Clustering of Internet Risk Behaviors in a Middle School Student Population

Abstract

Findings suggest that middle school students who are early adolescents are beginning risky behaviors on the Internet. Risk-taking behavior is not unique to adolescents, but the consequences can be detrimental to their development. Educators, clinicians, health care providers, and other professionals need to be informed of Internet behaviors in order to assess for children at risk, to make referrals, intervene, and to educate parents.

Students’ Engagement in Risky Online Behaviour: The Comparison of Youth and Secondary Schools’

“…Our study has also shown that older adolescents engage in risky online behaviours more often than younger ones. Similar results were found in Dowell, Burgess, & Cavanaugh (2009) study: in the later adolescence students are likely to share their personal information, engage in cyberbullying, talk about sexual things and visit sex-related web pages. As Smahel, Brown & Blinka (2012) suggest, at the later adolescence teens are in the lack of social contacts, thus, the majority of the time they spend being alone what draws them up to use the Internet and engage in risky behaviours.…”

“…It is also related to the teenagers' tendency to experiment with one's identity and to discover the surroundings (Dowell, Burgess, & Cavanaugh, 2009). The usage of the Internet here plays an important role as a longer time spent on the Internet is positively related to adolescents' risky online behaviour (Wach et al, 2015).…”

“…With reference to the risky online behaviour studies of Dowell, Burgess & Cavanaugh (2009) and Livingstone with colleagues (2011), we may distinguish the main forms of risky behaviours on the Internet. These forms are risky sexual behaviour, communication with strangers, sharing personal information, cyberbullying, and accessibility to age-inappropriate web pages.…”

“…According to the research of Dowell, Burgess & Cavanaugh (2009), generally adolescents tend to engage in different kinds of risky behaviours online, e.g. sharing or sending personal information, texting with or for strangers and meeting them in real life, cyberbullying, visiting sites of pornography or other sexual stuff, visiting unsecured sites.…”

Cyberbullying Victimization and Behaviors Among Girls: Applying Research Findings in the Field

“…One study found that females are online more frequently for socializing purposes, in comparison to males, who go online more frequently to play games (Dowell et al, 2009). In another study conducted by (Juvonen and Gross, 2008) results showed that girls were significantly more likely to be users of email, profile sites, blogs and cell phones in comparison to boys.…”