Racial differences in cyberbullying from the perspective of victims and perpetrators.

Abstract

Although cyberbullying has attracted a good deal of research attention in recent years, we know much less about how cyberbullying differs by race and ethnicity, and the few studies that have examined this topic have yielded conflicting findings. In the current study, 352 White and Black respondents answered questions about their victimization and perpetration experiences with both traditional bullying and cyberbullying. More than 80% of both White and Black participants indicated that they had been victims of traditional bullying, and over 45% had been victims of cyberbullying at least once. Fewer reported perpetrating either type of bullying. Texting and social media were the most common forms of technology used by both White and Black respondents as well as the most common venues by which cyberbullying occurred. For all participants, cyberbullying victimization was associated with greater suicidal ideation, and traditional bullying victimization was related to higher loneliness, depression, and suicidal ideation. At higher frequencies of traditional bullying victimization, Black respondents reported higher loneliness than did White participants. Understanding patterns of technology use and experiences with cyberbullying victimization and perpetration will help to inform effective strategies for prevention and intervention. Public Policy Relevance StatementCyberbullying is a topic of public health concern because of high prevalence rates among victims, perpetrators, and witnesses. Understanding how these prevalence rates are moderated by demographic variables, such as race, and how they are related to traditional bullying prevalence helps inform prevention and intervention efforts.

Cyberbullying in a Multicultural Context—Forms, Strain, and Coping Related to Ethnicity-Based Cybervictimization

“…Looking at cybervictimization for specific and different motives provides a more differentiated picture as to whom and why is victimized online. These results contradict many of the research results from US samples (e.g., Wang et al, 2009;Kupczynski et al, 2013;Edwards et al, 2016;Barlett and Wright, 2018;Kowalski et al, 2020), but they are in line with a number of studies from Spain (Llorent et al, 2016;Rodríguez-Hidalgo et al, 2018;Zych and Llorent, 2021) where the ethnic composition is more similar to Germany. Similar to the results of Calmaestra et al (2020) first-generation students with migration background were the ones with the highest rates of cybervictimization regarding all motives.…”

“…One way to approach the topic of ethnicity-or race-based cyberbullying is to compare prevalence rates between different ethnic groups regarding victimization in general and to draw conclusion about the victimization of specific ethnic groups. In this line, a number of studies from the US showed that White adolescents seem to be exposed to cyberbullying more often than Asian, Black or Hispanic students (e.g., Wang et al, 2009;Kupczynski et al, 2013;Barlett and Wright, 2018;Kowalski et al, 2020). More comprehensive (narrative) literature reviews show similar results (e.g., Hamm et al, 2015;Edwards et al, 2016).…”

Adolescent bullying victimization and psychosomatic symptoms: Can relationship quality with fathers buffer this association?

“…Yet other studies have found no significant differences between White and African American adolescents in the prevalence of bullying victimization (Connell et al, 2015) and online bullying victimization (Kowalski et al, 2020).…”

Social Epidemiology of Early Adolescent Cyberbullying in the United States

“…12 With respect to race and ethnicity, a prior study of White and Black respondents observed similar cyberbullying victimization and perpetration behaviors. 13 Greater screen use is also associated with more cyberbullying since cyberbullying requires access to an electronic device. 14,15 However, there is a paucity of data on contemporary cyberbullying prevalence, also considering multiple sociodemographic characteristics, in US early adolescents, when cyberbullying behaviors may begin to develop.…”