Cyberbullying: Another main type of bullying?

TLDR

Cyberbullying has emerged as a new form of bullying and harassment, and its similarities and differences with traditional bullying are discussed. A survey of 360 Swedish adolescents (ages 12‑20) examined four cyberbullying categories—text, email, phone, picture/video—across age, gender, perceived impact, disclosure, and adult awareness. Cyberbullying was common in lower secondary schools but less so in sixth‑form colleges, with few gender differences; picture/video bullying had the most negative impact, and victims usually confided only in friends or not at all, leaving adults largely unaware.

Abstract

Cyberbullying has recently emerged as a new form of bullying and harassment. 360 adolescents (12-20 years), were surveyed to examine the nature and extent of cyberbullying in Swedish schools. Four categories of cyberbullying (by text message, email, phone call and picture/video clip) were examined in relation to age and gender, perceived impact, telling others, and perception of adults becoming aware of such bullying. There was a significant incidence of cyberbullying in lower secondary schools, less in sixth-form colleges. Gender differences were few. The impact of cyberbullying was perceived as highly negative for picture/video clip bullying. Cybervictims most often chose to either tell their friends or no one at all about the cyberbullying, so adults may not be aware of cyberbullying, and (apart from picture/video clip bullying) this is how it was perceived by pupils. Findings are discussed in relation to similarities and differences between cyberbullying and the more traditional forms of bullying.