurs frequently among undergraduates. The purpose of this study is to examine the frequency and media used to perpetrate cyberbullying, as well as the relationship that it has with the academic, social and emotional development of undergraduate students.

Undergraduate students use the Internet for a wide variety of purposes. Those purposes include recreation, such as communicating in online groups or playing games; academics, such as doing assignments, researching scholarships or completing online applications; and practical, such as preparing for job interviews by researching companies. Students also use the Internet for social communication with increasing frequency.

The literature suggests that cyberbullied victims generally manifest psychological problems such as depression, loneliness, low self-esteem, school phobias and social anxiety ( Grene, 2003 ; Juvonen et al., 2003 ; Akcil, 2018 ). Moreover, research findings have shown that cyberbullying causes emotional and physiological damage to defenseless victims ( Akbulut and Eristi, 2011 ) as well as psychosocial difficulties including behavior problems ( Ybarra and Mitchell, 2007 ), drinking alcohol ( Selkie et al., 2015 ), smoking, depression, and low commitment to academics ( Ybarra and Mitchell, 2007 ).

Under great emotional stress, victims of cyberbullying are unable to concentrate on their studies, and thus their academic progress is adversely affected ( Akcil, 2018 ). Since the victims are often hurt psychologically, the depressive effect of cyberbullying prevents students from excelling in their studies ( Faryadi, 2011 ). The overall presence of cyberbullying victimization among undergraduate college students was found to be significantly related to the experience of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, low self-esteem, interpersonal problems, family tensions and academic underperformance ( Beebe, 2010 ).

1.1. Cyberbullying and internet

The Internet has been the most useful technology of modern times, which has enabled entirely new forms of social interaction, activities, and organizing. This has been possible thanks to its basic features such as widespread usability and access. However, it also causes undesirable behaviors that are offensive or threatening to others, such as cyberbullying. This is a relatively new phenomenon.

According to Belsey (2006, p.1) , “Cyberbullying involves the use of information and communication technologies such as e-mail, cell-phone and pager text messages, instant messaging, defamatory personal web sites, blogs, online games and defamatory online personal polling web sites, to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group that is intended to harm others.” Characteristics like anonymity, accessibility to electronic communication, and rapid audience spread, result in a limitless number of individuals that can be affected by cyberbullying.

Different studies suggest that undergraduate students' use of the Internet is more significant and frequent than any other demographic group. A 2014 survey of 1006 participants in the U.S. conducted by the Pew Research Center revealed that 97% of young adults aged from 18 to 29 years use the Internet, email, or access the Internet via a mobile device. Among them, 91% were college students.

1.2. Mediums to perpetrate cyberbullying

The most frequent and common media within which cyberbullying can occur are:

Electronic mail (email): a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients.

Instant messaging: a type of online chat that offers real-time text transmission between two parties.

Chat rooms: a real-time online interaction with strangers with a shared interest or other similar connection.

Text messaging (SMS): the act of composing and sending a brief electronic message between two or more mobile phones.

Social networking sites: a platform to build social networks or social relations among people who share interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections.

Web sites : a platform that provides service for personal, commercial, or government purpose.

Studies indicate that undergraduate students are cyberbullied most frequently through email, and least often in chat rooms ( Beebe, 2010 ). Other studies suggest that instant messaging is the most common electronic medium used to perpetrate cyberbullying ( Kowalski et al., 2018 ).

1.3. Types of cyberbullying

Watts et al. (2017) Describe 7 types of cyberbullying: flaming, online harassment, cyberstalking, denigration, masquerading, trickery and outing, and exclusion. Flaming involves sending angry, rude, or vulgar messages via text or email about a person either to that person privately or to an online group.

Harassment involves repeatedly sending offensive messages, and cyberstalking moves harassment online, with the offender sending threatening messages to his or her victim. Denigration occurs when the cyberbully sends untrue or hurtful messages about a person to others. Masquerading takes elements of harassment and denigration where the cyberbully pretends to be someone else and sends or posts threatening or harmful information about one person to other people. Trickery and outing occur when the cyberbully tricks an individual into providing embarrassing, private, or sensitive information and posts or sends the information for others to view. Exclusion is deliberately leaving individuals out of an online group, thereby automatically stigmatizing the excluded individuals.

Additional types of cyberbullying are: Fraping - where a person accesses the victim's social media account and impersonates them in an attempt to be funny or to ruin their reputation. Dissing - share or post cruel information online to ruin one's reputation or friendships with others. Trolling - is insulting an individual online to provoke them enough to get a response. Catfishing - steals one's online identity to re-creates social networking profiles for deceptive purposes. Such as signing up for services in the victim's name so that the victim receives emails or other offers for potentially embarrassing things such as gay-rights newsletters or incontinence treatment. Phishing - a tactic that requires tricking, persuading or manipulating the target into revealing personal and/or financial information about themselves and/or their loved ones. Stalking – Online stalking when a person shares her personal information publicly through social networking websites. With this information, stalkers can send them personal messages, send mysterious gifts to someone's home address and more. Blackmail – Anonymous e-mails, phone-calls and private messages are often done to a person who bear secrets. Photographs & video - Threaten to share them publicly unless the victim complies with a particular demand; Distribute them via text or email, making it impossible for the victim to control who sees the picture; Publish the pictures on the Internet for anyone to view. Shunning - persistently avoid, ignore, or reject someone mainly from participating in social networks. Sexting - send sexually explicit photographs or messages via mobile phone.

1.4. Prevalence of cyberbullying

Previous studies have found that cyberbullying incidents among college students can range from 9% to 34% ( Baldasare et al., 2012 ).

Beebe (2010) conducted a study with 202 college students in United States. Results indicated that 50.7% of the undergraduate students represented in the sample reported experiencing cyberbullying victimization once or twice during their time in college. Additionally, 36.3% reported cyberbullying victimization on a monthly basis while in college. According to Dılmaç (2009) , 22.5% of 666 students at Selcuk University in Turkey reported cyberbullying another person at least once and 55.35% reported being a victim of cyberbullying at least once in their lifetimes. In a study of 131 students from seven undergraduate classes in United States, 11% of the respondents indicated having experienced cyberbullying at the university ( Walker et al., 2011 ). Of those, Facebook (64%), cell phones (43%) and instant messaging (43%) were the most frequent technologies used. Students indicated that 50% of the cyberbullies were classmates, 57% were individuals outside of the university, and 43% did not know who was cyberbullying them.

Data from the last two years (2017–18) is similar to the above. A research, of 187 undergraduate students matriculated at a large U.S. Northeastern metropolitan Roman Catholic university ( Webber and Ovedovitz, 2018 ), found that 4.3% indicated that they were victims of cyberbullying at the university level and a total of 7.5% students acknowledged having participated in bullying at that level while A survey (N = 338) at a large midwestern university conducted by Varghese and Pistole (2017) , showed that frequency counts indicated that 15.1% undergraduate students were cyberbully victims during college, and 8.0% were cyberbully offenders during college.

A study of 201 students from sixteen different colleges across the United States found a prevalence rate of 85.2% for college students who reported being victims of cyberbullying out of the total 201 responses recorded. This ranged from only occasional incidents to almost daily experiences with cyberbullying victimization ( Poole, 2017 ).

In A research of international students, 20.7% reported that they have been cyberbullied in the last 30 days once to many times ( Akcil, 2018 ).

1.5. Psychological impact of cyberbullying

Cyberbullying literature suggests that victims generally manifest psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem, social exclusion, school phobias and poor academic performance ( DeHue et al., 2008 ; Juvonen and Gross, 2008 ; Kowalski and Limber, 2007 ; Grene, 2003 ; Juvonen et al., 2003 ; Rivituso, 2012 ; Varghese and Pistole, 2017 ; Na, 2014 ; Akcil, 2018 ), low self-esteem, family problems, school violence and delinquent behavior ( Webber and Ovedovitz, 2018 ), which brings them to experience suicidal thoughts as a means of escaping the torture ( Ghadampour et al., 2017 ).

Moreover, research findings have shown that cyberbullying causes emotional and physiological damage to defenseless victims ( Faryadi, 2011 ) as well as psychosocial problems including inappropriate behaviors, drinking alcohol, smoking, depression and low commitment to academics ( Walker et al., 2011 ).

The victims of cyberbullying, under great emotional stress, are unable to concentrate on their studies, and thus their academic progress is adversely affected ( Faryadi, 2011 ). Since the victims are often hurt psychologically, the depressive effect of cyberbullying prevents students from excelling in their studies ( Faryadi, 2011 ).

In a Malaysian university study with 365 first year students, the majority of the participants (85%) interviewed indicated that cyberbullying affected their academic performance, specifically their grades ( Faryadi, 2011 ). Also, 85% of the respondents agreed that bullying caused a devastating impact on students' emotions and equally caused unimaginable psychological problems among the victims. Heiman and Olenik-Shemesh (2018) report that for students with learning disabilities, predictors of cybervictimization were low social support, low self-perception, and being female, whereas for students without learning disabilities, the predictors were low social support, low well-being, and low body perception.

1.6. Academic, social, and emotional development of undergraduate students

The transition to academic institutions is marked by complex challenges in emotional, social, and academic adjustment ( Gerdes and Mallinckrodt, 1994 ; Parker et al., 2004 ).

The adaptation to a new environment is an important factor in academic performance and future achievement. Undergraduate students are not only developing academically and intellectually, they are also establishing and maintaining personal relationships, developing an identity, deciding about a career and lifestyle, and maintaining personal health and wellness. Many students are interacting with people from diverse backgrounds who hold different values and making new friends. Some are also adapting to living away from home for the very first time ( Inkelas et al., 2007 ).

The concept of academic development involves not only academic abilities, but motivational factors, and institutional commitment. Motivation to learn, taking actions to meet academic demands, a clear sense of purpose, and general satisfaction with the academic environment are also important components of the academic field ( Lau, 2003 ).

A second dimension, the social field, may be as important as academic factors. Writers have emphasized integration into the social environment as a crucial element in commitment to a particular academic institution ( Tinto, 1975 ). Becoming integrated into the social life of college, forming a support network, and managing new social freedoms are some important elements of social development. Crises in the social field include conflict in a living situation, starting or maintaining relationships, interpersonal conflicts, family issues, and financial issues ( McGrath, 2005 ), which are manifested as feelings of loneliness ( Clark et al., 2015 ).

In the emotional field, students commonly question their relationships, direction in life, and self-worth ( Rey et al., 2011 ). A balanced personality is one which is emotionally adjusted. Emotional adjustment is essential for creating a sound personality. physical, intellectual mental and esthetical adjustments are possible when emotional adjustment is made ( Ziapour et al., 2018 ). Inner disorders may result from questions about identity and can sometimes lead to personal crises ( Gerdes and Mallinckrodt, 1994 ). Emotional problems may be manifested as global psychological distress, somatic distress, anxiety, low self-esteem, or depression. Impediments to success in emotional development include depression and anxiety, stress, substance abuse, and relationship problems ( Beebe, 2010 ).

The current study is designed to address two research questions: (1) does cyberbullying affect college students' emotional state, as measured by the nine factors of the College Adjustment Scales ( Anton and Reed, 1991 ); (2) which mode of cyberbullying most affects students' emotional state?

2.1. Research settings and participants

The present study is set in Israeli higher education colleges. These, function as: (1) institutions offering undergraduate programs in a limited number of disciplinary fields (mainly the social sciences), (2) centers for training studies (i.e.: teacher training curricula), as well as (3) as creators of access to higher education. The general student population is heterogeneous, coming from the Western Galilee. In this study, 638 Israeli undergraduate students participated. The sample is a representative of the population of the Western galilee in Israel. The sample was 76% female, 70% single, 51% Jewish, 27% Arabs, 7% Druze, and 15% other ethnicity. On the dimension of religiosity, 47% were secular, 37% traditional, 12% religious, 0.5% very religious, and 3.5% other. On the dimension of sexual orientation, 71% were straight women, 23.5% straight men, 4% bisexual, 1% lesbians, and 0.5% gay males (note: according to the Williams Institute, approximately 4% of the population in the US are LGBT, [ Gates, 2011 ], while 6% of the EU population are LGBT, [ Dalia, 2016 ]).

2.2. Instrumentation

Two instruments were used to collect data: The Revised Cyber Bullying Survey (RCBS), with a Cronbach's alpha ranging from .74 to .91 ( Kowalski and Limber, 2007 ), designed to measure incidence, frequency and medium used to perpetrate cyberbullying. The survey is a 32-item questionnaire. The frequency was investigated using a 5-item scale with anchors ranging from ‘it has never happened to me’ to ‘several times a week’. Five different media were explored: email, instant messaging, chat room, text messaging, and social networking sites. Each medium was examined with the same six questions related to cases of cyberbullying (see Table 1 ).

Description of the Revised Cyber Bullying Survey (RCBS) variables.

Note: the theoretical range is between zero to twenty-four.

Table 1 shows the five variables that composed the RCBS questionnaire (all of the variables are composed of 6 statements). The results indicate that the levels of all the variables is very low, which means that the respondents experienced cyberbullying once or twice. The internal consistency reliability estimate based on the current sample suggested that most of the variables have an adequate to high level of reliability, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.68–0.87.

The College Adjustment Scales (CAS) ( Anton and Reed, 1991 ), evaluated the academic, social, and emotional development of college students. Values were standardized and validated for use with college students. The validity for each subscale ranged from .64 to .80, noting high correlations among scales. Reliability of the scales ranged from .80 to .92, with a mean of .86. The instrument included 128 items, divided into 10 scales: anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, self-esteem problems, interpersonal problems, family problems, academic problems, career problems, and regular activities (see Table 2 ). Students responded to each item using a four-point scale.

Description of CAS variables.

Anxiety: A measure of clinical anxiety, focusing on common affective, cognitive, and physiological symptoms.

Depression: A measure of clinical depression, focusing on common affective, cognitive, and physiological symptoms.

Suicidal Ideation: A measure of the extent of recent ideation reflecting suicide, including thoughts of suicide, hopelessness, and resignation.

Substance Abuse: A measure of the extent of disruption in interpersonal, social, academic, and vocational functioning as a result of substance use and abuse.

Self-esteem Problems: A measure of global self-esteem which taps negative self-evaluations and dissatisfaction with personal achievement.

Interpersonal Problems: A measure of the extent of problems in relating to others in the campus environment.

Family Problems: A measure of difficulties experienced in relationships with family members.

Academic Problems: A measure of the extent of problems related to academic performance.

Career Problems: A measure of the extent of problems related to career choice.

Participants also responded to a demographic questionnaire that included items on gender, birth year, marital status, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. As sexual orientation is a major cause for bullying ( Pollock, 2006 ; Cahill and Makadon, 2014 ), it was included in the background information.

Convenience sampling and purposive sampling were used for this study. Surveys with written instructions were administered in classrooms, libraries and online via Google Docs at the end of the semester.

The surveys were translated to Hebrew and back translated four times until sufficient translation was achieved. The research was approved by the Western Galilee College Research and Ethic Committee.

A sizeable percentage, 57.4% (366), of the respondents reported being cyber bullied at least once and 3.4% (22) reported being cyber bullied at least once a week. The types of bullies can be seen in Fig. 1 .

Types of bullies.

Three variables were found to have significant influences on the research variables: (1) gender (see Table 3 ); (2) religion (see Table 4 ); and (3) sexual preferences (see Table 5 ).

Results of independent t-tests for research variables by gender.

Note: n male = 127, n female = 510, *p < .05.

Results of independent t-tests for research variables by level of religion.

Note: n religious = 345, n secular = 293, ∗ p < .05, ∗∗ p < .01, ∗∗∗ p < .001.

Results of independent t-tests for research variables by sexual preference.

Note: n heterosexual = 596, n other = 42, ∗ p < .05, ∗∗ p < .01, ∗∗∗ p < .001.

Independent t-tests between the CAS variables and gender show significant differences between females and males (see Table 3 ).

Independent t-tests between the CAS variables and level of religiosity show significant differences between secular and religious persons, i.e., observant believers (see Table 4 ).

Independent t-tests between the CAS variables and sexual preference show significant differences between heterosexual individuals and others (see Table 5 ).

The research population was divided into three age groups having five year intervals. One respondent who was 14 years old was removed from the population.

For the variable “career problems” it was found that there was a significant difference between the 26–30 year age group [p < .05, F(2,5815) = 3.49, M = 56.55] and the 31–35 (M = 56.07) as well as the 20–25 (M = 54.58) age groups.

For the variable "depression" it was found that there was a significant difference between the 20–25 year age group [p < .05, F(2,5815) = 3.84, M = 54.56] and the 31–35 (M = 51.61) as well as the 26–30 (M = 52.83) age groups.

For the variable “interpersonal problems” it was found that there was a significant difference between the 20–25 year age group [p < .06, F(2,5815) = 3.84, M = 53.85] and the 31–35 (M = 51.29) as well as the 26–30 (M = 52.19) age groups.

For the variable “suicidal ideation” it was found that there was a significant difference between the 20–25 year age group [p < .06, F(2,5815) = 3.84, M = 55.45] and the 31–35 (M = 49.71) as well as the 26–30 (M = 50.13) age groups (see Table 6 ).

Results of one way Anova for research variables by age.

Note: n 20-25 = 216, n 26-30 = 287, n 31-35 = 82, ∗ p < .05, ∗∗ p < .01, ∗∗∗ p < .001.

To confirm that there was no effect among the independent variables, a Pearson correlation analysis of cyberbullying with CAS variables was run. As the correlations between the independent variables are weak, no multicollinearity between them was noted (see Table 7 ).

Pearson correlation of cyberbullying with CAS variables.

Note: n = 638, ∼ p < .06, ∗ p < .05, ∗∗ p < .01, ∗∗∗ p < .001.

Regression analyses on the effect of the cyberbullying variables on the CAS variables (see Fig. 2 ) show that an increase in cyberbullying by social networking and IM increases the academic problems variable. The model explained 6.1% of the variance (F (13,585) = 2.94, p < .001) and shows an increase in the suicidal ideation variable. There is also a marginal effect of cyberbullying by SMS on suicidal ideation, revealing that an increase in cyberbullying by SMS causes a decrease in suicidal ideation. The explained variance of the model is 24.8% (F (11,584) = 14.80, p < .001). Higher cyberbullying by social networking results in an increase in the anxiety variable. The explained variance of the model is 8.8% (F (13,584) = 4.32, p < .001). An increase in cyberbullying by chat and IM shows an increase in the substance abuse variable. The model explains 13% of the variance (F (13,584) = 6.71, p < .001). Increasing cyberbullying by social networking and IM increases the self-esteem problems variable. The explained variance of the model is 9% (F (13,584) = 4.43, p < .001). An increase of cyberbullying by email increases the problems students have with regular activities. The explained variance of the model is 5.2% (F (13,575) = 2.44, p < .01). Heightened cyberbullying by social networking and IM increases students' interpersonal problems. There is also an effect of cyberbullying by IM on suicidal ideation, such that an increase in cyberbullying by IM causes a decrease in interpersonal problems. The explained variance of the model is 8% (F (13,584) = 3.89, p < .001). An increase in cyberbullying by SMS decreases the family problems variable. The explained variance of the model is 11.4% (F (13,584) = 5.76, p < .001). And finally, heightened cyberbullying by IM and social networking decreases the depression variable. The variance explained by the model is 11.9% (F (13,584) = 6.04, p < .001).

The influence of academic cyberbullying variables on the CAS variables.

4. Discussion

The objective of this study was to fill an existing gap in the literature regarding the influence of cyberbullying on the academic, social, and emotional development of undergraduate students.

As has been presented, cyberbullying continues to be a disturbing trend not only among adolescents but also undergraduate students. Cyberbullying exists in colleges and universities, and it has an influence on the development of students. Fifty seven percent of the undergraduate students who participated in this study had experienced cyberbullying at least once during their time in college. As previous studies have found that cyberbullying incidents among college students can range from 9% to 50% ( Baldasare et al., 2012 ; Beebe, 2010 ) it seems that 57% is high. Considering the effect of smartphone abundance on one hand and on the other the increasing use of online services and activities by young-adults can explain that percentage.

Considering the effect of such an encounter on the academic, social and emotional development of undergraduate students, policy makers face a formidable task to address the relevant issues and to take corrective action as Myers and Cowie (2017) point out that due to the fact that universities are in the business of education, it is a fine balancing act between addressing the problem, in this case cyberbullying, and maintaining a duty of care to both the victim and the perpetrator to ensure they get their degrees. There is a clear tension for university authorities between acknowledging that university students are independent young adults, each responsible for his or her own actions, on one hand, and providing supervision and monitoring to ensure students' safety in educational and leisure contexts.

Although there are increasing reports on connections between cyberbullying and social-networks (see: Gahagan et al., 2016 ), sending SMS or MMS messages through Internet gateways ensures anonymity, thus indirectly supporting cyberbullying. A lot of websites require only login or a phone number that can also be made up ( Gálik et al., 2018 ) which can explain the fact that instant-messaging (IM) was found to be the most common means of cyberbullying among undergraduate students with a negative influence on academic, family, and emotional development (depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation). A possible interpretation of the higher frequency of cyberbullying through IM may be that young adults have a need to be connected.

This medium allows for being online in ‘real time’ with many peers or groups. With the possibility of remaining anonymous (by creating an avatar – a fake profile) and the possibility of exposing private information that remains recorded, students who use instant messaging become easy targets for cyberbullying. IM apps such as WhatsApp are extremely popular as they allow messages, photos, videos, and recordings to be shared and spread widely and in real time.

Students use the Internet as a medium and use it with great frequency in their everyday lives. As more aspects of students' lives and daily affairs are conducted online, coupled with the fact that excessive use may have consequences, it is important for researchers and academic policy makers to study the phenomenon of cyberbullying more deeply.

Sexual orientation is also a significant factor that increases the risk of victimization. Similarly, Rivers (2016) documented the rising incidence of homophobic and transphobic bullying at university and argues strongly for universities to be more active in promoting tolerance and inclusion on campus. It is worth noting that relationships and sexual orientation probably play a huge role in bullying among university students due to their age and the fact that the majority of students are away from home and experiencing different forms of relationships for the first time. Faucher et al. (2014) actually found that same sex cyberbullying was more common at university level than at school. Nonetheless, the research is just not there yet to make firm conclusions.

Finally, cyberbullying is not only an adolescent issue. Although its existence has been proven, studies of cyberbullying among undergraduate students have not been fully developed. This particular population needs special attention in future research.

The results of this study indicate that cyberbullying has an influence on the academic, social, and emotional development of undergraduate students.

In the academic field, findings revealed a statistically significant correlation between cyberbullying perpetrated by email and academic problems. Relationships between academic problems and cyberbullying perpetrated by other media were not found. This suggests that cyberbullying through instant messaging, chat room, text messaging, and social networking sites, have not influenced academic abilities, motivation to learn, and general satisfaction with the academic environment. However, cyberbullying perpetrated by email has an influence on academics, perhaps because of the high use of this medium among undergraduate students.

With regard to career problems, correlations with cyberbullying were not found. This indicates that cyberbullying has no influence on career problems, perhaps because these kinds of problems are related to future career inspirations, and not to the day-to-day aspects of a student's life.

In the social field, it was found that interpersonal problems such as integration into the social environment, forming a support network, and managing new social freedoms, were related to cyberbullying via social networking sites. This finding is consistent with the high use of social networking sites, the purpose of the medium, and the reported episodes of cyberbullying in that medium.

Family problems were also related to cyberbullying perpetrated by all kinds of media. This may indicate that as cyberbullying through the use of email, instant messaging, chat rooms, text messaging, and social networking sites increases, so do family problems. This could be due to the strong influence that cyberbullying generates in all the frameworks of students, including their families.

Finally, in the emotional field, correlations between cyberbullying perpetrated by all kinds of media and substance abuse were found. This may indicate that as cyberbullying through the use of email, instant messaging, chat rooms, text messaging, and social networking sites increases, so does substance abuse. This is important because cyberbullying may be another risk factor for increasing the probability of substance abuse.

Depression and suicidal ideation were significantly related to the same media – email instant messaging and chat cyberbullying – suggesting that depression may lead to a decision of suicide as a solution to the problem. Previous findings support the above that being an undergraduate student – a victim of cyberbullying emerges as an additional risk factor for the development of depressive symptoms ( Myers and Cowie, 2017 ). Also Selkie et al. (2015) reported among 265 female college students, being engaged in cyberbullying as bullies, victims, or both led to higher rates of depression and alcohol use.

Relationships between anxiety and cyberbullying, through all the media, were not found although Schenk and Fremouw (2012) found that college student victims of cyberbullying scored higher than matched controls on measures of depression, anxiety, phobic anxiety, and paranoia. This may be because it was demonstrated that anxiety is one of the most common reported mental health problems in all undergraduate students, cyberbullied or not.

Self-esteem problems were significantly related to cyberbullying via instant messaging, social networking sites, and text messaging. This may suggest that as cyberbullying through instant messaging, social networking sites, and text messaging increases, so do self-esteem problems. This is an important finding, given that these were the media with more reported episodes of cyberbullying.

5. Conclusions

This findings of this study revealed that cyberbullying exists in colleges and universities, and it has an influence on the academic, social, and emotional development of undergraduate students.

It was shown that cyberbullying is perpetrated through multiple electronic media such as email, instant messaging, chat rooms, text messaging, and social networking sites. Also, it was demonstrated that students exposed to cyberbullying experience academic problems, interpersonal problems, family problems, depression, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and self-esteem problems.

Students have exhibited clear preferences towards using the Internet as a medium and utilize it with great frequency in their everyday lives. As more and more aspects of students' lives are conducted online, and with the knowledge that excessive use may have consequences for them, it is important to study the phenomenon of cyberbullying more deeply.

Because college students are preparing to enter the workforce, and several studies have indicated a trend of cyberbullying behavior and victimization throughout a person's lifetime ( Watts et al., 2017 ), the concern is these young adults are bringing these attitudes into the workplace.

Finally, cyberbullying is not only an adolescent issue. Given that studies of cyberbullying among undergraduate students are not fully developed, although existence of the phenomenon is proven, we conclude that the college and university population needs special attention in future areas of research. As it has been indicated by Peled et al. (2012) that firm policy in regard to academic cheating reduces its occurrence, colleges should draw clear guidelines to deal with the problem of cyberbullying, part of it should be a safe and if needed anonymous report system as well as clear punishing policy for perpetrators.

As there's very little research on the effect of cyberbullying on undergraduates students, especially in light of the availability of hand held devices (mainly smartphones) and the dependence on the internet for basically every and any activity, the additional data provided in this research adds to the understanding of the effect of cyberbullying on the welfare of undergraduate students.

Declarations

Author contribution statement.

Yehuda Peled: Conceived and designed the experiments; Performed the experiments; Analyzed and interpreted the data; Contributed reagents, materials, analysis tools or data; Wrote the paper.

Funding statement

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

No additional information is available for this paper.

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Cyberbullying and Adolescents

Vidhya lakshmi kumar , m.d., mark a goldstein , m.d..

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Corresponding Author: [email protected]

Issue date 2020 Sep.

Terms of use and reuse: academic research for non-commercial purposes, see here for full terms. http://www.springer.com/gb/open-access/authors-rights/aam-terms-v1

Purpose of Review

Cyberbullying is an aggressive behavior involving a type of electronic communication intending to harm a victim that can have profound effects on adolescents. This review examines the epidemiology, issues from cyberbullying, presentation to care of its victims and proposed interventions to this behavior.

Recent Findings

There are a variety of physical and psychological effects on victims of cyberbullying that can include recurrent abdominal pain, headaches and difficulty with sleep. In addition, victims have higher rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and a lower level of well-being. Unfortunately, victims may remain silent, so screening for cyberbullying is encouraged in a variety of settings. Interventions can be designed at the level of the victim (and perpetrator), family, school and other support networks. Prevention of cyberbullying can be a focus for providers of healthcare.

Cyberbullying can have profound biopsychosocial effects on its victims. There are strategies currently in use and under development to identify and intervene on behalf of those affected by these behaviors.

Keywords: cyberbullying, adolescence, intervention, depression, suicide, biopsychosocial

Introduction

Michelle Carter, age 20, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced in 2017 to prison for her role in the 2014 suicide of her then 18-year-old boyfriend, Conrad Roy Jr. The case against Carter, according to prosecutors, rested on text messages that she sent to Roy that encouraged him to end his life which he did by carbon monoxide poisoning. Phoebe Prince, a 15-year-old immigrant from Ireland, committed suicide in 2010 by hanging after bullying online and in school by her peers.

Bullying has been a well-documented phenomenon across the United States and internationally as well. Within Massachusetts, the stories of Michelle Carter, Conrad Roy Jr and Phoebe Prince serve as powerful reminders of the impact of cyberbullying, verbal bullying and intimidation.

Though there is not one standard definition, in the state of Massachusetts, bullying is defined by the Department of Education as “ the severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal, or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of: (i) causing physical or emotional harm to the other student or damage to the other student’s property; (ii) placing the other student in reasonable fear of harm to himself or of damage to his property; (iii) creating a hostile environment at school for the other student; (iv) infringing on the rights of the other student at school; or (v) materially and substantially disrupting the education process or the orderly operation of a school” ( 1 ). It is this electronic expression, in particular, that has catapulted in recent years with the advancement in technology, the ease of communication via social media, as well as the dissemination and access to technology among grade school children and beyond.

Definition of Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying has evolved in many forms, which has created difficulty in establishing a unified definition that is widely accepted by clinicians. The definition of bullying itself does not easily translate to the cyber arena, but at its core, primarily refers to “an intentional act of aggression, carried out to harm another individual using electronic forms of contacts or devices” ( 2 ). Though initially limited to electronic mail, cyberbullying has slowly begun to incorporate a wider array of forms of electronic communication, ranging from personal blogs, text messaging, video content posted to streaming websites, such as You Tube, and more recently, social media formats including Instagram, SnapChat and TikTok.

Further exacerbating the potential for a severe impact of cyberbullying is access to smartphone technology, the audience involved in cyberbullying efforts, the opportunity for “anonymity by perpetrators,” the “permanency of bullying displays on the internet,” as well as the ability of bullying to occur regardless of distance from the victim and with “minimal constraints on time ( 3 ).” Cyberbullying can take on the following forms: flaming (online fights using electronic messages with angry and vulgar language), harassment, cyber stalking, denigration, impersonation, outing, trickery and exclusion ( 4 ). In the case of Michelle Carter, she used text messages to Conrad Roy to encourage him to end his life.

Epidemiology

Given the lack of consensus on a definition for cyberbullying, it has been difficult to easily quantify its true prevalence in the United States and the global arena. In a small sample of global studies, prevalence of middle and high school cyberbullying ranged from 1–30% for suspected perpetrators, and from 3–72% for suspected victims ( 3 ). The prevalence has been thought to vary due to a multitude of factors including varying definitions for what constitutes an act of cyberbullying, cross-cultural differences in victim reporting, as well as access to technology, which could limit the ability to participate in cyberbullying. Studies available across the U.S. and internationally identify vulnerable populations of adolescents for whom special attention should be made, including females, LGBTQ youth, younger adolescents and youth with disabilities ( 5 , 6 ).

Studies have also demonstrated gender differences in the prevalance of cyberbullying vicitimization, with female adolescents reporting a higher prevalence of victimization (9.4% for single encounter, 13.3% with two or more encounters) than their male counterparts (8.3% for single encounter, 7.8% with two more encounters) ( 7 ). Being bullied is further associated with increased suicidal ideation, delinquency and global psychological distress among both male and female adolescents, though more marked in females and more pronounced with repeated cyberbullying encounters or incidences ( 7 ).

Surveys of cyberbullying victims population further identify a large proportion of youth who identified as a part of the LGBTQ community, as well as youth with disabilities. In a Taiwanese study reviewing 500 homosexual or bisexual men between the ages of 20 and 25, there were reported significant associations between low family support, early coming out and traditional bullying victimization with cyberbullying ( 8 ).

In addition, adolescents and young adults with mental health needs or disabilities have often been targets of cyberbullying efforts. A Chinese study examining associations between cyberbullying and social impairment, attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in adolescents with high functioning autism spectrum disorder demonstrated that older adolescents and those with more severe ODD symptoms were more likely to be victims of cyberbullying. The victims of cyberbullying in this population were more likely to report symptoms associated with depression, anxiety and suicidality ( 9 ).

Issues from Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying has been associated with a variety of psychological and physical effects on its victims ( Table 1 ) ( 10 – 12 ). Victims of cyberbullying have higher rates of depression when compared to other forms of traditional bullying. In addition, victims may have more anxiety and suicidal ideation compared to peers who do not face victimization ( 3 , 8 ). A varying percentage of cyberbullying victims pursue suicide. Some studies suggest that children and adolescents who are both victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying constitute a distinct group with the highest risk for psychosocial problems, such as depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as for lower levels of well-being in general. Victims of cyberbullying have also shown impacts in their family dynamics and relationships with friends, with many demonstrating increasing isolation and loneliness as well as decreased trust in their support groups ( 13 ). Some studies have indicated that reactions to cyberbullying may depend on the form of media (video vs. text conversation vs. phone calls) with some suggestion that pictures and video were the most negatively impactful on adolescents ( 14 ).

Signs and Symptoms of Cyberbullying ( 10 – 12 )

There have been relatively few studies examining the effect of cyberbullying on adolescents’ physical health. Grade school adolescent cyberbullying victims are often more likely to report somatic symptoms including difficulty sleeping, recurrent non-specific abdominal pain and frequent headaches ( 3 ). However, certain studies indicate that cyberbullies might be better off than victims with some studies finding no relation between the role of perpetrator and depressive symptoms ( 2 ). Other studies have focused on health impact as opposed to specific health problems by examining self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Survey data collected from college students have demonstrated long term impacts on physical health due to pre-college bullying experiences with lower HRQOL, likely mediated through depression ( 15 ). Furthermore, the study proposed that precollege exposure to cyberbullying might have latent effects that could be triggered by future bullying-related traumatization, including reduced confidence in social situations as well as isolation ( 15 ).

In addition, there have been links between cyberbullying and increased risky behaviors including substance abuse across a variety of substances. In a study examining a population of Greek national undergraduates, both male and female late adolescents who were victims of bullying during middle and high school were less likely to use condoms during college years when compared to non-victimized students ( 16 ). Furthermore, men who were bullies or victims of bullying were twice as likely to experience excessive drunkness and three times as likely to pay for sex. In addition, for males, cyberbullies and cybervictims were more likely to report smoking ( 16 ). Compared with traditional bullying, cyberbullying may have a stronger link to substance abuse, with one longitudinal study demonstrating that cyberbullying victimization predicted depression and substance abuse six months later ( 17 ). In addition, both victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying have been linked with increased use of marijuana with an implication that this may be indicative of a larger substance abuse problem among this population ( 18 ). This highlights the emergence of gender specific risks and behaviors associated with cyberbullying that require further evaluation.

The relationship between cyberbullying and an adolescent’s use of the internet has also been explored. A study of 845 adolescents with a median age of 15 years demonstrated that cyberbullying victims were at increased risk for having problematic internet use (PUI), which included a preoccupation with the internet, an inability to control their use of the internet, as well as continued use despite negative consequences ( 19 ). However, it remains unclear whether the increased time spent on the internet is deleterious or protective, as victims may be using the internet as an escape mechanism to mitigate anxiety and reduce negative feelings of isolation. Nevertheless, increased time on the internet by cyberbullying victims does place them at risk for harassment, invasion of privacy and exploitation ( 19 ).

Presentation to Care

Unfortunately, despite the deleterious effects of cyberbullying on a victim’s mental and physical health, many victims remain silent and hesitate to reach out for help. The onus, therefore, remains on others: educators, providers, family members and social supports to recognize common signs and symptoms of cyberbullying. Most often, individuals will notice that such victims begin to avoid school, a primary setting in which they face the effects of cyberbullying. In addition, a large majority of perpetrators may be members of the victim’s school community.

Accordingly, the victim may have increased school absenteeism due to somatic symptoms (frequent stomachaches, headaches, sleeping disruption or nightmares) or academic difficulties due to lack of school attendance or problems with concentration. Victims may demonstrate lower self-esteem, increased depressive symptoms and anxiety with detachment from friends or sudden withdrawal at home or school. On the contrary, these affected youth may show sudden bursts of anger or demonstrate increased self-destructive behaviors, such as cutting, or acts of truancy ( 10 – 12 ). Ultimately, since a victim may not come forward to seek help, it is important that support groups bring the individual to care.

The ability to prevent or intervene in cyberbullying most effectively hinges upon screening to detect and identify victims, as well as perpetrators. There is difficulty in determining the best method to screen for bullying in the medical setting, whether this is in the emergency department or at a primary care visit. Though direct questioning may be effective, studies have posited that it may be more effective to use a questionnaire to elicit accurate responses from patients. The “Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services” form includes screening across a variety of health behaviors and experiences, including bullying ( 20 ). Couching inquiries about bullying in the setting of assessing adolescent behavior may serve to normalize questioning about bullying and in turn allow adolescents to open up to providers about their experiences. These screens can focus on questions such as ( 21 ):

- How often do you get bullied or bully others?

- How long have you been bullied or bullied others?

- Where are you bullied or bully others?

- How are you bullied or how do you bully others?

Screening for cyberbullying should be an important element of adolescent care. Furthermore, screening should not be limited to non-urgent scenarios. Studies have shown that adolescents report exposure to cyberbullying and violence in a variety of urgent medical situations as well, including emergency rooms, inpatient hospital stays and school-based clinics. This underscores the importance screening for cyberbullying during any patient interaction.

Though victims may present to their pediatrician’s office for assistance, often these youth present to the emergency department. These encounters may be due to mental health needs, in the setting of suicidal ideation or attempts at self-harm, previously identified as significant symptomatology in cyberbullying victims. Studies demonstrate that over three quarters of victims of cyberbullying will present to the emergency department with a mental health need as their chief complaint and that more than three quarters of adolescents presenting with suicidal ideation as their chief complaint have endorsed previous incidences of cyberbullying ( 22 ). Cyberbullying was also found to be the strongest predictor of suicidal ideation, while controlling for other important factors, such as age, gender and psychiatric diagnosis ( 22 ). Therefore, it remains important that providers caring for adolescents and young adults presenting with suicidal ideation pointedly ask about bullying and cyberbullying in the patient’s life. In a Canadian population of adolescents, cyberbullying victims were more likely to attempt, or complete suicide compared to those who had not been bullied ( 18 ). It is further postulated that cyberbullying victims may seek help less frequently or underreport incidences compared to those who have been traditionally bullied and that increases their risk of suicidal ideation ( 22 ).

Types of Interventions

Interventions designed to target and mitigate cyberbullying remain as important as attempts to intervene and provide support for victims. These efforts should not solely focus on victims; they should also work with perpetrators. Programs need to reinforce positive values in school age children to reduce the number of cyberbullying perpetrators.

Though these interventions may occur in a multitude of settings, many studies have primarily focused on school-based interventions. This seems appropriate given that a large proportion of cyberbullying incidents take place amongst school classmates. Social support has been shown to be an important buffer when adolescents experience cyberbullying ( 23 ). As previously suggested by the efficacy of school-based interventions, perceived social support from family and teachers has been shown to potentially ameliorate the association between cyberbullying and several outcomes at the psychosocial level. A study of 131 pupils with developmental disorders who had received social support from parents and teachers demonstrated reduced depressive symptoms one year after a cyberbullying experience ( 24 ).

A viable intervention program and cyberbullying prevention mechanism may rely on specific strategies such as improved access to resources, as well as efforts to increase the potential protective effects of social support figures in an adolescent’s life, including family members, friends and teachers ( 2 ). This study in particular suggested that there may be differences between male and female victims as to which form of social support is more efficacious with an implication that girls may benefit more from social supports than their male counterparts ( 2 ). However, the efficacy of social support in preventing cyberbullying or supporting its victims is often contingent upon adolescents seeking help or divulging their victim status.

Some studies suggest that effective interventions focus on enhancing an adolescent’s empathy, promoting positive social relationships with family and decreasing screen time ( 13 ). In particular, given the lack of nonverbal cues inherent in the nature of cyberbullying, it is postulated that adolescents who serve as cyberbullying perpetrators may demonstrate little empathy for their cyber victims. Furthermore, given that poor self-esteem has been shown to be a significant factor among victims and perpetrators alike, both educators and health care providers should focus on an adolescent’s emotional status, particularly with those who seem to demonstrate not only a decline in their self-esteem but also who are showing more troublesome behaviors such as truancy and substance use ( 18 ).

Another potential focus of intervention may hinge on coping strategies for adolescents ( 25 ). Coping strategies are divided into two types: emotion-focused and problem-focused. There are two emotion-based strategies that victims of cyberbullying can utilize: self-control and escape-avoidance. The self-control strategy employs inhibitions of emotional expressions and spontaneous behavior ( 26 ). The desire to regulate emotions brought on by a stressful situation is usually carried out when there is a belief that nothing can be done to change the unfavorable conditions ( 27 ). This may lead to increased avoidance and depression-based coping in a cyberbullying victim’s day-to-day activities with increased depressive symptoms and health complaints.

Problem-focused strategies may be particularly helpful to cyberbullying victims, as they often cannot face (or identify) their aggressor or stand up to the bully ( 28 ). As a result, coping strategies that attempt to either manage or solve the problem may be more beneficial to victims of cyberbullying, motivating them to implement changes, both internally and environmentally. Although there is no one right way to cope, adolescents employing “more approach and problem solving” as opposed to avoidance strategies, and assessing a stressor to be a challenge were shown to have more adaptive outcomes ( 29 ). Such strategies teach the importance of standing up for oneself as well as using methods to not only deal with cyberbullying but manage the daily stress ( 30 ).

A validated tool, such as the Utrecht Coping List for Adolescents, has been a long-standing tool used to help adolescents work through their current emotional coping-based mechanisms and transition to thinking in a more pro-active problem-based fashion. This underscores the importance of both social skills and assertiveness training which inspire victims to adopt more active problem-based strategies, such as telling someone about their bullying or making new friends ( 31 ). These coping strategies, in conjunction with school, peer group and teacher-based efforts to prevent bullying, may bolster the prevention and resiliency efforts currently underway.

Prevention of cyberbullying should be a focus for healthcare providers. Anticipatory guidance remains a cornerstone of the well child and well adolescent visit, and should include strategies conveyed to both patients and their parents on how to identify signs of cyberbullying, In addition, discussion of stigma and myths about cyberbullying should occur. This could include discussions about the use of technology in the home, as well as the best and safest social media practices for the adolescent. Furthermore, taking a history about the signs and symptoms of cyberbullying from caregivers independently of the adolescent may be helpful in determining the patient’s source of distress and to appropriately plan interventions.

A variety of screening tools have been developed ( Table 2 ) that represent the potential to identify victimization as well as serve as an opportunity to respond and intervene ( 32 ). However, these tools address the larger umbrella phenomenon of bullying and are not specific to cyberbullying. Therefore, instruments and tools that can be used adequately to identify victims and aggressors of cyberbullying still remain a large area of need.

Current Bullying Assessment Tools ( 32 )

Many states have responded to the surge of cyberbullying with legislation focusing on prevention, intervention and consequences. In Massachusetts, as a response to the deaths of Phoebe Prince and others, legislation was enacted so that all school staff (including educators, nurses, custodians, athletic coaches, advisors to extracurricular activities, administrators, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and paraprofessionals) must report bullying to the school administration ( 1 ). These individuals are also required to receive training on bullying prevention and intervention ( 1 ). That stated, effective interventions to prevent cyberbullying-related suicide or suicidal ideation have not yet been identified or vetted through research.

Currently, there are a variety of school-based interventions focused on adolescent suicide awareness, typically presented between the ages of 12 and 18. Preventative interventions focus on suicide awareness campaigns or screening as primary preventative measures, or secondary approaches to provide support to those affected by suspected suicides. Some schools have implemented psychologic interventions in those who have already demonstrated attempts at self-harm, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectic behavioral therapy (DBT) and home-based family interventions ( 33 ). However, these services are not routinely available in school systems and their efficacy in identifying cyberbullying victims and pro-actively preventing attempts at suicide are not well understood. Ultimately, though there are school-based interventions in place for suicide awareness, only a few are evidenced-based and there is little to demonstrate the true efficacy of these interventions for preventing suicide and suicide attempts in the adolescent population. Therefore, the adolescent population serves as an untapped area of research into evidence-based interventions and policies, potentially to be extrapolated from other high-risk populations and proven efficacious efforts.

Much of the current literature focuses on an older adolescent population (i.e. high school and undergraduate). It may, therefore, behoove the community to understand the effects of cyberbullying in younger adolescents (less than 12 years of age) and how this may inform prevention efforts. This is a particularly important focus given the ubiquity of technology and internet access in a young child’s life. The large majority of children regularly use the internet ( 17 ). Some studies have demonstrated similarly negative effects on psychological well-being of younger adolescents secondary to cyberbullying victimization, poor self-esteem and decreased peer socialization ( 34 ). The ability to identify these negative effects at a younger age may allow us to build more effective programs and coping strategies at an earlier age to ultimately foster a population of adolescents with increased resiliency and skills to face the stressors of life.

Ultimately, the prevention of cyberbullying rests not only on the shoulders of victims and their families, but on educators, providers and researchers. More focused studies and evaluations of interventions may not only reduce the prevalence of cyberbullying but also lower the mental health sequelae seen in the short and long term. The serious consequences of cyberbullying, particularly surrounding mental health issues and suicidal ideation, underscore the importance of effective and evidence-based bullying prevention programs and support groups in school-based settings. In addition, the multitude of factors associated with victimization in cyber sexuality-related bullying as well should be factored into developing prevention and intervention strategies.

Acknowledgments

Funding information : This paper was funded in part by NIH grant 5 R01 MH103402.

The authors wish to thank Dr. Karen Sadler for reviewing their manuscript.

Compliance with Ethics Guidelines

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Publisher's Disclaimer: This Author Accepted Manuscript is a PDF file of a an unedited peer-reviewed manuscript that has been accepted for publication but has not been copyedited or corrected. The official version of record that is published in the journal is kept up to date and so may therefore differ from this version.

Contributor Information

Vidhya Lakshmi Kumar, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

Mark A. Goldstein, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, 175 Cambridge Street, Room 508, Boston, MA 02114

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Cyberbullying: Everything You Need to Know

Cyberbullying
How to Respond

Cyberbullying is the act of intentionally and consistently mistreating or harassing someone through the use of electronic devices or other forms of electronic communication (like social media platforms).

Because cyberbullying mainly affects children and adolescents, many brush it off as a part of growing up. However, cyberbullying can have dire mental and emotional consequences if left unaddressed.

This article discusses cyberbullying, its adverse effects, and what can be done about it.

FangXiaNuo / Getty Images

Cyberbullying Statistics and State Laws

The rise of digital communication methods has paved the way for a new type of bullying to form, one that takes place outside of the schoolyard. Cyberbullying follows kids home, making it much more difficult to ignore or cope.

Statistics

As many as 15% of young people between 12 and 18 have been cyberbullied at some point. However, over 25% of children between 13 and 15 were cyberbullied in one year alone.

About 6.2% of people admitted that they’ve engaged in cyberbullying at some point in the last year. The age at which a person is most likely to cyberbully one of their peers is 13.

Those subject to online bullying are twice as likely to self-harm or attempt suicide . The percentage is much higher in young people who identify as LGBTQ, at 56%.

Cyberbullying by Sex and Sexual Orientation

Cyberbullying statistics differ among various groups, including:

Girls and boys reported similar numbers when asked if they have been cyberbullied, at 23.7% and 21.9%, respectively.
LGBTQ adolescents report cyberbullying at higher rates, at 31.7%. Up to 56% of young people who identify as LGBTQ have experienced cyberbullying.
Transgender teens were the most likely to be cyberbullied, at a significantly high rate of 35.4%.

State Laws

The laws surrounding cyberbullying vary from state to state. However, all 50 states have developed and implemented specific policies or laws to protect children from being cyberbullied in and out of the classroom.

The laws were put into place so that students who are being cyberbullied at school can have access to support systems, and those who are being cyberbullied at home have a way to report the incidents.

Legal policies or programs developed to help stop cyberbullying include:

Bullying prevention programs
Cyberbullying education courses for teachers
Procedures designed to investigate instances of cyberbullying
Support systems for children who have been subject to cyberbullying

Are There Federal Laws Against Cyberbullying?

There are no federal laws or policies that protect people from cyberbullying. However, federal involvement may occur if the bullying overlaps with harassment. Federal law will get involved if the bullying concerns a person’s race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, or religion.

Examples of Cyberbullying

There are several types of bullying that can occur online, and they all look different.

Harassment can include comments, text messages, or threatening emails designed to make the cyberbullied person feel scared, embarrassed, or ashamed of themselves.

Other forms of harassment include:

Using group chats as a way to gang up on one person
Making derogatory comments about a person based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, or other characteristics
Posting mean or untrue things on social media sites, such as Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, as a way to publicly hurt the person experiencing the cyberbullying

Impersonation

A person may try to pretend to be the person they are cyberbullying to attempt to embarrass, shame, or hurt them publicly. Some examples of this include:

Hacking into someone’s online profile and changing any part of it, whether it be a photo or their "About Me" portion, to something that is either harmful or inappropriate
Catfishing, which is when a person creates a fake persona to trick someone into a relationship with them as a joke or for their own personal gain
Making a fake profile using the screen name of their target to post inappropriate or rude remarks on other people’s pages

Other Examples

Not all forms of cyberbullying are the same, and cyberbullies use other tactics to ensure that their target feels as bad as possible. Some tactics include:

Taking nude or otherwise degrading photos of a person without their consent
Sharing or posting nude pictures with a wide audience to embarrass the person they are cyberbullying
Sharing personal information about a person on a public website that could cause them to feel unsafe
Physically bullying someone in school and getting someone else to record it so that it can be watched and passed around later
Circulating rumors about a person

How to Know When a Joke Turns Into Cyberbullying

People may often try to downplay cyberbullying by saying it was just a joke. However, any incident that continues to make a person feel shame, hurt, or blatantly disrespected is not a joke and should be addressed. People who engage in cyberbullying tactics know that they’ve crossed these boundaries, from being playful to being harmful.

Effects and Consequences of Cyberbullying

Research shows many negative effects of cyberbullying, some of which can lead to severe mental health issues. Cyberbullied people are twice as likely to experience suicidal thoughts, actions, or behaviors and engage in self-harm as those who are not.

Other negative health consequences of cyberbullying are:

Stomach pain and digestive issues
Sleep disturbances
Difficulties with academics
Violent behaviors
High levels of stress
Inability to feel safe
Feelings of loneliness and isolation
Feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness

If You’ve Been Cyberbullied

Being on the receiving end of cyberbullying is hard to cope with. It can feel like you have nowhere to turn and no escape. However, some things can be done to help overcome cyberbullying experiences.

Advice for Preteens and Teenagers

The best thing you can do if you’re being cyberbullied is tell an adult you trust. It may be challenging to start the conversation because you may feel ashamed or embarrassed. However, if it is not addressed, it can get worse.

Other ways you can cope with cyberbullying include:

Walk away : Walking away online involves ignoring the bullies, stepping back from your computer or phone, and finding something you enjoy doing to distract yourself from the bullying.
Don’t retaliate : You may want to defend yourself at the time. But engaging with the bullies can make matters worse.
Keep evidence : Save all copies of the cyberbullying, whether it be posts, texts, or emails, and keep them if the bullying escalates and you need to report them.
Report : Social media sites take harassment seriously, and reporting them to site administrators may block the bully from using the site.
Block : You can block your bully from contacting you on social media platforms and through text messages.

In some cases, therapy may be a good option to help cope with the aftermath of cyberbullying.

Advice for Parents

As a parent, watching your child experience cyberbullying can be difficult. To help in the right ways, you can:

Offer support and comfort : Listening to your child explain what's happening can be helpful. If you've experienced bullying as a child, sharing that experience may provide some perspective on how it can be overcome and that the feelings don't last forever.
Make sure they know they are not at fault : Whatever the bully uses to target your child can make them feel like something is wrong with them. Offer praise to your child for speaking up and reassure them that it's not their fault.
Contact the school : Schools have policies to protect children from bullying, but to help, you have to inform school officials.
Keep records : Ask your child for all the records of the bullying and keep a copy for yourself. This evidence will be helpful to have if the bullying escalates and further action needs to be taken.
Try to get them help : In many cases, cyberbullying can lead to mental stress and sometimes mental health disorders. Getting your child a therapist gives them a safe place to work through their experience.

In the Workplace

Although cyberbullying more often affects children and adolescents, it can also happen to adults in the workplace. If you are dealing with cyberbullying at your workplace, you can:

Let your bully know how what they said affected you and that you expect it to stop.
Keep copies of any harassment that goes on in the workplace.
Report your cyberbully to your human resources (HR) department.
Report your cyberbully to law enforcement if you are being threatened.
Close off all personal communication pathways with your cyberbully.
Maintain a professional attitude at work regardless of what is being said or done.
Seek out support through friends, family, or professional help.

Effective Action Against Cyberbullying

If cyberbullying continues, actions will have to be taken to get it to stop, such as:

Talking to a school official : Talking to someone at school may be difficult, but once you do, you may be grateful that you have some support. Schools have policies to address cyberbullying.
Confide in parents or trusted friends : Discuss your experience with your parents or others you trust. Having support on your side will make you feel less alone.
Report it on social media : Social media sites have strict rules on the types of interactions and content sharing allowed. Report your aggressor to the site to get them banned and eliminate their ability to contact you.
Block the bully : Phones, computers, and social media platforms contain options to block correspondence from others. Use these blocking tools to help free yourself from cyberbullying.

Help Is Available

If you or someone you know are having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and connect with a trained counselor. To find mental health resources in your area, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 800-662-4357 for information.

Cyberbullying occurs over electronic communication methods like cell phones, computers, social media, and other online platforms. While anyone can be subject to cyberbullying, it is most likely to occur between the ages of 12 and 18.

Cyberbullying can be severe and lead to serious health issues, such as new or worsened mental health disorders, sleep issues, or thoughts of suicide or self-harm. There are laws to prevent cyberbullying, so it's essential to report it when it happens. Coping strategies include stepping away from electronics, blocking bullies, and getting.

Alhajji M, Bass S, Dai T. Cyberbullying, mental health, and violence in adolescents and associations with sex and race: data from the 2015 youth risk behavior survey . Glob Pediatr Health. 2019;6:2333794X19868887. doi:10.1177/2333794X19868887

Cyberbullying Research Center. Cyberbullying in 2021 by age, gender, sexual orientation, and race .

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: StopBullying.gov. Facts about bullying .

John A, Glendenning AC, Marchant A, et al. Self-harm, suicidal behaviours, and cyberbullying in children and young people: systematic review . J Med Internet Res . 2018;20(4):e129. doi:10.2196/jmir.9044

Cyberbullying Research Center. Bullying, cyberbullying, and LGBTQ students .

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: StopBullying.gov. Laws, policies, and regulations .

Wolke D, Lee K, Guy A. Cyberbullying: a storm in a teacup? . Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2017;26(8):899-908. doi:10.1007/s00787-017-0954-6

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: StopBullying.gov. Cyberbullying tactics .

Garett R, Lord LR, Young SD. Associations between social media and cyberbullying: a review of the literature . mHealth . 2016;2:46-46. doi:10.21037/mhealth.2016.12.01

Nemours Teens Health. Cyberbullying .

Nixon CL. Current perspectives: the impact of cyberbullying on adolescent health . Adolesc Health Med Ther. 2014;5:143-58. doi:10.2147/AHMT.S36456

Nemours Kids Health. Cyberbullying (for parents) .

By Angelica Bottaro Bottaro has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and an Advanced Diploma in Journalism. She is based in Canada.

150 Bullying Topics for Essays + Examples

Looking for an exciting research topic about bullying? This problem is very controversial, sensitive, and definitely worth studying

🔝 Top 10 Bullying Topics for Research Papers

📚 bullying subtopics, 🏆 best bullying topics to write about, 🧒 topics about bullying and child development, ⚡ most shocking bullying topics to write about, 🖊️ causes of bullying: title ideas, ✅ simple & easy shocking bullying essay titles, 🔎 effects of bullying: research questions, ✍️ bullying essay topics for college, 🏫 school bullying titles, ❓ research questions about bullying, 📱 topics on bullying on social media platforms, 📃 bullying essay: writing tips.

Examples of bullying can be found everywhere: in schools, workplaces, and even on the Internet (in the form of cyberbullying).

In this article, we’ve collected top bullying research paper topics and questions, as well as bullying essay samples and writing tips. Get inspired with us!

The Problem of Bullying and Possible Solutions
Character Traits of Bullying
School Bullying and Moral Development
The Effects of Cyber-Bullying and Cyber-Stalking on the Society
Is Cyber Bullying Against Teenagers More Detrimental Than Face-To-Face Bullying?
Cyber Bullying Issue
Bullying and Its Effects in Society
The Impact of Workplace Bullying
Verbal Bullying at School: How It Should Be Stopped
The ABC Model of Crisis: Bullying at School

Bullying means repeated aggressive behavior toward individuals. It comes in many forms, all of which hurt a victim’s physical and mental well-being. Read on to discover the most prevalent types of bullying.

Physical Bullying

Physical bullying is the most widespread type of bullying among teenagers. It involves using physical force or actions to scare or dominate someone and harm their body or belongings. Apart from the physical injuries sustained during the attacks, victims may develop many health issues, such as somatization.

Verbal Bullying

Verbal bullying is emotional abuse involving relentless insults, taunts, and name-calling to erode a person’s self-esteem over time. The victim can experience lasting damage, struggling with anxiety, depression, and social isolation. In severe cases, persistent negativity can even trigger thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

Social Bullying

Social bullying mainly relies on manipulation: spreading rumors, using humiliating nicknames, and poisoning someone’s online presence. The victim may not even realize they are being abused because the line between playful teasing and social bullying is often unclear. As a result, this can delay them from seeking help, potentially leading to severe consequences.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a form of aggression where modern technology is used to hurt others. Abusers spread offensive messages, tweets, posts, personal information, and other material to humiliate, frighten or upset their victim. Online bullying can be particularly damaging and frustrating as it is often anonymous or hard to trace.

Bullying on Social Media Platforms It is consistent and repeating, taking advantage of the Internet’s anonymity with the main goal to anger, scare, or shame a victim.
Moral Development and Bullying in Children The understanding of moral development following the theories of Kohlberg and Gilligan can provide useful solutions to eliminating bullying in American schools.
Workplace Bullying and Its Impact on People and Society The paper follows a traditional structure with the introduction and body paragraphs that provide essential information devoted to the problem, and improve the understanding of the concept of bullying.
Problem of Childhood Bullying in Modern Society To begin with, the family which is the basic and the most important unit in the society as well as the primary socializing agent plays a major role in shaping behavior of children include bullying.
Social Influence on Bullying in Schools The theory helps us to understand why the stronger members of the school population are likely to “rule” over the weaker members of the school as described in the social hierarchy concept in the theory.
Bullying and Cyberbullying in Modern Society Cyberbullying among adolescents and teenagers is defined as the purposeful and repetitive harm done by one or more peers in cyberspace as a result of using digital devices and social media platforms.
Sexual Bullying in Schools and Its Influence The author states the difference in the mental and physical maturation of girls and boys as one of the core roots of the issue.
Nature of Bullying In this paper, central focus is going to be on the nature of bullying of children in my hometown, Orlando Florida, how it can be solved, and most importantly; establishing the importance of having knowledge […]
Bullying and Suicide Among Teenagers Specific objectives Analyze the causes of bullying among teenagers in the country Analyze the effects of bullying among victims, perpetrators and by-standers Analyze the relationship between bullying in school and suicide among teenagers in the […]
Bullying: Violence in Children and Adolescents Bullying is one of the most common manifestations of peer violence in children and adolescents. Prevention of bullying, cyberbullying included, has to occur in accordance with the IBSE Standards of social and emotional learning.
Bullying, Its Forms, and Counteractions In addition, it is necessary to support those at the center of this bullying, as this can protect them from harmful effects and consequences.
Incivility, Violence, and Bullying in the Healthcare Workplace The following step is to gather the team and communicate the necessity of change, assigning some individuals for the positions related to the change, in other terms, a support team.
Effective Ways to Deal With Bullying in US Schools Teachers should ensure the bully is aware of the improper behavior, why it is improper, and the repercussions of the behavior.
Network Bullying: School Policy Framework The first step is to have a careful conversation with the student and an assessment by the school psychologist to ensure that there is a fright.
How to Reduce Bullying in Senior Facilities One of the main reasons an individual may commit suicide due to bullying is because it may make an individual develop a negative self-image after the bullying incident. Some of the major bullying incidences that […]
Active Shooter and Nursing Bullying Nurses should lock all doors and use tables and other objects to reinforce them to prevent any possibility of the active shooter getting to the patients’ room.
Racist Bullying Among Black Students in US Universities This research focuses on the impact of bullying and racism among African American students in the country. What are the impacts of bullying and racism among Black students in U.S.universities?
Bullying and Autism Spectrum Disorder In fact, bullying as a social phenomenon can be characterized as a social and interaction issue; therefore, it is possible to analyze the connection between autism and acts of bullying and inappropriate behavior.
Eliminating the Problem of Online Bullying Eliminating the problem of online bullying is vital for improving the mental health of adolescents and young adults and allowing them to build their lives free of adverse external influences. It is possible to see […]
Bullying and Harassment in the Healthcare Workplace This paper is written to explore the origins of discrimination and harassment in the healthcare workplace. Bullying begins early in medical college and residencies; it has been referred to as an element of the learning […]
Queer (LGBT) Teenage Bullying at School The importance of this source to the research is associated with the significant role that youth organizations have to play towards minimizing bullying among LGBT students.
Bullying of Children: Misconceptions and Preventive Measures As a result, the density of shows and articles devoted to bullying creates an illusion that this event appears more often than it does in reality.
Bullying Behavior and Impact of Hegemonic Masculinity Rosen and Nofziger applied a quantitative research design to explore the relationships between students’ bullying experiences and race, age, and socioeconomic status and identify the frequency of bullying.
Bullying and Incivility in Clinical Setting The problem of bullying and incivility in a clinical setting can negatively affect the quality of care provided, so it needs to be managed.
Bullying and Its Influences on a Person It is common for victims of bullying to develop mental health issues, as they were placed in stressful situations and had a constant fear along with depression in some cases. Making friends is one of […]
“Bullying in Schools”: The Aspects of Bullying In their article, Menesini and Salmivalli examine the current state of knowledge on the topic and thoroughly discuss all of the aspects of bullying.
Analysis of Bullying and Parenting Style Since the given topic usually refers to children and adolescents, it is evident that their parents hold a portion of responsibility because the adults affect the growth and development of young individuals.
Hate Crimes – Bullying More than two-thirds of children and adolescents experience bullying and more than one-fourth of them report extreme forms of coercion.

Bullying has been connected to many developmental issues in children. Increased risks of depression, anxiety, and social problems are just a few of them. Bullying may also lead to substance abuse, self-harm, and stunted academic and professional growth.

Here are some fresh topics about bullying and child development:

The link between bullying and self-esteem in children.
How does witnessing bullying affect young on-lookers?
Poorer educational attainment as an outcome of school bullying.
Bullying and its correlation with childhood depression and anxiety.
Can bullying in elementary school jeopardize future opportunities for children?
Bullying Management: Mass Awareness Program Bulletin.”Teachers, trained to help to rebuild trust, confidence, growth, and commitment through mass awareness to arrest bullying in high schools”. The proposed mass action program is meant to promote awareness on the need to stop […]
An Anti-Bullying Program Integrated With PRAISE by Ackerman I chose to describe bullying because of the importance of the topic and due to my personal interest in it. Education will eliminate most of the reasons for bullying and provide students with the E […]
Bullying Through Social Media: Methods An Informed Consent Document will be provided to participants prior to the research, explaining the purpose of the study and promising to protect their identity.
Bullying Through Social Media: Research Proposal The hypothesis of the study is as follows: the role of adolescents in a cyberbullying situation is interconnected with their psychological characteristics.
Bullying Through Social Media In particular, inequality in the position of the persecutor and the victim is evident – the aggressor can be anonymous, and there can be many of them.
Bullying of Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic Then, the principles of adult learning will be used to develop and implement an information product to improve the nursing workforce’s bullying awareness and the knowledge of healthy conflict resolution in the workplace.
Bullying in Healthcare Organizations: Impact on Nursing Practice Bullying in business entities is a common phenomenon, but the extent of its influence on the “production process” in healthcare and medicine institutions is only beginning to be recognized.
Workplace Bullying Among Nurses in the Acute Setting Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency of conflicts between nurses and their colleagues and managers has increased significantly in my workplace.
Bullying Perpetration Among School-Aged Children Mucherah et al.examined how the school climate and teachers’ sanctions against bullying relate to the risk of becoming a victim or perpetrator of bullying.
Programming for a Year 5 Class on Bullying As a result, in Lesson 6, they will offer their project addressing bullying behaviour and present it to their class, which is the main aim of the Unit Plan.
Injury and Violence Prevention: – Bullying The aim of preventing injury and violence from bullying is to enable the student to have a healthy social and physical life that will enable them to perform well in their studies and live healthily.
Cyber-Bullying vs. Traditional Bullying: Its Psychological Effects The researchers presented the recent statistics in order to illustrate the negative social and psychological effects of cyber-bullying in contrast to the traditional bullying in schools.
Bullying in the Workplace Old Nurse to New Nurse This unvoiced scourge in nursing is characteristically encouraged by the need of bullies to have a total control of a person. Resignation of nurses due to bullying can lead to shortage of nurses in hospitals.
Bullying and Peer Abuse Especially at work, targets fear coming to work and this will have an adverse result in the efficiency of the staff in the hospital.
Bullying in the Nursing Workplace Bullying in the nursing workplace, in this case, causes the one bullied to have a feeling of defenselessness and takes away the nurses’ right to dignity at his or her workplace.
Cyber Bullying and Positivist Theory of Crime Learning theory approaches to the explanation of criminal behavior have been associated with one of the major sociological theories of crime, the differential association theory.
Cyberbullying and Bullying: Similarities While deciding on fitting and balanced sanctions, it is vital to reflect on the ways in which cyberbullying events differ in effect in comparison to other forms of bullying.
Protection From Bullying: Methods That Work Because of this, it is vital that parents, teachers, and guardians educate themselves on the nature of bullying and work together to develop effective methods and strategies that would help to overcome the problem.
Psychology: Social Media and Bullying The purpose of this paper is to discuss the issue of social media and bullying and express the author’s opinion on the matter.
“Bullying Behavior Among Radiation Therapists” by Johnson and Trad The literature review encompassed a considerable number of sources pertinent to the study and recent enough to be relevant; all the publications were dated within the last fifteen years.
Human Rights Issues in Australia: Bullying Among School-Going Age and Young People The focus of the topic of the day is on bullying. It is used to prevent or avoid the occurrence of a bullying experience.
Bullying and Worker’s Harassment in Western Australia In most of the armed services in Australia, new recruits and women are commonly the victims of bullying and harassment despite the fact that it is unacceptable.
Behaviour Management: Bullying The typical behaviors which I saw in the child who got bullied are: The victim of this bullying is physically weak and a soft-natured one.
Cyber-Bullying Is a Crime: Discussion It is easy to see the effects of cyber-bullying but it is hard to find out who is the bully making it hard for authorities to pin the blame on the perpetrator of a crime […]
Conflict Resolution Tactics and Bullying This study is interesting to the extent that it shows how the social environment impacts the development of a child and how it shapes his or her conflict resolution techniques.
School Bullying: Case Analysis Even today there is no generally accepted definition of bullying but it is thought that when an individual is for a long period of time is exposed to repeat negative actions and behavior by one […]
Bullying in the Workplace as a Psychological Harassment Another form of bullying in the workplace is physical assault in the sense that if the workers are not at ease with each other and when the rules and regulations are not at all observed, […]

Teenagers bully for various reasons, including a need for power or control, revenge, social status, etc. They may also bully to receive attention or seek validation or excitement by creating drama. Sometimes, bullying is a misguided attempt to fit in or avoid being bullied.

See some topics on causes of bullying:

How does home life provoke bullying tendencies?
Childhood trauma: a hidden factor in bullying behavior.
Payback as one of the bullying causes.
Analyzing bully development through the prism of peer pressure.
Power, status, and pain: what drives teens to bully?
“Adolescents’ Perception of Bullying” by Frisen et al. The second and the third aims of the study were “to describe how adolescents perceive bullies” and “to describe what adolescents believe to be important in order to stop bullying”, respectively.
The Long Term Effects of Bullying in Elementary School Wolke and Lereya argue that the problem is that the majority of studies on bullying are cross-sectional and only use follow-ups after a short period of time.
Workplace Bullying, Salivary Cortisol and Long-Term Sickness Absence The purpose of this cohort-based study was to investigate the extent to which cortisol levels were associated with sickness absence and the relationships between workplace bullying and sickness absence through the prism of cortisol use.
Workplace Bullying in Australia It is possible to offer several recommendations that can reduce the risk of bullying in organisations. In this case, more attention should be paid to the absence of mechanisms that can protect the victims of […]
Domestic Violence and Bullying in Schools It also states the major variables related to bullying in schools. They will confirm that social-economic status, gender, and race can contribute to bullying in schools.
The “Bully-Free” Initiative: Bullying in Education The students need to have a clear idea that bullying goes against the rules of the school and which actions may be considered bullying.
Gender and Bullying Issues in Nursing A lack of tolerance for workplace harassment and bullying is likely to lead to the deterioration of the situation and further misunderstanding and tension in an organization.
Bullying and Cyberbullying Among Peers They are facing the dilemma of how to react, whether they have to fight a superior force of the enemy or to complain to teachers and parents, undermining their reputation.
Bullying Prevention Programs Some teachers and professors claim that their students cannot show their potential in their hobbies due to the limitations they experience because of bullies around them. As it is mentioned above, educators do not control […]
Bullying and Its Impact Thus, the current paper is dedicated to the issue of bullying and its effects as well as anti-bullying practices as related to peer victimization.
Fights and Bullying Among Middle School Learners Alongside the positivist philosophy, the research adopted the survey strategy that involved the use of self-administered questionnaires to collect from the participants.
Dealing With Workplace Bullying According to the report presented by the University of Louisville, workplace bullying is a repeated action of one employee or a group of employees towards another individual or group. Dealing with bullying in the workplace […]
Amanda Todd’s Bullying and Suicide Story She was fifteen years old, and her story created a major uproar in the press, as it showed the true nature of bullying and the effects it has on the person.
Bullying in America: Causes and Prevention That is why it is important to pay attention to the reasons why bullying occurs and ways in which it can be reduced.
Bullying as Social and Criminal Deviance The most important step in the student’s guide to research that I would need to analyze bullying is defining the topic.
Bullying and Legislation in Australian Workplace According to the authors of the article, workplace bullying can be characterized as internal violence. According to the authors of the article, bullying is a widespread phenomenon and is a common attribute of many organizations.
Bullying at Australian School: Causes and Solution The technological breakthrough that was witnessed in the late 90s and the early 2000s also contributed to the development of the phenomenon, sparking the concepts such as cyberbullying and online bullying.
Workplace Bullying in The Playground Never Ends The primary reason for becoming a bully is primarily seen in fear to lose authority or formal positions in an organization and have more institutional power than that of the targets.
College Students: Suicide and Bullying-Methods The analysts used this tool to report the mood of the participants by posting quizzes, which the students answered while filling the questionnaire.
Girl-To-Girl Bullying and Mean Stinks Program The positive results can be achieved by the implementation of the multiple educational programs, the increase in public awareness, and promotion of the values of the healthy relationships.”Mean Stinks” is exactly the program with the […]
Association of Parenting Factors With Bullying The lack of the parental support is the main cause of students’ deviant behaviors at school, including the cases of bullying, and those parents who pay much attention to developing their career cannot provide the […]
Workplace Bullying and Its Impact on Performance Workplace bullying refers to a deliberate, repeated, and continuous mistreatment of a worker or a group of workers by one or more colleagues in the workplace.
The Problem of Workplace Bullying In particular, this paper will include the discussion of the research articles, reports and case studies that describe the causes of workplace bullying and the strategies used by companies in an effort to overcome it.
College Students: Suicide and Bullying The misconception that bullying is a minor issue among college students has contributed to the high number of students who suffer because of bullying.
Social Psychological Concepts of Bullying and Its Types Some of the factors that contribute to bullying include poor parenting, economic challenges, lack of mentorship, and jealousy among others. One of the main concepts used to explain bullying is that of parenting roles and […]
Homosexual Students and Bullying Specifically, the section addresses the prevalence of bullying in schools and the level of bullying in bisexuals, gay males, and lesbians.
Social Psychology of Violence and Bullying in Schools Bullying is a common phenomenon in schools and it is reported that it results in violence in learning institutions in the end.
Bullying and Child Development Bullying is one of the common vices in schools that influences a lot of growth and development of children. Bullying also affects the ability of children to concentrate in school because they are always on […]

Bullying is a social virus that infects everyone around it. It leads to decreased self-esteem, escalated anxiety, and depression among victims. Additionally, witnesses of bullying often experience feelings of fear and helplessness, which can damage their mental health and social interactions.

Look at these research questions on bullying effects:

Why do bullies and victims of bullying often turn to drugs or alcohol?
How can hurtful words keep affecting someone’s mental health for years?
How does bullying influence children’s physical health?
How can the anonymity of online bullying contribute to anxiety development?
Do bullying outcomes vary based on the victim’s age and gender?
Bullying and Suicide: The Correlation Between Bullying and Suicide Nonetheless, the extensive research shows that the correlation exists and bullying is one of the risk factors for development of suicidal ideas in adolescents.
Cyber Bullying Prevention in Learning Institutions: Systematic Approach To start with, the students are provided with ways of reporting their concern to the educational institution, and when the staff members of the institution receive the report, they evaluate the information together with the […]
Discouraging and Eliminating Cyber Bullying Resources Role of the resource/input Statement forms To facilitate information transfer to the staff Counseling Personnel To arm students against the problem Bullying report system To create efficient internet enhance report system Regulation implementation documents […]
School Bullying: Methods for Managing the Problem The investigation of relevant studies on the methods for stopping school bullying reveals that the most effective ways of eliminating this type of behavior include providing training for teachers, encouraging students to participate in the […]
High School Bullying Effective Responses Emphasis will also be made on the kind of audience to read this article because the contents of this study need to be at par with other similar articles in the journal to be selected.
Bullying as a Relational Aggression This resistance has been one of the obstacles to eliminating the cyber bullying in the schools. Schools and districts have been involved in the Challenge Day activities where children are advised on how to handle […]
Bullying in the Workplace Organizational leaders have an ethical obligation to ensure that they deal with cases of bullying within the workplace in a professional manner that demonstrates equality, honesty, and high sensitivity to the needs of others.
Social Bullying in Jeff Cohen’s “Monster Culture” It is clear that his part of character is mostly dominant in the childhood stages, as children are not able to develop a sense of morality and predict the consequences of their actions.
Cyber Bullying and Its Forms The difference between the conventional way of bullying and cyber bullying is that in conventional bullying, there is contact between the bully and the victim.
Problem of the Managing Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace Employees in an organization have a specific role that they are supposed to play and this means that there might be shortcomings which should not lead to bullying.
School Bullying: Causes and Police Prevention It is for this reason that there has been need for the intervention of the community and the government to address the issue of bullying schools lest the school environment becomes the worst place to […]
Cyber Bullying as a Virtual Menace The use of information and communication technologies to support a deliberate and most of the time repeated hostile behavior by an individual or groups of people with the sole intention of harming others, one is […]
Ban High School Bullying A number of stakeholders contribute to the high prevalence of bullying in American schools. Schools that ignore bullying are a big part of the problem and they need to be held accountable.
The Problem of Bullying While most states in the United States of America have laws to protect people from bullying, the federal government is yet to enact an anti-bullying law.
Ethical Case: Facebook Gossip or Cyberbullying? The best option to Paige is to apologize publicly and withdraw her comments. The final stage is to act and reflect the outcome of the choice made.
Bullying on the Rise: Should Federal Government Enact Federal-Bullying Laws? This paper will thus use both primary and secondary data to discuss the prevalence of bullying in schools and whether the federal govern should enact federal laws to curb the social vice at school.
Bullying in School Face-to-face bullying is an interesting area of study because it clearly demonstrates bullying in school. Students consider bullying as a school culture even though it is contrary to the school rules and regulations of schools.
Bullying in the Schools Furthermore, the law states that training should be done to the teachers as well as the other members of staff on how to deal with bullying and the law also needs the schools to report […]
The Issue of Bullying in the Schools It gives me joy to know that the issue of bullying is now a pubic affair since bullying stories were unheard of when I was growing up.
Troubled Adolescent due to Bullying His lowered self-esteem would make him to observe the common behaviours of the older boys quietly and accept the situation as a cultural practice.

According to statistics, around 19% of American middle and high school students reported being bullied in school in 2021-2022. School bullying involves ongoing physical, emotional, and verbal aggression, cyberbullying, sexual abuse, etc. The impact of these behaviors extends beyond immediate harm, damaging victims’ long-term mental health and academic progress.

Check out some school bullying titles:

Exploring the prevalence of bullying among students with disabilities.
The role of bystanders in school bullying.
Warning signs of bullying in high school.
The peculiarities of physical bullying in elementary students.
The components of effective anti-bullying school policies.
Workplace bullying: does it exist?
What are the three key elements of bullying?
How does bullying affect those who observe it?
Direct and indirect bullying: what is the difference?
What families do bullies typically come from?
Aggressive children: what is their future?
How to prevent bullying in schools?
School bullying and domestic violence: is there a connection?
Cyberbullying: how to prevent it?
What can parents do to prevent their children from bullying?

The rise of technology has brought a dark side to social interaction: cyberbullying. Social media platforms, which were intended to connect people, have instead become breeding grounds for online harassment and targeting. Bullies take advantage of the perceived anonymity of these platforms to unleash cruelty. They often employ blackmailing, online stalking, grooming, and trolling.

We have prepared some topics on online bullying that can come in handy:

The legal challenges of addressing cyberbullying on social media.
Setting up a false profile as a form of cyberbullying.
How can bullying on social media platforms be reported?
The role of teachers and educators in addressing cyberbullying.
How do memes and viral content contribute to bullying on Instagram?

A bullying essay is a popular assignment in various subjects, including psychology, sociology, and education. Writing an excellent paper on the matter requires more than just in-depth research and planning. Don’t worry; there are some tips that will make writing an essay on bullying much easier:

Choose a topic that allows analyzing and interpreting the problem. Instead of merely describing what bullying is, try to dig deeper into its causes, consequences, and solutions. If your professor didn’t suggest any topics, you may research bullying essay topics online and select one that would be exciting for you to explore.
Read sample articles and papers online to see how other students approached the subject. Notice the bits that work and don’t work, and write them out to make the process of creating your essay easier. If you’re struggling with finding enough examples online, you may want to expand your search to discrimination essay topics and materials.
Research what scholars say about bullying. Articles in scholarly journals are an excellent source of information because they are usually trustworthy. If you’re still in school, your ability to navigate the library or online databases will also impress your tutor. As you start researching, you will find that there is a great variety of studies, and it’s challenging to find the relevant ones. Narrowing down your search would help you to do that. For instance, if you are writing a cyber bullying essay, try searching for social media bullying or online anti-bullying services.
Include real-life experiences where relevant. Unfortunately, bullying is a common problem in many institutions, and if you haven’t experienced it, your friends or family members probably have. If your tutor allows personal input, explore real-life experiences with bullying. Note the effects, preventive measures that worked or didn’t work, and what a person used to cope with bullying. If personal input is not allowed, you could ask your friends or relatives for ideas and then find high-quality sources that discuss similar problems.
If you can, be creative about it! A powerful bullying essay example draws from a variety of sources to present material in a creative way and engage readers. Hence, this might be an excellent opportunity for you to include images or graphs in your paper. For example, anti-bullying posters could complement the sections of your work that talks about solutions to the problem. Quotes about bullying coming from famous persons would also be influential, especially if you include them at the beginning of your piece. If you like drawing or painting, you could try to put some of your ideas in graphic form – this will definitely earn you some extra marks! Just make sure to check with your tutor to see whether or not creative input is allowed.
Structure your paper well to avoid gaps or inconsistencies. It would be beneficial to create a detailed bullying essay outline before you start working. A typical essay should include an introduction, two to three main paragraphs, and a conclusion. The first paragraph of your work should consist of some background information, whereas the last one should restate the points and close up the paper. A good bullying essay introduction should also feature a thesis statement that shows what the piece is about.

These tips will help you to write top-notch essays on bullying, as well as on related subjects. Don’t forget to browse our blog some more to find other helpful materials, including essay titles!

Children’s Rights Research Ideas
Equality Topics
Homophobia Topics
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What Is a Good Thesis Statement About Bullying?

Unfortunately, bullying is still part of our society despite civilization and technology. But, that does not mean the issue cannot be addressed and fixed. It is the responsibility of parents, teachers, and institutions to find a way to reduce the blow of bullying in our society for everyone to be safe and happy. Are you concerned about bullying and want to be a part of the solution? One of the ways to do this is by writing an interesting essay that educates about bullying and its effects. As a part of the project, you will need a thesis statement for a bullying essay that stands out.

As much as you want to address the nasty effects of bullying, you also need to pass your exams. That is why you need to get a thesis about bullying that will impress your professor. Let us learn more here.

What’s a Bullying Thesis Statement?

How to Write a Thesis Statement about Bullying?

What Is a Good Thesis Statement For Bullying?

Interesting examples on thesis statement for bullying research paper, straightforward thesis statement for bullying essay examples, exciting thesis statement on cyberbullying homework, our writing services guarantees good thesis statement.

A bullying thesis statement helps you address an issue about bullying. It needs to include the topic of the research paper you are writing about and the claim you have about the bullying topic. Your thesis statement determines whether your paper will stand out.

Which Of The Following Statements About Bullying Is True?

Most people are oblivious to cyberbullying and its effect. So you need first to understand what bullying is to develop a great thesis statement for bullying. Below are four statements that you can read to determine the truth about bullying.

Bullying is a growing phase that children will grow out of.
Bullying does not have to be physical; it can also be cyberbullying, verbal, and emotional.
Bullying is not harmful.
As children mature, they will learn positive behavior on their own.

What do you think is the correct answer? All the above statements are false except b. Bullying is not limited to the physical like fighting and hitting. Cyberbullying, verbal and emotional abuse are all bullying, and they all have devastating effects on the individual or group of people getting bullied.

How to Write a Thesis Statement About Bullying?

The thesis on bullying should be under the introduction. Most students prefer writing a statement when they complete their introduction. But the best way to write a thesis is by finishing your research.

Note that the thesis statement needs to be a summary of your research. You will have a better idea of what your essay is all about once you have completed your project. Ensure that the subject is exciting and as per your tutor’s instruction.

A good thesis statement on bullying needs to be a great impression so that it can hook your instructor or any other person who will read your thesis statement. It needs to be the hook to your essay and motivate the readers. The bullying essay thesis statement needs to be;

An interpretation of the subject
Precise, forceful, and confident
It should challenge the readers

Bullying Thesis Statement Examples

If you have a hard time creating a thesis statement about bullying that will make your essay stand out, worry no more. Our team of experts has combined a list of thesis statements on cyberbullying you can use in your essay to impress your professors. Here we go!

You can make your essay research paper interesting by choosing the right thesis statement about bullying to use. In case you are not sure, here is a list you can choose from.

Bullying and its effects on youth, and some possible solutions to the problem it causes.
There are several ideas and concepts that most institutes have come up with to help stop bullying, but the challenge is the implementation of these policies.
International progress can be hasted by the eradication of bully in and so government bodies should cultivate solutions to address the matter.
Corporate bullying could push individuals into isolation, leading to depression and suicide.
Bullying has been ignored for a long time, even though it has been a problem in the school system; people have only recently started discussing it.

A bullying thesis does not have to be complex. In fact, at times keeping the thesis statement on bullying essay simple could help capture the attention of your tutor and help improve your grade. Here is a look at the straightforward statements about bullying.

The effects of physical bullying are depression, stress, withdrawal, physical, and emotional problems, which could destroy a child’s life.
Parents and tutors should always be on the lookout for any bullying so they can fix the problem before it gets out of control.
Most bullies have emotional or physical abuse, so they turn to bullies to help them feel in a position of power.
Bullying could affect the mental health of the person being bullied, affecting their everyday life.
Bullies have a hard time following the regulations, caring for other people, and having self-control.

Cyberbullying is often underestimated, and it makes people feel as though they are not good enough and do not deserve to live. Use these examples in your homework.

School violence and cyberbullying attacks affect everyone who attends the school and compromise students’ safety.
Cyberbullying is not new and can be used in many ways to bring individuals or a group down, yet not much is being done to address the issue.
Proper measures should be implemented to help better predict communication during cyberbullying episodes.
As technology advances, teens have become more prone to the internet’s dangers like cyberbullying.
A look at the similarities and differences between bullying and cyberbullying and the best way to handle both situations.

Are you still wondering what’s a good thesis statement for bullying is? Reach out to our writing service today. We have skilled writers to help you get the best bullying thesis for a research paper. We can also write the research paper for you and ensure you attain the best grades. So get in touch with us today.

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Cyberbullying and its influence on academic, social, and emotional development of undergraduate students

1. Introduction

1.1. Cyberbullying and internet

1.2. Mediums to perpetrate cyberbullying

1.3. Types of cyberbullying

1.4. Prevalence of cyberbullying

1.5. Psychological impact of cyberbullying

1.6. Academic, social, and emotional development of undergraduate students

2.1. Research settings and participants

2.2. Instrumentation

4. Discussion

5. Conclusions

Declarations

Funding statement

Competing interest statement

Additional information

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150 Bullying Topics for Essays + Examples

🔝 Top 10 Bullying Topics for Research Papers

Physical Bullying

Verbal Bullying

Social Bullying

Cyberbullying

What Is a Good Thesis Statement About Bullying?

What’s a Bullying Thesis Statement?

What Is a Good Thesis Statement For Bullying?

Which Of The Following Statements About Bullying Is True?

How to Write a Thesis Statement About Bullying?

Bullying Thesis Statement Examples

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