Cyberbullying: 1 in 5 kids in UM study say they were victims. Here’s what to do about it

Bullying is now acknowledged as a major problem and the media is regularly covering death by suicide in children and adolescents who are bullying victims. Although schools are attempting to take action to reduce bullying, it’s still happening and still dangerous.

An additional thing to consider is cyberbullying, defined as bullying that occurs through online activities such as social media. Cyberbullying can happen in many different forms, but internet-based bullying has some factors that differentiate it from regular bullying.

Its reach is wide. If someone has an account on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, abusive bullying comments can be distributed to what seems like the whole world.

It is persistent. Negative images and comments are posted and forwarded. When bullying comments “go viral,” they are not only widely spread but preserved on the recipients’ devices even if the original post is taken down.

There is no question that cyberbullying has the potential for extreme negative consequences. However, how common is it? Who is likely to be a victim? What are the consequences of being cyberbullied?

A team of University of Miami Health System researchers recently completed a study of 50 adolescents who were admitted for inpatient psychiatric care. We asked them all if they had been cyberbullied, with what online platforms, and examined the consequences. We learned a few important things about cyberbullying.

Despite previous estimates of cyberbullying that ranged up to 35% of children and adolescents with an online presence, we found that 20% of people in the study had been cyberbullied.

The level of access to the internet in the study was very high with 96% of the participants having cell phone internet access and accessing the internet on a daily basis. Those who were bullied and those who were not differ in total time on the internet or in the types of internet activity.

Of those who were bullied, 50% were bullied by text messages, 50% were bullied on Facebook, 40% by transmitted pictures or videos, 20% on Instagram, 20% by instant messages, and only 10% in chat rooms. So, internet access alone does not seem to increase risk for being cyberbullied, and there is no specific site or activity to avoid.

In terms of who are the most likely victims, we found that adolescents who were cyberbullied were more likely to have a history of previous emotional abuse than those who were not. However, sexual abuse and physical abuse did not predict being cyberbullied. Racial, ethnic, and insurance (Medicaid vs. Private) status was not associated with victimization.

In terms of consequences, cyberbullying victims had higher symptoms of PTSD and depression than those who were not cyberbullying victims, keeping in mind that the nonbullied cases had elevations on these symptoms.

Cyberbullying is not common, but it has a clear negative impact. If you are being cyberbullied, ask “Am I sending out some kind of signal?” It could be what you post or how you respond to posts on your profile.

For professionals: If someone is being cyberbullied, do a careful assessment of other bullying or negative experiences. Parents, banning internet access is not the solution. Most cyberbullying victims had been bullied in other ways. Careful use, blocking creepy people, and reposting offenders will help all of us address this problem.

Philip D. Harvey, Ph.D. is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. To obtain a copy of the University of Miami Modified Cyberbullying Questionnaire, pharvey@med.miami.edu. The questionnaire can be used by clinicians and parents and takes only a few minutes to complete.

This story was originally published February 7, 2020 at 4:41 PM.