Silent screams behind screens: An analysis of risk factors for cyberbullying victimization and protective strategies

Authors

Keywords:

adolescent cyberbullying, cyberbullying victims, coping strategies, online exposure duration

Abstract

Using the official Taiwan Communication Survey Database and the propensity score matching method, this study classified 1852 adolescents as actual or potential cyberbullying victims. Findings showed males, poor performers, bystanders, and anxious individuals are at higher risk. Different types of bullying, especially cyber-behavioral bullying by acquaintances, have differing effects on self-esteem. Adolescents' responses range from seeking help to avoidance. More cyberbullying happens with educational rather than leisure internet use, suggesting educational pressure may trigger such incidents.

References

Barlett, C. & Coyne, S.M. (2014). A meta-analysis of sex differences in cyber-bullying behavior: the moderating role of age. Aggressive Behavior, 40, 474-488. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21555

Berne, S., Frisén, A. & Kling, J. (2014). Appearance-related cyberbullying: a qualitative investigation of characteristics, content, reasons, and effects. Body Image, 11, 527-533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.08.006

Bonanno, R.A. & Hymel, S. (2013). Cyber bullying and internalizing difficulties: above and beyond the impact of traditional forms of bullying. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 42, 685-697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-013-9937-1

Campbell, M.A. (2005). Cyber bullying: an old problem in a new guise? Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 15(1), 68-76. https://doi.org/10.1375/ajgc.15.1.68

Cassidy, W., Jackson, M. & Brown, K.N. (2009). Sticks and stones can break my bones, but how can pixels hurt me? Students’ experiences with cyber-bullying. School Psychology International, 30(4), 383-402. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034309106948

Chang, F.-C., Lee, C.-M., Chiu, C.-H., Hsi, W.-Y., Huang, T.-F. & Pan, Y.-C. (2013). Relationships among cyberbullying, school bullying, and metal health in Taiwanese adolescents. Journal of School Health, 83(6), 454-462. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12050

Chen, J.-K. & Chen, L.-M. (2020). Cyberbullying among adolescents in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Mainland China: a cross-national study in Chinese societies. Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, 30(3), 227-241. https://doi.org/10.1080/02185385.2020.1788978

Craig, W., Boniel-Nissim, M., King, N., Walsh, S.D., Boer, M., Donnelly, P.D., Harel-Fisch, Y., Malinowska-Cieslik, M.M., de Matos, M.G., Cosma, A., den Eijnden, R.V., Vieno, A., Elgar, F.J., Molcho, M., Bjereld, Y. & Pickett, W. (2020). Social media use and cyber-bullying: a cross-national analysis of young people in 42 countries. Journal of Adolescent Health, 66, S100-S108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.03.006

Dehejia, R. & Wahba, S. (2002). Propensity score-matching methods for nonexperimental causal studies. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 84(1), 151-161. https://doi.org/10.1162/003465302317331982

Huang, Y.-Y. & Chou, C. (2010). An analysis of multiple factors of cyberbullying among junior high school students in Taiwan. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 1581-1590. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.chb.2010.06.005

Kowalski, R.M., Giumetti, G.W., Schroeder, A.N. & Lattanner, M.R. (2014). Bullying in the digital age: a critical review and meta-analysis of cyberbullying research among youth. Psychological Bulletin, 140(4), 1073-1137. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035618

Langos, C. (2012). Cyberbullying: the challenge to define. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 15(6), 285-289. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2011.0588

Leduc, K., Nagar, P.M., Caivano, O. & Talwar, V. (2022). “The thing is, it follows you everywhere”: child and adolescent conceptions of cyberbullying. Computers in Human Behavior, 130, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107180

Lee, M.-S., Wu, Z.-P., Svanström, L. & Dalal, K. (2013). Cyber bullying prevention: intervention in Taiwan. PLOS ONE, 8(5), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0064031

Litwiller, B.J. & Brausch, A.M. (2013). Cyber bullying and physical bullying in adolescent suicide: the role of violent behavior and substance use. Journal of Young Adolescence, 42, 675-684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-013-9925-5

Mishna, F., Cook, C., Gadalla, T., Daciuk, J. & Solomon, S. (2010). Cyber bullying behaviors among middle and high school students. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 80(3), 362-374. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-0025.2010.01040.x

Nansel, T.R., Overpeck, M., Pilla, R.S., Ruan, W.J., Simons-Morton, B. & Scheidt, P. (2001). Bullying behaviors among US youth: Prevalence and association with psychosocial adjustment. JAMA, 285(16), 2094-2100. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.285.16.2094

Notar, C.E., Padgett, S. & Roden, J. (2013). Cyberbullying: a review of the literature. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 1(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2013.010101

Olweus, D. (1994). Annotation: bullying at school: basic facts and effects of a school based intervention program. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 35(7), 1171-1190. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7610.1994.tb01229.x

Olweus, D. (2012). Cyberbullying: an overrated phenomenon? European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2012.682358

Olweus, D. & Limber, S.P. (2018). Some problems with cyberbullying research. Current Opinion in Psychology, 19, 139-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.04.012

Patchin, J.W. & Hinduja, S. (2010). Cyberbullying and self-esteem. Journal of School Health, 80(12), 614-621. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00548.x

Rosenbaum, P.R. & Rubin, D.B. (1983). The central role of the propensity score in observational studies for causal effects. Biometrika, 70(1), 41-55. https://doi.org/10.1093/biomet/70.1.41

Sabella, R.A., Patchin, J.W. & Hinduja, S. (2013). Cyberbullying myths and realities. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 2703-2711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.06.040

Salmivalli, C. (1999). Participant role approach to school bullying: implications for interventions. Journal of Adolescence, 22, 453-459. https://doi.org/10.1006/jado.1999.0239

Shariff, S. & Hoff, D. (2007). Cyber bullying: clarifying legal boundaries for school supervision in cyberspace. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 1(1), 76-118.

Slonje, R., Smith, P.K. & Frisén, A. (2013). The nature of cyberbullying, and strategies for prevention. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 26-32. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.chb.2012.05.024

Smith, P.K, Mahdavi, J., Carvalho, M., Fisher, S., Russell, S. & Tippett, N. (2008). Cyberbullying: its nature and impact in secondary school pupils. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49(4), 376-385. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01846.x

Tokunaga, R.S. (2010). Following you home from school: a critical review and synthesis of research on cyberbullying victimization. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 277-287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2009.11.014

Wang, C.-W., Musumari, P.M., Techasrivichien, T., Suguimoto, S.P., Tateyama, Y., Chan, C.-C., Ono-Kihara, M., Kihara, M. & Nakayama, T. (2019). Overlap of traditional bullying and cyberbullying and correlates of bullying among Taiwanese adolescents: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 19, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-8116-z

Waasdorp, T.E. & Bradshaw, C.P. (2015). The overlap between cyberbullying and traditional bullying. Journal of Adolescent Health, 56, 483-488. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.12.002

Zhu, C., Huang, S., Evans, R. & Zhang, W. (2021). Cyberbullying among adolescents and children: a comprehensive review of the global situation, risk factors, and preventive measures. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 1-12 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.634909

Published

2025-01-17

How to Cite

Wang, K.-H. (2025). Silent screams behind screens: An analysis of risk factors for cyberbullying victimization and protective strategies. International Journal of Economic Perspectives, 19(1), 180–200. Retrieved from http://www.ijeponline.org/index.php/journal/article/view/852

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Peer Review Articles
Copyright & Licensing

Copyright (c) 2025 Kuang-Hsien Wang

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Allows users to: distribute and copy the article; create extracts, abstracts, and other revised versions, adaptations or derivative works of or from an article (such as a translation); include in a collective work (such as an anthology); and text or data mine the article. These uses are permitted even for commercial purposes, provided the user: gives appropriate credit to the author(s) (with a link to the formal publication through the relevant URL ID); includes a link to the license; indicates if changes were made; and does not represent the author(s) as endorsing the adaptation of the article or modify the article in such a way as to damage the authors' honor or reputation. CC BY