Involvement in traditional and electronic bullying among adolescents.

TLDR

The rise of internet and cell phone use has created new avenues for adolescent bullying, with electronic bullying posing a threat to social and emotional development. This study examined the relationship between involvement in electronic and traditional bullying. Eighty-four adolescents completed questionnaires regarding their involvement in traditional and electronic bullying. Students who were bullies or victims in traditional settings were similarly involved in electronic bullying, with victims of online bullying also tending to bully at school, while traditional victims did not become electronic bullies; the study also discusses perceptions of electronic bullying’s effects and motivations.

Abstract

The increasing availability of Internet and cell phones has provided new avenues through which adolescents can bully. Electronic bullying is a new form of bullying that may threaten adolescent social and emotional development. In this study the relation between involvement in electronic and traditional bullying was examined. Eighty-four adolescents completed questionnaires regarding their involvement in traditional and electronic bullying. Results show that students' roles in traditional bullying predicted the same role in electronic bullying. Also, being a victim of bullying on the Internet or via text messages was related to being a bully at school. Traditional victims were not found to be electronic bullies. Perceptions of the effects of and motivations for electronic bullying are discussed.