Electronic and School-Based Victimization: Unique Contexts for Adjustment Difficulties During Adolescence

Abstract

Previous research suggests that school-based and electronic victimization have similar negative consequences, yet it is unclear whether these two contexts offer overlapping or unique associations with adolescents' adjustment. 802 ninth-graders (43% male, mean age = 15.84 years), majority being Caucasian (82%), completed measures assessing the prevalence of school and electronic victimization, as well as self-reports on self-esteem, self-efficacy, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and locus of control. Results revealed that the majority of adolescents did not report being victimized in either the electronic (75.3%) or the school (72.9%) context. Victimization in both contexts was associated with lower self-esteem and self-efficacy as well as higher stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and locus of control. Importantly, even after controlling for school-based victimization, electronic victimization remained as a significant predictor for all outcome measures. Different types of electronic victimization were also associated with different psychological outcomes. The findings suggest that it is important to distinguish between victimization contexts and specific adjustment outcomes as school and health officials continue to battle the effects of peer victimization.

Cyberbullying victimization prevalence and associations with internalizing and externalizing problems among adolescents in six European countries

“…This evidence for the concomitant occurrence of cyber victimization with both internalizing and externalizing problems is consistent with previous research, e.g. associating cyberbullying with depression (Didden et al, 2009;Ybarra, 2004), suicide ideation (Turner, Exum, Brame, & Holt, 2013), social anxiety (Fredstrom, Adams, & Gilman, 2011;Juvonen & Gross, 2008), and decreased levels of self-esteem (Didden et al, 2009;Katzer, 2009), as well as detachment, externalized hostility, and delinquency (Patchin & Hinduja, 2006;Sticca, Ruggieri, Alsaker, & Perren, 2013;Topçu, Erdur-Baker, & Capa-Aydin, 2008;Ybarra, 2004). Victims seem to internalize or externalize problems and are less likely to participate in pro-social activities and behaviors.…”

The mediating effect of depressive symptoms on the relationship between bullying victimization and non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents: Findings from community and inpatient mental health settings in Ontario, Canada

“…Bullying victimization is a major global public health problem among adolescents that has been linked to a number of behavioral and emotional problems including anxiety (Cohen and Kendall, 2015), depression (Cole et al, 2014;Hamilton et al, 2016), loneliness (Campbell, 2013;Murphy et al, 2015;Storch and Masia-Warner, 2004), social withdrawal (Dill et al, 2004;Runions and Shaw, 2013), low self-esteem (Fredstrom et al, 2011;Jones et al, 2014;Tsaousis, 2016), as well as poor psychosocial adjustment (Nansel et al, 2001). Various meta-analytic studies have also found support for the link between bullying victimization and the onset of depressive symptoms and internalizing problems (Reijntjes et al, 2010;Ttofi et al, 2014).…”

Internet and mental health of adolescents

“…Later research has confirmed this. Victimization is linked to lower self-esteem and self-efficacy and it also results in anxiety, higher stress, depressive symptoms, and locus of control (Fredstorm, Adams, & Gilman, 2011). In the Brown, Demaray, and Secord study (2014) it was found that the relations between cyber victimization and social emotional outcomes differed by gender such that for girls, cyber victimization was related to internalizing problems, depression, and social stress while relations were not found for boys.…”