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J Youth Adolescence (2013) 42:685697 DOI 10.1007/s10964-013-9937-1
EMPIRICAL RESEARCH
Cyber Bullying and Internalizing Difculties: Above and Beyond the Impact of Traditional Forms of Bullying
Rina A. Bonanno Shelley Hymel
Received: 30 January 2013 / Accepted: 11 March 2013 / Published online: 20 March 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
Abstract Although recent research has demonstrated signicant links between involvement in cyber bullying and various internalizing difculties, there exists debate as to whether these links are independent of involvement in more traditional forms of bullying. The present study systematically examined the association between involvement in cyber bullying, as either a victim or a bully, and both depressive symptomatology and suicidal ideation. Self-report data were collected from 399 (57 % female) Canadian adolescents in grades 810 (mean age = 14.2 years, SD = .91 years). Results indicated that involvement in cyber bullying, as either a victim or a bully, uniquely contributed to the prediction of both depressive symptomatology and suicidal ideation, over and above the contribution of involvement in traditional forms of bullying (physical, verbal, relational). Given the ever increasing rate of accessibility to technology in both schools and homes, these nding underscore the importance of addressing cyber bullying, with respect to both research and intervention, as a unique phenomenon with equally unique
challenges for students, parents, school administrators and researchers alike.
Keywords Cyber bullying Cyber victimization
Depression Suicidal ideation
Introduction
During the last decade, a relatively new form of bullying has raised concerns among students, parents, teachers and school administratorscyber bullying, also referred to as electronic or Internet bullying. While a clear and agreed upon denition of the construct has yet to emerge (see Smith et al. 2013), cyber bullying is broadly dened as using electronic means to harm intentionally an intended target (victim). Although prevalence rates vary considerably across countries and measures (see Smith and Slonje 2010 for a review), from 1 % (Balding 2005, in the UK) to 62 % of youth reporting cyber victimization (Vandebosch and Van Cleemput 2009, in Belgium), cyber bullying is typically the least frequent form of bullying reported, relative to more traditional or face-to-face forms of bullying (e.g., Smith et al. 2008; Williams and Guerra 2007). Nevertheless, research has demonstrated signicant associations between cyber victimization and serious internalizing...