Accounts of bullying on Twitter in relation to dentofacial features and orthodontic treatment

Abstract

Social media offers an accessible resource for gaining valuable insights into the social culture of bullying. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively analyse Twitter posts for common themes relating to dentofacial features, braces and bullying. Twitter's database was searched from 2010 to 2014 using keywords relevant to bullying, teeth and orthodontics. Two investigators assessed the Twitter posts, and selected those that conveyed the experiences or opinions of bullying victims. The posts were qualitatively analysed using thematic analysis. Of the 548 posts screened, 321 were included in the final sample. Four primary categories relating to 'dental-related bullying' were identified: (i) morphological features, (ii) psychological and psychosocial impact, (iii) coping mechanisms and (iv) the role of family. Bullied individuals reported a diverse range of psychological impacts and coping mechanisms. Secondary categories were also identified. Family members, for example, were found to play both a contributory and mediatory role in bullying. In summary, social media can provide new and valuable information about the causal factors and social issues associated with oral health-related bullying. Importantly, some coping mechanisms may mitigate the negative effects of bullying.

Using big data to promote precision oral health in the context of a learning healthcare system

“…They identified cases of bullying, qualified them, and looked for coping mechanisms the victims and their families had for the mistreatment. 76 These studies demonstrate the value of data gleaned from social media. Data gathered from social media demonstrates that researchers can measure the positive or negative impact of psychosocial variables on oral health.…”

“…Another study looked at bullying on Twitter related to dentofacial features and orthodontic treatment. They identified cases of bullying, qualified them, and looked for coping mechanisms the victims and their families had for the mistreatment . These studies demonstrate the value of data gleaned from social media.…”

Parental Reported Bullying among Saudi Schoolchildren: Its Forms, Effect on Academic Abilities, and Associated Sociodemographic, Physical, and Dentofacial Features

“…Parents were approached through social networking sites as these are very popular in Saudi Arabia. Chen et al [23] also reported that the public was more comfortable sharing personal bullying experiences on publicly accessible social media forums such as Twitter.…”

Ortodontiye İlişkin Dünya Genelindeki İnternet Verilerinin Değerlendirilmesi: Google Trends Analizi

“…16 Although few studies have specifically evaluated the efficacy of social media on orthodontic treatment and marketing knowledge, hasn't been studied with the use of Google Trends data on changes internet searches globally over years. [17][18][19] The aim of study is to examine the interest in orthodontics in the last 5 years using Google Trends data all over the world.…”