Cyberbullying Involvement of Adolescents with Low Vision Compared to Typical Adolescents, as Related to Perceived Social Support

This study examined adolescents with low vision (LV) compared to students without disabilities regarding their cyberbullying experiences, as related to perceived social support. Sample consisted of 407 students (61 with LV) who completed self-reported questionnaires. Findings revealed that students with LV are using the computer and the Internet as much as the typical students, but students with LV had less frequent Internet interactions with friends. Students with LV reported being more involved in cyberbullying as cyber victims, cyber perpetrators, cyber witnesses, knowing someone and telling their online experience to another, and having lower social support compared to students without disabilities. Students with LV are more willing to report and to share their online experiences with another person. The findings add to our knowledge about students’ experiences of cyberbullying and suggest implementing effective coping strategies programs to raise the awareness of cyberbullying risky behavior

The study (Heiman & Olenik-Shemesh, 2016) findings show that although most students with LV estimated their mastery of the Internet as good to excellent, like the adolescents without LV, they use more e-mails and fewer text messages whereas students without LV reported opposite results. Results also revealed that LV students more easily use e-mails because they can use computers’ accommodations (e.g., speakers or enlargement) and it is not as fast as instant message responses (text messaging) on mobile phones. In addition, adolescents with LV reported using fewer Internet applications such as games, music, and social networks than the youth without disabilities. These results indicate that adolescents with LV tend to be more involved and vulnerable, and reported a higher rate of cyber victimization, perpetration, and witnessing compared to their peers without disabilities. Moreover, findings show that students with LV reported a lower total score for level of social support, as well as regarding friends and others’ support, compared to students without disabilities. The research findings indicate that students with LV are more involved in cyberbullying, but on the other hand, they are more willing to report it and consult with another person, whereas fewer students without any disability tend to share their experience with others