Social Support Seeking in Relation to Parental Attachment and Peer Relationships Among Victims of Cyberbullying
Keywords
cyberbullying
parents
social support seeking
coping strategy
peer aggression
Publication details
| Year: | 2015 |
| DOI: | 10.1017/jgc.2015.1 |
| Issued: | 2015 |
| Language: | English |
| Volume: | 25 |
| Issue: | 2 |
| Start Page: | 170 |
| End Page: | 182 |
| Editors: | |
| Authors: | Ševčíková A.; Macháčková H.; Wright M.; Dědková L.; Černá A. |
| Type: | Journal article |
| Journal: | Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools |
| Publisher: | Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
| Topics: | Risks and harms; Social mediation; Wellbeing; Internet usage, practices and engagement |
| Sample: | A subsample of 451 cyber-victims (M age = 15.26; SD = 1.84; 68% girls). This subsample was extracted from data collected in winter 2011–2012 from 2,092 Czech children aged 12 through 18 (M = 15.1; SD = 1.86; 55% females). The sample came from 34 primary and secondary schools located in the South Moravian region of the Czech Republic. |
| Implications For Policy Makers About: | Other |
| Other PolicyMaker Implication: | Prevention and intervention programs |
| Implications For Stakeholders About: | Researchers |
Abstract
Victims use social support seeking (SSS) to buffer the negative effects of cyberbullying. It is unknown whether cyber-victims’ perceptions of harm and having poor peer and parental relationships influence SSS. Using a sample of 451 cyberbullying-victims, aged 12–18, 68% girls, this study examined relationships of gender, harm, peer rejection, parental attachment, offline victimisation and online aggression to SSS, and tested the interaction of harm with peer rejection and parental attachment. Findings from logistic regression revealed that poor parental attachment and higher peer rejection decreased SSS, and that the association between parental attachment and SSS was stronger among cyber-victims with higher harm. This study highlights the importance of assessing cyber-victims’ attachment and experiences with their peers when implementing preventative intervention programs.
Outcome
"Findings revealed that boys were less likely to seek social support and had lower perceived harm from cyberbullying than girls. However, boys were more likely to be rejected by peers and to engage in online aggression when compared to girls. Cyber-victims’ usage of the social support strategy was related positively to parental attachment and perceived harm, whereas it was associated negatively with peer rejection. Their parental attachment was correlated negatively with peer rejection and online aggression. Peer rejection was associated positively with online aggression and with offline victimisation. Cyber-victims’ perceived harm was related positively to offline victimisation and negatively to online
aggression." (Ševčíková et al., 2015, p. 176)