The Relationship between Cyberbullying and School Bullying

TLDR

Many children experience aggression with schoolmates, and modern communication enables cyberbullying via mobile phones and e‑mail. The study aimed to determine the relationship between school bullying and cyberbullying. A survey of 432 students in grades 7–9 across Canadian schools collected data on their bullying experiences. Students bullied online were also likely to bully online (r = 0.46) and be bullied at school (56 %); those bullied online only or both online and at school reported low marks, poor concentration, and absenteeism, showing that bullying inside or outside school adversely affects learning.

Abstract

Many children are likely to experience aggression in their relationships with schoolmates. With the advent of modern forms of communication, children are now able to harass their peers with mobile phones and e-mails, a behaviour known as cyberbullying. To determine the relationship between school bullying and cyberbullying, 432 students from grades 7â–9 in Canadian schools were surveyed about their experiences of bullying. The results indicated that students who were bullied in cyberspace were also likely to bully their peers in cyberspace (r = 0.46, p < 0.001) and be bullied at school (56%). In addition, students who were bullied in cyberspace only, and students bullied both in cyberspace and at school, experienced difficulties at school such as low marks, poor concentration, and absenteeism. These results suggest that bullying that occurs either at or outside school can have an impact on school learning.