Bullying in school and cyberspace: Associations with depressive symptoms in Swiss and Australian adolescents

TLDR

Cyber‑bullying is a new form that frequently co‑occurs with traditional bullying, affecting many adolescents. The study aimed to determine whether cyber‑bullying victimization has the same adverse effects on depressive symptoms as traditional bullying. Researchers surveyed 374 Swiss and 1,320 Australian students, using a bullying questionnaire and depressive symptom scales to assess associations between cyber and traditional bullying. Victims of both traditional and cyber bullying, especially cyber victims, exhibited higher depressive symptoms than bullies or non‑involved peers, indicating cyber victimization is an additional risk factor.

Abstract

Cyber-bullying (i.e., bullying via electronic means) has emerged as a new form of bullying that presents unique challenges to those victimised. Recent studies have demonstrated that there is a significant conceptual and practical overlap between both types of bullying such that most young people who are cyber-bullied also tend to be bullied by more traditional methods. Despite the overlap between traditional and cyber forms of bullying, it remains unclear if being a victim of cyber-bullying has the same negative consequences as being a victim of traditional bullying. The current study investigated associations between cyber versus traditional bullying and depressive symptoms in 374 and 1320 students from Switzerland and Australia respectively (52% female; Age: M = 13.8, SD = 1.0). All participants completed a bullying questionnaire (assessing perpetration and victimisation of traditional and cyber forms of bullying behaviour) in addition to scales on depressive symptoms. Across both samples, traditional victims and bully-victims reported more depressive symptoms than bullies and non-involved children. Importantly, victims of cyber-bullying reported significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms, even when controlling for the involvement in traditional bullying/victimisation. Overall, cyber-victimisation emerged as an additional risk factor for depressive symptoms in adolescents involved in bullying.