Cyberbullying among youngsters: profiles of bullies and victims

Abstract

A survey among 2052 primary and secondary school children reveals that cyberbullying among youngsters is not a marginal problem. However, there are discrepancies between the prevalence figures based on direct measurement versus indirect measurement of cyberbullying. Youngsters who have bullied someone via the internet or mobile phone during the last three months are younger, and are more often victims and bystanders of bullying via the internet or mobile phone, and are more often the perpetrators of traditional bullying. Youngsters who have been bullied via the internet or mobile phone during the last three months are more dependent upon the internet, feel less popular, take more internet-related risks, are more often a bystander and perpetrator of internet and mobile phone bullying, and are less often a perpetrator and more often a victim of traditional bullying. The implications for future research into cyberbullying and for cyberbullying prevention strategies are discussed.

Problem behaviours, traditional bullying and cyberbullying among adolescents: longitudinal analyses

“…Problem Behaviour Theory suggests motives for involvement in problem behaviours include overt repudiation of conventional norms which result in a form of social control response (Jessor & Jessor, 1977). Respectively, the motives for perpetrating cyber and traditional bullying include revenge (cyber) and domination (traditional) (Vandebosch & Van Cleemput, 2009) resulting in harm or a reaction from the target person (Dooley et al, 2009). …”

Cyber-victimization among Children: Prevalence, Characteristics, Gender Differences and Links to Social Difficulties

“…It seems that loneliness, the lack of social support and low self-esteem, which characterize children with social difficulties, are perceived by their classmates as weaknesses and lead to negative reactions towards them [18]. Loneliness may often be connected with other social difficulties like social rejection, and with an inability to create emotional intimacy with friends [44].…”

“…Traditional bullying can be carried out in several ways, which can be classified into two main categories: direct bullying and indirect bullying [18,19]. Direct bullying is usually characterized by a direct assault carried out by physical or verbal contact with the victim, whereas indirect bullying is generally characterized by an assault which is not the result of contact, but of social isolation and similar behaviors [18].…”

Risk Assessment of adolescents' virtual relations

“…The results showed that the acute online harassment and the efficacy of response and self-capacity of protective online behavior were significant predictive indices for the behavior structure with varying degrees. Vandebosch & Van Cleemput (2009) discussed cyber bullying 4 among youth. A survey on 2052 primary and secondary school students showed that the cyber bullies through internet or mobile phones through the last 3 months are younger and mostly they were victims or witnesses to cyber bullying and also were traditional bullies.…”