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Cyberbullying in cyprus-Associated parenting style and psychopathology

DOI:10.3233/978-1-61499-282-0-85
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Georgios D Floros at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Georgios D Floros
Anna Paradeisioti at Ministry of Health, Cyprus
Anna Paradeisioti
Michalis Hadjimarcou
Michalis Hadjimarcou
Michalis Hadjimarcou
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Demetrios Mappouras at Ministry of Education and Culture, Cyprus
Demetrios Mappouras
  • Ministry of Education and Culture, Cyprus
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Abstract and Figures

In this paper we present data from a cross-sectional study on cyberbullying experiences and cyberbullying perpetration in the Republic of Cyprus. Data were collected from a representative sample of the adolescent student population of the first and fourth grades of high school. Total sample was 2684 students, 48.5% of them male and 51.5% female. Research material included extended demographics, a detailed questionnaire on Internet activities, the Parental Bonding Index (PBI) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We compared the results on psychometry for those students who did not report being bullied or having bullied others with those who were bullied, those who bullied others and those who were both sufferers and perpetrators of cyberbullying. Those students who reported being both victims and perpetrators tended to show similar or higher dysfunction than those students who only perpetrated cyberbullying. High maternal and paternal protection in combination with low maternal and paternal care ('affectionless control' parenting style) was associated with perpetrating cyberbullying, either with or without any experience of oneself being bullied as well. Results support a hypothesis that the perpetration of cyberbullying is associated with inefficient parenting styles. They also point to the existence of significant emotional symptoms for the involved adolescents and also general conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems and antisocial tendencies. It is important to note that perpetrators of cyberbullying were in most cases victims themselves at some point in time.
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Cyberbullying In Cyprus – Associated
Parenting Style and Psychopathology
Georgios FLOROS
1
, Anna PARADEISIOTI
2
, Michalis HADJIMARCOU
3
, Demetrios
G. MAPPOURAS
3
, Olga KALAKOUTA
4
, Penelope AVAGIANOU
1
, Konstantinos
SIOMOS
1
1
Hellenic Association for the Study of Internet Addiction Disorder, Larissa, Greece
2
Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents, Cyprus Ministry of Health
3
Inspectorate of Biology, Secondary Education, Cyprus Ministry of Education and
Culture
4
European Coordination Sector, Cyprus Ministry of Health
Abstract. In this paper we present data from a cross-sectional study on
cyberbullying experiences and cyberbullying perpetration in the Republic of
Cyprus. Data were collected from a representative sample of the adolescent
student population of the first and fourth grades of high school. Total sample was
2684 students, 48.5% of them male and 51.5% female. Research material included
extended demographics, a detailed questionnaire on Internet activities, the Parental
Bonding Index (PBI) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We
compared the results on psychometry for those students who did not report being
bullied or having bullied others with those who were bullied, those who bullied
others and those who were both sufferers and perpetrators of cyberbullying. Those
students who reported being both victims and perpetrators tended to show similar
or higher dysfunction than those students who only perpetrated cyberbullying.
High maternal and paternal protection in combination with low maternal and
paternal care (‘affectionless control’ parenting style) was associated with
perpetrating cyberbullying, either with or without any experience of oneself being
bullied as well. Results support a hypothesis that the perpetration of cyberbullying
is associated with inefficient parenting styles. They also point to the existence of
significant emotional symptoms for the involved adolescents and also general
conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems and antisocial tendencies. It is
important to note that perpetrators of cyberbullying were in most cases victims
themselves at some point in time.
Keywords: Cyberbullying, adolescents, parenting style, psychopathology
Introduction
An increasing number of cases of cyberbullying and online victimization have been
reported worldwide with victims reportedly suffering with increased mental distress,
decreased socialization and failure to achieve at school [1, 2]. Inefficient parenting has
been implicated in a recent survey as a possible mediating factor in cyberbullying
perpetration [3]. It is unclear to what degree those who perpetrate cyberbullying and
those who fall victims to it differ with regards to reported difficulties and
psychopathology; this holds even more for those adolescents who are both victims and
Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine 2013
B.K. Wiederhold and G. Riva (Eds.)
IOS Press, 2013
© 2013 Interactive Media Institute and IOS Press. All rights reserved.
doi:10.3233/978-1-61499-282-0-85
85
perpetrators. The Republic of Cyprus is at the present time mostly inhabited by
Cypriots of ethnic Greek origin, following the 1974 invasion of the island and
subsequent division along ethnic lines. Greek high school student populations in
mainland Greece have been recently demonstrated as being at a high risk with regards
to falling victims to cyberbullying but also being perpetrators of cyberbullying [3].
After those results from mainland Greece, a decision was made from the Cypriot
Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Culture to investigate the impact
of cyberbullying in Cyprus with a research program, in cooperation with the Hellenic
Association for the Study of Internet Addiction Disorder. This was decided to be a part
of a wider program on online addictive behaviors. In order to have an accurate picture
of the problem in each area of Cyprus and achieve our stated goals, we proceeded with
a study with a student sample representative of the entire student population. This is the
first published report from the island of Cyprus on cyberbullying.
1. Method
The research sample was drawn nationwide to be representative of the first and fourth
grades of the Cypriot high schools. Research material included extended demographics,
a detailed questionnaire on Internet activities, and the Greek versions of the Parental
Bonding Index (PBI) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The PBI
consists of 25 items rated on a four-item Likert scale with separate questionnaires for
father and mother. Two factors are extracted, Care with one pole defined by empathy,
closeness, emotional warmth, affection and another by neglect, indifference and
emotional coldness. Overprotection, ranging from overprotection, intrusion, excessive
contact, control and prevention of independent behavior to autonomy and allowance of
independence. The SDQ is a brief behavioral screening questionnaire for children and
adolescents ages 4 - 16 years old. The Greek versions of the PBI and the SDQ were
backtranslated into English and possess satisfactory test-retest reliability and internal
consistency [4] [5].
2. Results
Our research sample consisted of 2684 teen students between 12 and 18 years of age,
1302 (48.5%) of them male and 1382 (51.5%) female. Group frequencies on the type of
bullying experience a student had (none, victim, perpetrator or both) across the genders
are presented in Table 1. Female students were more likely to have fallen victims to
cyberbullying, less likely to have perpetrated cyberbullying and less likely to have been
both victims and perpetrators (p<.001) with a large effect size (eta, η) of .223
G. Floros et al. / Cyberbullying in Cyprus – Associated Parenting Style and Psychopathology86
Table 1. Types of cyberbullying experiences across the genders with between-gender comparison.
Bullying experience
Gender
Male Female Totals
None 965 (74.1%) 1017 (73.6%) 1982 (73.8%)
Victim 101 (7.8%) 264 (19.1%) 365 (13.6%)
Bull
y
92
(
7.1%
)
23
(
1.7%
)
115
(
4.3%
)
Victim and Bull
y
144
(
11.1%
)
78
(
5.6%
)
222
(
8.3%
)
Comparison between (sex) χ
2
(3)=132.911, p<.001, η=.223
Each student was asked a series of questions regarding the type of bullying
behavior. Results are presented in Table 2. Included in this table are also comparisons
between the sexes on each item. Those results are similar to those obtained in a survey
which employed the exact same questions in the Greek island of Kos, two years earlier
[3] although effect sizes (etas) for the gender differences tend to be lower. We
compared the results on psychometry for those students who did not report being
bullied or having bullied others with those who were bullied, those who bullied others
and those who were both sufferers and perpetrators of cyberbullying. ANOVA testing
of groups with different cyberbullying experiences (not being victimized, having being
bullied, baving bullied others and having being both bullied and a bully) showed that
bullied students showed significantly more dysfunction than those who were not, while
those students who reported being both victims and perpetrators tended to show similar
or higher dysfunction than those students who only perpetrated cyberbullying. This was
evident in the analyses of all related SDQ factors, namely Emotional Symptoms Scale ,
Conduct Problem Scale, Hyperactivity Scale, Hyperactivity Scale, Prosocial scale,
Total Difficulties, Summary score, Impact score (p<.001). High maternal and paternal
protection in combination with low maternal and paternal care (‘affectionless control’
parenting style) was associated with perpetrating cyberbullying, either with or without
any experience of oneself being bullied as well (p<.05) (Figure 1). Results support a
hypothesis that the perpetration of cyberbullying is associated with inefficient
parenting styles. They also point to the existence of significant emotional symptoms for
the involved adolescents and also general conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer
problems and antisocial tendencies. It is important to note that perpetrators of
cyberbullying were in most cases (Table 1) victims themselves at some point in time.
Unfortunately there wasn’t a practical way to query the participants of this survey as to
what came first, being bullied or bullying others, yet this fact is in itself alarming either
way; either the adolescent bullied first and likely provoked a response, or he/she
responded in kind after having been bullied himself/herself.
Following these findings, our research group formulated the following priorities in
the prevention and intervention program: The first priority would be to educate the
students in what ways cyberbullying can be hurtful to others. Contrary to more
common forms of bullying, cyberbullying follows the victim for an indefinite period of
time even if the perpetrator expresses remorse; it is much harder to take down offensive
online content than uploading it. Furthermore, online socialization has become in its
own right an important part of normal adolescent behaviors and being ‘digitally’
excluded can be crippling for the fragile adolescent self-esteem. Adolescents may
impulsively write a post on an Internet board or upload a photograph without realizing
that their intention to provoke a laugh may inflict psychic pain. Role-play during class
can help place anyone into the shoes of the victim, and help understand what it feels to
be discriminated and marginalized. Another priority is to make it easier for the
G. Floros et al. / Cyberbullying in Cyprus – Associated Parenting Style and Psychopathology 87
adolescent to come forward whenever such an incident took place rather than take it
upon himself to retaliate and prolong a vicious circle. This includes educating parents
so as to not overreact and blame the victim for being targeted thus making it harder to
confide in them. It also includes having a technology-savvy teacher in each school
designated as a contact person for cases of cyberbullying whom a student could reach
either anonymously or in person, knowing that specialized support is available. Finally
cyberbullying can be a useful social example for adolescents of placing your need for
justice to the hands of authorities rather than avenging with the same means used
against you; fairness, solving interpersonal problems directly rather than plotting
schemes and adequate behavioral self-control are essential for integration into society.
Table 2. Cyberbullying experiences for victims and perpetrators with comparisons between the sexes.
Havin
g
been bullied Havin
g
bullied others
Answer Male Female Totals Male Female Totals
Yes
245
(18.8%)
342
(24.7%)
587 (21.9%) 97 (7.5%) 62 (4.5%) 159 (5.9%)
No
1057
(
81.2%
)
1040
(
75.3%
)
2097 (78.1%)
1205
92.5%
1320 (95.5%)
2525
(
94.1%
)
Comparison χ
2
(1)=13.795 p<.001.η=.072 χ
2
(1)=10.567 p=.001.η=.063
Offensive remarks from someone I
knew
Offended someone I knew
Yes
118
(9.1%)
132
(9.6%)
250 (9.3%)
108
(10.7%)
43 (4.5%) 151 (7.7%)
No
1184
(
90.9%
)
1250
(
90.4%
)
2434 (90.7%)
903
89.3%
905 (95.5%)
1808
(
92.3%
)
Comparison χ
2
(1)=.089 p=NS, ,η=.008 χ
2
(1)=25.983, p<.001,η=.115
Offensive remarks from unknown Offended someone who didn’t know
Yes
60
(4.6%)
95
(6.9%)
155 (5.8%) 56 (4.3%) 18 (1.3%) 74 (2.8%)
No
1242
(
95.4%
)
1287
(
93.1%
)
2529 (94.2%)
1246
95.7%
1364 (98.7%)
2610
(
97.2%
)
Comparison χ
2
(1)=6.325, p=.012,η=.049 χ
2
(1)=22.484, p<.001,η=.092
Unsolicited erotic advances from
someone I knew
Solicited erotic advances from someone I
knew offline
Yes
22
(
1.7%
)
40
(
2.9%
)
62 (2.3%) 36 (2.8%) 5 (0.4%) 41 (1.5%)
No
1280
(98.3%)
1342
(97.1%)
2622 (97.7%)
1266
(97.2%)
1377 (99.6%)
2643
(98.5%)
Com
p
arison
χ
2
(
1
)
=4.311,
p
=.04, ,
η
=.04
χ
2
(
1
)
=25.739,
p
<.001,
η
=.098
Received unprovoked erotic
advances from online acquaintance
Made unprovoked erotic advances to
someone I only knew online
Yes
34
(
2.6%
)
109
(
7.9%
)
143 (5.3%) 38 (2.9%) 5 (0.4%) 43 (1.6%)
No
1268
(97.4%)
1273
(92.1%)
2541 (94.7%)
1264
(97.1%)
1377 (99.6%)
2641
(98.4%)
Com
p
arison
χ
2
(
1
)
=36.994
p
<.001,
η
=.117
χ
2
(
1
)
=27.801,
p
<.001,
η
=.102
I was bullied in another manner I bullied in another manner
Yes
17
(
1.3%
)
33
(
2.4%
)
50 (1.9%) 16 (1.2%) 6 (0.4%) 22 (0.8%)
No
1285
(
98.7%
)
1349
(
97.6%
)
2634 (98.1%)
1286
98.8%
1376 (99.6%)
2662
(
99.2%
)
Com
p
arison
χ
2
(
1
)
=4.294,
p
=.038, ,
η
=.04
χ
2
(
1
)
=5.208,
p
=.022,
η
=.044
G. Floros et al. / Cyberbullying in Cyprus – Associated Parenting Style and Psychopathology88
Figure 1. Graphical representation of mean values of parental bonding factors across all types of bullying
experiences
3. Conclusion
Cyberbullying is a two-faced construct; those who perpetrate it may have been victims
themselves before and vice-versa. Since electronic means for bullying offer an
asymmetry of force, they may be reciprocally employed by those targeted in the first
place. Stopping this vicious circle is essential in any preventive effort. The negative
consequences in an adolescent associated with cyberbullying are grave and there’s also
a need to broaden the scope with a renewed push for better parenting practices as well.
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G. Floros et al. / Cyberbullying in Cyprus – Associated Parenting Style and Psychopathology 89
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... When it comes to perpetrating cyberbullying, deficiencies or avoidance of communication between the child and the parents or the family in general are associated with the child's tendency for perpetrating cyberbullying (Floros et al., 2013). As with traditional forms of peer violence, authoritarian parenting style is associated with the commission of cyberbullying (Floros et al., 2013). Furthermore, it was shown that frequent punishment or excessive indulgence of parents are correlated with perpetration, but also exposure to cyberbullying (Velki & Kuterovac Jagodić, 2014). ...
... While an authoritarian parenting style proved to be an important predictor of perpetrating traditional peer violence and cyberbullying (Georgiou et al., 2013, Floros et al., 2013 Considering school and peer factors, children who are perpetrating traditional peer violence and cyberbullying have lower academic achievement (Bradshaw et al., 2013, Kowalski & Limber, 2013, poorer school affection (Alika, 2012, Kowalski & Limber, 2013 and friends who encourage aggressive behaviour (Velki & Vrdoljak, 2013, Festl et al., 2013. Children with poorer quality of relationships with friends are at risk of peer victimization (Slonje & Smith, 2008). ...
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Full-text available
  • May 2017
Bullying is defined as repeated aggressive behavior (Kowalski & Limber, 2007; Olweus, 1993, and as such has been recognized as a significant social issue. Furthermore, we know that the incidence of bullying behaviors increases with the students’ age (Cassidy, Jackson & Brown, 2009; Green-Forde, 2014; Kowalski & Limber, 2007). Cyber bullying, electronic/ online bullying, or online social cruelty is, according to Kowalski & Limber (2007), a relatively new kind of bullying through email, instant messaging, chat room exchanges, digital messages etc. (Kowalski et al, 2012). The goal of this paper is to give an overview of epidemiological studies and effective cyberbullying prevention aimed at children and adolescents. Some authors state that a student is cyberbullied if it happens two or three times a month, while others suggest that a frequency of once or twice a month is sufficient for the existence of the phenomenon (Olweus, 2012a; Hinduja & Patchin, 2012; Menesini, 2012; Kowalski & Limber, 2007). This difference between these threshold is what accounts for the discrepancies found in the data and results of various studies. Thus, we may talk about 4,5% to 24% of cyberbullied children, as in various international studies. Croatian data are similar, with 4,9 % to 29% of cyberbullied students, depending of the definition (Child Protection Center Zagreb, 2013; Zadravec et al., 2014.; Pregrad et al., 2011). The physical and psychological health, and academic performance in the context of bullying and cyberbullying are sometimes similar (Kowalski & Limber, 2013). Social cognitive theory and media effects model are a theoretical framework used to identify main categories which could explain cyberbullying, noting the following: individual factors, family, school, peers and media (Felson, 1996). Cyberbullying behaviors are connected to perception problems, hyperactivity, anger, aggression, problems of behavior control, low sociability, feeling of revenge and feeling unsecure at school (Sourander et al., 2010; Nixon, 2014). School-based intervention/ prevention programs for traditional bullying are often successful and could be used in modified forms for cyberbullying prevention programs (Ttofi & Farrington, 2011 in Slonje, Smith & Frisen, 2013). In Croatia, several preventive programs are being implemented, aimed at bullying in schools, designed for implementation in local communities and financed by local governments or the national administration (Zadravec et al., 2014). These cyberbullying programs are still not, though they should be, part of some broader anti-bullying programs. The aim of conducting effective preventive programs, including cyberbullying interventions, is to decrease bullying and cyberbullying in schools and improve the school climate. The goal is also to reduce students’ hyperactivity, anger, aggression and problems of behavior control and initiate better self-efficacy.
... In relation to victimization, 5 (33%) studies reported a positive associa- tion, 5 (34%) of studies reported a non significant association and 5 (33%) studies a negative association. The variables considered were: parental overprotection (e.g., Floros, Paradeisioti, et al., 2013;Floros, Siomos, Fisoun, Dafouli, & Geroukalis, 2013;Georgiou, 2008;Hokoda, Lu, & Angeles, 2006;Mohebbi, Mirnasab, & Wiener, 2016), low au- tonomy and permissive parenting (e.g., Ayas, 2012, Alizadeh Maralani et al., 2016Fousiani et al., 2016;Garaigordobil & Machimbarrena, 2017;G?mez-Ortiz et al., 2014;Idsoe et al., 2008;Luk et al., 2016;. Overall the risk role of overprotection for bullying and victimization is not clear. ...
Parents, family characteristics and bullying behavior: A systematic review
Article
The review investigates the role played by contextual family processes, relational processes and parental individual processes on bullying and victimization. A systematic review has been conducted in five databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PubMed, ERIC) from 1970 through November 2017. Finally, 154 studies were reviewed differentiating among the three levels of family processes. The majority of the studies addressed single or multiple variables at the same level of analysis. Only 25% of studies focused on the interplay between different levels of family functioning. Our review finds evidence about the role of contextual family variables (parental mental health and domestic violence) and of relational family variables (in particular child abuse and neglect, maladaptive parenting, communication, parental involvement and support). A lower and more controversial evidence has been showed about the role of individual parental variables such as parental self-efficacy, parental attitudes toward victimization and parental knowledge about bullying.
... This result may be explained by the studies that have reported significant associations of different personality disorders with different negative factors that may lead to CBP such as violent behavior (Garofalo and Wright 2017;Howard 2015;Ostrowsky 2010), emotional impulsiveness (Howard and Khalifa 2016), neuroticism, disagreeableness (Watson 1998), antagonism, psychoticism (Hopwood et al. 2013), aggression, anger, hostility (Velotti et al. 2016), and higher risk of psychological violence (Ten Have et al. 2014). Recent studies also demonstrate that cyberbullying is associated with psychopathological traits (Aboujaoude et al. 2015;Floros et al. 2013;Kokkinos et al. 2014), and the dark triad (Baughman et al. 2012;Goodboy and Martin 2015). These kinds of dysfunctions in personality and various symptoms of personality disorders may lead students to engage in problematic relationships in virtual platforms. ...
Childhood Emotional Trauma and Cyberbullying Perpetration Among Emerging Adults: A Multiple Mediation Model of the Role of Problematic Social Media Use and Psychopathology
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Full-text available
Research suggests that a small minority of social media users experience problems as a result of their online use. The purpose of the present study was to examine the association of cyberbullying perpetration and problematic social media use with childhood emotional trauma, Cluster B (narcissistic, histrionic, antisocial, and borderline) personality traits, dissociative experiences (DEs), depression, and self-esteem in a nonclinical undergraduate sample. A total of 344 university students volunteered to complete a questionnaire that included measures on the aforementioned dimensions. Thirty-eight percent of the participants had emotional neglect and 27% had emotional abuse, while 44% of them demonstrated at least one cyberbullying perpetration behavior. Results indicated that cyberbullying perpetrators had higher scores on problematic social media use, dissociative experiences, Cluster B traits, depression and childhood emotional trauma, and lower on self-esteem. Path analysis demonstrated that, while adjusting for gender and age, childhood emotional trauma was directly and indirectly associated with cyberbullying perpetration via Cluster B traits. Moreover, depression and dissociation were directly associated with problematic social media use. The findings of this study emphasize the important direct role of childhood emotional trauma and pathological personality traits on cyberbullying perpetration.
Parental Responsibility, Blameworthiness, and Bullying: Parenting Style and Adolescents’ Experiences With Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying
Article
Parents are deemed morally—and, increasingly, legally—responsible for their children’s misbehavior, and their parental aptitude is questioned if their children are victimized. Parental responsibility laws and blameworthiness extend to common occurrences like bullying. Literature broadly supports these principles for some offenses through findings that effective parenting styles are associated with improved adolescent outcomes, but evidence about the relationship between parenting styles and bullying is underdeveloped and inconclusive. To study the relationship between parenting styles and traditional bullying and cyberbullying offending and victimization, data were collected from a sample of 435 Canadian middle and high school students. The results suggest that parenting styles are not associated with traditional bullying offending or victimization; however, neglectful parenting was associated with cyberbullying offending and indulgent parenting was associated with cyberbullying victimization. These findings suggest that the demandingness dimension of parenting, which is characterized by rule setting and monitoring, is important for cyberbullying prevention.
Cyberbullying Victimization and Perpetration, Connectedness, and Monitoring of Online Activities: Protection from Parental Figures
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2018
Cyberbullying victimization and perpetration are associated with poor mental health outcomes for adolescents, including depressive symptoms, anxiety, and suicide ideation. Although most cyberbullying occurs at home, few interventions have been developed for parents of adolescents. We examined parental connectedness and parental online monitoring in relation to cyberbullying victimization and perpetration, with the goal of understanding how parents buffer young teens from involvement in cyberbullying. We leveraged data from an existing study involving three racially and ethnically diverse middle schools in a metropolitan area in the Midwest of the U.S. (n = 570). In the spring of sixth grade, students reported on cyberbullying involvement, parental connectedness, and parental monitoring. Greater parental connectedness was related to a lower likelihood of cyberbullying victimization and perpetration in logistic regression models. Parental monitoring of online activities was not related to cyberbullying victimization but was marginally related to a lower likelihood of cyberbullying perpetration. Results suggest that cyberbullying prevention programs should consider ways to foster parent/youth connectedness.
Elektroničko nasilje među djecom i njegova usporedba s klasičnim oblicima vršnjačkog nasilja
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2016
Osim u klasične oblike nasilja (fizičko, verbalno, relacijsko, seksualno, ekonomsko i kulturalno), djeca su u novije vrijeme uključena u nasilnička ponašanja posredstvom elektroničkih medija. Ovaj rad donosi pregled literature koja se bavi nasiljem među djecom, s ciljem utvrđivanja sličnosti i specifičnosti elektroničkog nasilja u odnosu na klasične oblike. Sličnosti ovih oblika nasilničkog ponašanja među djecom se prvenstveno manifestiraju u preklapanju ključnih elemenata definicije zlostavljanja među djecom te povezanosti između činjenja elektroničkog i klasičnih oblika nasilja, odnosno povezanosti između doživljavanja obaju oblika nasilja. S druge strane, postoje stajališta da je elektroničko nasilje specifična pojava koja se od klasičnog nasilja među djecom razlikuje prema obilježjima ključnih elemenata definicije nasilničkog ponašanja, anonimnosti «počinitelja» nasilja, širine publike te visokoj dostupnosti nasilnih sadržaja u svakom trenutku. Također, u radu se uspoređuju čimbenici rizika i zaštite (na individualnoj, obiteljskoj, školskoj i vršnjačkoj razini) za uključenost djece u klasično i elektroničko nasilje. Iako je pojavnost elektroničkog nasilja u svijetu i u Hrvatskoj još uvijek znatno niža od klasičnih oblika nasilja, zbog utvrđenih specifičnosti elektroničkog nasilja, važno je da aktualni programi prevencije nasilja među djecom implementiraju i određene aktivnosti ciljano usmjerene na smanjivanje elektroničkog nasilja među djecom.
Adolescent Online Cyberbullying in Greece: The Impact of Parental Online Security Practices, Bonding, and Online Impulsiveness
Article
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The introduction of new technological media worldwide has had a number of unfortunate side effects for some adolescents, including cases of bullying others through the new media (cyberbullying) and over-involvement to the point of addiction. We examine the epidemiology of cyberbullying in a Greek setting, compare it with earlier data, determine the impact of any related psychosocial factors, and propose measures to combat the phenomenon. A cross-sectional study of the entire adolescent high-school student population of the island of Kos examined the relationship between their experiences of Internet cyberbullying and respective parental characteristics, including aspects of psychological bonding and online security measures. The sample consisted of 2017 students (51.8% boys, 48.2% girls). Comparisons are made with results obtained from an earlier survey in the same setting, 2 years earlier. There was a significant rise in reported experiences of Internet cyberbullying over the 2-year period. Security practices exercised by parents had a protective role with regards to whether a child had been cyberbullied, yet failed to prevent the perpetration of online victimization. A regression model indicated that impulsive use of the Internet and related online activities were predictive of whether an adolescent victimized others online. Cyberbullying frequency with regards to both victims and victimizers was high and associated with online impulsiveness, pointing to the possible existence of some commonalities. Further research is necessary to ascertain common underlying psychological factors and neurobiology.
Offline Consequences of Online Victimization
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As increasing numbers of youth embrace computer-mediated communication to meet academic and social needs, interpersonal violence directly and indirectly related to the Internet is occurring more often. Cyberbullying in particular has shot to the forefront of agendas in schools and communities due to the emotional, psychological, and even physical harm to which victims can be subjected. While previous studies have focused on describing its frequency in an exploratory capacity, the current work seeks to utilize general strain theory to identify the emotional and behavioral effects of cyberbullying victimization. Data collected online from a sample of adolescent Internet-users indicate that cyberbullying is a potent form of strain that may be related to involvement in school problems and delinquent behavior offline. Implications of these findings and suggestions for policy are discussed.
The factor structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in Greek adolescents
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The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a practical, economic and user-friendly screening instrument of emotional and behavioural problems in children and adolescents. This study was aimed primarily at evaluating the factor structure of the Greek version of the SDQ. A representative nationwide sample of 1,194 adolescents (11 to 17 years old) completed the questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the factor structure of the SDQ. CFA supported the original five-factor structure. The modification of the model provided some improvements. Internal consistency was acceptable for total difficulties, emotional symptoms and prosocial behaviour scale, moderate for hyperactivity/inattention scale and inadequate for peer and conduct problems scale. Older adolescents (aged 15 to 17 years) reported more hyperactivity/inattention and conduct problems than younger ones (aged 11 to 14 years) and girls reported more emotional symptoms and less prosocial behaviour problems than boys. Adolescents of low socioeconomic status (SES) reported more difficulties than those of medium and high SES. The Greek SDQ could be potentially considered as a community-wide screening instrument for adolescents' emotional and behavioural problems.
Parental bonding and depression: Personality as a mediating factor
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Full-text available
  • Jul 2008
According to Bowlby's theory of attachment, the role of early experience and parenting is of crucial importance to child development and mental health. In addition, several research findings suggest that parental bonding and different types of attachment play a crucial role in personality development. The present study examines the association between parental bonding experiences (lack of parental care, overprotection or both) and depression during adulthood. The objective of the present study was to evaluate different personality dimensions as possible mediators of the relation between perceptions of parental bonding and depressive symptoms in adult life. 181 participants (15- 49-years-old) completed the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF). The results show that lack of parental care and overprotection is linked with depressive symptoms and a number of personality characteristics, such as low self-esteem, introversion, distress and emotional instability. In contrast, high care and low protection (optimal bonding) is linked with increased self-confidence, less distress and less depressive symptoms. The results presented here are in line with Bowlby's theory of attachment and show that parental bonding is linked with problematic personality development and psychopathology. The present study provided evidence that personality factors may mediate the observed relationship between parental rearing style and depression. The potential causal mechanisms warrant longitudinal evaluation.
Cyber Bullying: Bullying in the Digital Age
Article
  • Jan 2012
Cyber Bullying: Bullying in the Digital Age provides the most current and essential information on the nature and prevalence of this epidemic. Examining the latest research, the authors have utilized vital studies involving over 3,500 middle school students, online research projects and the use of social network sites, and data from focus groups of victims and perpetrators and their parents. Written in an accessible style, this volume provides educators, parents, psychologists, and policy-makers with critical prevention techniques and strategies for effectively addressing electronic bullying. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)