Differences between Preadolescent Victims and Non-Victims of Cyberbullying in Cyber-Relationship Motives and Coping Strategies for Handling Problems with Peers
Keywords
Cyberbullying
Bullying
Victimization
Preadolescents
Primary school children
Publication details
| Year: | 2016 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s12144-016-9495-2 |
| Issued: | 2016 |
| Language: | English |
| Volume: | 37 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| Start Page: | 116 |
| End Page: | 127 |
| Editors: | |
| Authors: | Navarro R.; Larrañaga E.; Yubero S. |
| Type: | Journal article |
| Journal: | Current Psychology |
| Publisher: | Springer Science and Business Media LLC |
| Topics: | Risks and harms; Wellbeing |
| Sample: | 1058 preadolescents aged 10–12 years. Participants were selected using a stratified sampling technique. Sampling units were compulsory primary education public schools in the region of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). |
| Implications For Parents About: | Parental practices / parental mediation |
| Implications For Educators About: | Other |
| Implications For Policy Makers About: | Creating a safe environment for children online |
| Implications For Stakeholders About: | Researchers |
Abstract
While preliminary research supports the association
of interpersonal difficulties with cyberbullying victimization
in adolescence, it remains unclear how cyber-relationship
motives and strategies for coping with stressful peer situations
in Breal settings^ differ between victims and non-victims of
cyberbullying. The purpose of this study was to verify whether
there are differences between groups of cyberbullying victims
(severe, occasional and non-victims) in regards to cyberrelationship
motives and coping strategies for handling problems
with peers among 1058 preadolescents aged 10–12 years.
The results show that cyberbullying victims use the Internet to
create new relationships, search for anonymity, escape the real
world and to compensate for their lack of social skills to a
greater extent than non-victims. Severe victims of
cyberbullying also use less effective strategies to handle problems
with peers than non-victims and occasional victims. The
results of this study represent a new stimulus to thoroughly
understand the psychological and behavioral factors associated
with cyberbullying victimization and to identify key recommendations
to develop more effective interventions and
prevent cyberbullying episodes.
Outcome
This study is unique in that it examines differences in cyberrelationship motives and coping strategies for handling problems with peers in different groups of cyberbullying victims
(severe, occasional and non-victims).
The results show that cyberbullying victims use the Internet to create new relationships, search for anonymity, escape the real world and to compensate for their lack of social skills to a greater extent than non-victims. Severe victims of cyberbullying also use less effective strategies to handle problems with peers than non-victims and occasional victims.