Abstract
This article investigates symptoms of post-traumatic stress in victims of long lasting cases of traditional and/or cyber victimization. The article presents findings from semi structured interviews with nine victims; eight girls and one boy, five Norwegian and four Irish—who had experienced either traditional or both traditional and cyber bullying. The informants were chosen because they had been victims of closed bullying cases lasting from 1–7 years. The findings showed that victims who had experienced only traditional bullying reported fewer symptoms of post-traumatic stress than “poly victims”, i.e., those who had experienced both traditional and cyber victimization. Furthermore, differences were detected between these two groups—victims of traditional bullying and poly victims—regarding when and where the symptoms were experienced and the kind of sub-symptoms that were described. It is important to be aware of these different symptoms when working with children who have experienced traditional and/or cyber victimization to ensure that these children obtain support customized to their needs. The findings could also have practical implications for anti-bullying programs that work with victims involved in both ongoing and closed cases of bullying.
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Sjursø, I., Fandrem, H. & Roland, E. “All the Time, Every Day, 24/7”: A Qualitative Perspective on Symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress in Long-Term Cases of Traditional and Cyber Victimizations in Norway and Ireland. Int Journal of Bullying Prevention 2, 139–148 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42380-019-00024-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42380-019-00024-8