Cyber-Bullying: A New Frontier for Bullying Prevention

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Cyber-BullyingA New Frontier for Bullying
Prevention

• Wendy Craig, Ph.D.,
• Department of Psychology,
• Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
• www.prevnet.ca
• Research funded by National Centres of
  Excellence, Canadian Institutes of Health
  Research, National Crime Prevention Strategy,
  Ontario Mental Health Foundation

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Electronic Bullying

• Electronic bullying is willful and repeated harm
  inflicted through the medium of electronic text.
• Harassment and bullying that takes place online
  or through other mobile devices. Sending cruel,
  vicious, and sometimes threatening messages. 
• Text message bullying
• Picture/video-clip bullying via mobile phone
  cameras
• Phone call bullying via mobile phone
• Email bullying
• Chat room bullying
• Bullying through instant messaging (IM)
• Bullying via websites.

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Access and Activities on the technology?

• Vast majority of students have a computer in
  their home and two thirds have 2 or more
  computers.
• Two thirds of the students spend 2 or more hours
  a day on a computer.
• 46 of students report that a computer is located
  in their bedroom.
• 2/3 of students communicate via the Internet with
  a friend once or more than once a day
• Web sites most frequently visited include
  entertainment sites (58), social networking
  sites (51), gaming sites (48) and sites for
  homework (43)
• Both boys and girls spend most of their time on
  the Internet instant messaging and listening to
  music.
• Girls spent more time than boys using the
  Internet for school research or for video
  chatting.
• One third of the students have given their
  passwords to a friend.
• Half of students have a cell phone.
• 54 of students talk on cell phone once a day or
  more.
• 38 of students text message once a day or more.

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Percentage of students who were victimized at
least once or twice during the term
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What happens online?
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How do students feel when they have been
cyber-bullied?
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Effects of Cyber-Bullying

• It makes me feel depressed a lot- it affected me
  for 3-4 years. I hated being cyber-bullied. I
  would just come home and cry. It really hurt. I
  wanted to move to a new town.
• A 16 year old girl.
• Teens report that in 77 of the cases the
  cyberbully is someone they know.
• Unique effects over and above real world
  bullying.

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The Impact of Being Victimized by Cyber-bullying

• Youth who report victimization through electronic
  bullying are more likely to report depressive
  symptomology.
• Adolescents who have been bullied electronically
  are eight times more likely to have reported
  carrying a weapon to school.
• Adolescents who have been bullied electronically
  are more likely to report detentions,
  suspensions, receiving a failing grade, and
  skipping school in the previous year.

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The Role of Adults

• Over 50 of youth who are victimized by
  electronic bullying don't inform any adults and
  less than 35 report that they would inform
  adults if/when they knew about someone else being
  electronically bullied.
• Female youth are more likely than male youth to
  inform adults.
• 64 of students believe that adults in schools
  try to stop electronic bullying when they are
  informed of incidents.
• Students are more likely to report cyber-bullying
  to parents than teachers, especially if the
  bullying is threatening in nature.
• Students are unlikely to report because it
  frequently occurs through cell phones and it is
  against the school policy to have cell phones on
  during school hours.
• Students are reluctant to report to parents for
  fear of losing online privileges as a consequence.

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How do students respond to cyber-bullying?
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The effect of electronic bullying others

• 32 of youth who bully others electronically
  report frequent substance use, compared to 10 of
  youth not involved in electronic bullying.
• More likely to exhibit rule-breaking behaviours,
  delinquency, and to engage in aggressive
  behaviour.
• Electronic bullying perpetration is associated
  with involvement with traditional forms of
  bullying, delinquent peers, propensity to respond
  to stimuli with anger, and poor emotional bonds
  with caregivers.

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Who is doing the cyber-bullying?
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How are peers involved?
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Cyber-bullying is Devastating

• Occurs in children's home where children feel
  most safe.
• Can be harsher because they can't see reaction. 
• Not constrained by physical location and far
  reaching.
• Virtually anonymous adds to insecurity.
• Inescapable -allow individuals to contact others
  at all times and in almost all places.

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Why do students engage in Electronic bullying?

• Can be done anonymously.
• Interactive world away from adult knowledge and
  supervision and remain undetected.
• No tangible feedback about hurtfulness of
  actions
• Wide audience with devastating speed.
• The difficult detection of cyber-bullying due to
  a lack of awareness.
• Few teachers are aware that students are in fact
  being harassed through electronic communication
  but peers are.
• Can aggress against authority
• Happens to teachers (84).

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Views of Internet Safety

• Parents discussed Internet safety with children
  almost 100 time.
• 88 feel they know some or a lot of what child
  does online.
• 66 of time parents feel they can protect their
  child from what is on Internet.
• 33 of parents are concerned about how much time
  child spends on Internet.
• 74 of parents have set limits on time children
  use the Internet.
• 83 of parents feels their child follows their
  rules concerning the Internet.
• Students report that two thirds of parents dont
  supervise students Internet use.

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What Can be Done to Address Electronic Forms of
Bullying?
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Education and Training

• Adults responsible for children and youth require
  knowledge about electronic bullying in its many
  forms.
• Need education to help them identify and respond
  appropriately to incidents of electronic
  bullying.
• Need to learn about the sites children and youth
  visit on the Internet and how to use this
  technology.
• Involving youth in developing the training may be
  critical, as they are the experts and know about
  the extent and complexity of the electronic
  bullying problem.

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Assessment and Evaluation

• Because electronic bullying is covert, adults may
  under-estimate the number of youth involved in
  and affected by electronic bullying.
• A student survey focused on the various forms of
  electronic bullying will reveal trends that will
  help in prevention and intervention efforts, as
  well as in developing policies.

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Prevention and Intervention

• Prevention strategies should begin before it
  peaks in middle school.
• Reduction of harm approach
• Students can use technology in prosocial and
  beneficial manner but need education on
  net-etiquette and safety.
• Adults need to make it clear that online and cell
  phone privileges will not be revoked if
  electronic bullying is reported.
• Electronic bullying is a relatively new
  phenomenon, more work needs to be conducted in
  order to create and evaluate intervention and
  prevention programs.

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Prevention and Intervention

• The continuity between the two contexts of
  bullying (i.e., traditional and electronic),
  suggests that supporting youth who are bullied
  and/or victimized in traditional ways, will
  likely also be addressing electronically.
• Many traditional Bullying Prevention programs do
  not address electronic bullying. But, by
  implementing these prevention programs it will
  reduce electronic bullying.
• Prevention needs to teach appropriate cyber
  behaviour net -etiquette and take a harm
  reduction approach because they are going to use
  the Internet.
• It is challenging for schools to address because
  electronic bullying may not occur on school
  property but influences climate therefore
  warrants action and requires co-ordination with
  parents.
• Interventions need to be comprehensive,
  appropriate, and have timely responses (web
  support).

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Prevention and Intervention

• Intervention need to involve the peer group since
  adults often do not know it is occurring
• Intervention should also
• Be consistent with a progressive discipline
  approach,
• Relate to Progressive Discipline Policy,
• Allow students to report bullying safely and
  minimize the reprisal,
• Define the responsibilities, roles, and
  responsibilities of the principal, teachers,
  parents, and students,
• Focus on education and cyber-proofing,
• Development of education materials,
• Comprehensive update, education for all
  stakeholders, and Agreements for internet use.
• Cyber-proofing in the curriculum should be
  included in the curriculum.

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What Adults Can Do to Create Positive Internet
Experiences

• Learn about the Internet and what children are
  using it for.
• With youth input, create a family online
  agreement.
• Guidelines on proper online conduct, safeguarding
  personal information, what areas and activities
  are off-limits, and what to do if they encounter
  a situation that makes them feel uncomfortable or
  scared.
• Accompany children online as they learn their way
  around.
• Create your own list of great sites.

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Create Safe Internet Experiences

• Teach children to never give out personal
  information.
• Never give out their name, email address, street
  address, phone number or picture without your
  permission in any cyber-environment (chat rooms,
  e-mail, Web sites, instant messaging,
  file-sharing networks, online games).
• Encourage good Netiquette.
• Informal code of conduct for the Internet.
• Never engage in illegal activity (i.e., inciting
  hatred, reading other people's mail, or copying
  someone else's software or online work).
• Treat others online as you would like to be
  treated.
• Encourage an open dialogue regarding Internet
  conduct.
• Put your connected computer in a well-used area
  of home.
• Explore technological tools to filter content and
  control Internet access
• Talk to Internet Service Provider about tools.
• Visit a computer store to find filtering and
  blocking software you can install.
• Adult supervision and involvement are critical.

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If Electronic Bullying Occurs

• Support the child and let them know that it is
  adults responsibility to keep them safe and that
  what has happened is not right.
• Monitor and find out what happened and if it has
  stopped.
• Keep a record. Print the e-mails, or the chat
  room history, or save the phone message.
• Report to the school or the Internet provider, or
  in extreme cases the police.
• Don't reply to abusive or worrying text or video
  messages.

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Policy

• Establish clear policies regarding
  cyber-bullying, not only at school but in all
  contexts where it might occur.
• Policies need to define cyber-bullying and
  appropriate cyber-conduct.
• Policies need to be developed by adults in
  collaboration with children and youth.
• Policies need to recognize that although
  electronic bullying may not occur on the school
  grounds, the negative effects associated with
  electronic bullying will influence the school
  climate.

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Challenges of Addressing Cyber-bullying

• Depends on students to report, often adults do
  not know.
• Not on school property but impact is for student
  who is victimized and at school climate level.
• Students knowledge of technology.
• May rely on external partners to address.

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Take Home Message

• Electronic bullying is here to stay,
• Requires collaboration and partnerships.
• Ongoing training to match changing technology.
• Understanding of phenomena lags the problem.

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More resources at www.prevnet.ca