Adolescent cyberbullying: A review of characteristics, prevention and intervention strategies
Section snippets
Adolescence
The World Health Organization (WHO) views adolescence as the period of development between approximately 10 and 19 years old, after childhood and before emerging adulthood (World Health Organization, 2014). This is a critical time of growth and transition in the life span. Understandably, biological processes such as puberty are universal and instrumental in driving many aspects of development during this phase. However, contextual, cultural, and socioeconomic factors are just as important as
Cyberbullying
The Internet age has brought with it numerous benefits but it is not without drawbacks. With the advent of the Web and other electronic technologies, bullying has taken on a new face and form. Bullying has extended its reach from the physical to the virtual; the Internet has become a new platform for social interactions, giving adolescents the liberty to interact with some degree of anonymity and limited oversight by adult monitors. Cyberbullying has been defined as the use of electronic
Adolescent and parent variables associated with cyberbullying — proximity to motivated offenders
The first key element in routine activities theory that will be examined centers around proximity to motivated offenders and here various aspects of Internet usage will be reviewed. When adolescents are placed in high risk situations in close proximity to motivated offenders, this could increase the risk for cyberbullying.
Adolescent and parent variables associated with cyberbullying — target suitability
The second key element in routine activities theory that will be examined concerns target suitability. Routine activities theory suggests that some individuals are more vulnerable because of certain personal qualities. Specifically, the review will examine how psychosocial problems, proactive aggression and normative beliefs about aggression are associated with cyberbullying.
Adolescent and parent variables associated with cyberbullying — inadequate guardianship
The third and final key element in routine activities theory that will be examined pertains to inadequate guardianship. As Bossler et al. (2012) suggested, guardianship can take several forms including physical, social and personal facets, and across physical and virtual platforms. Here the focus will be on various aspects of the parent–adolescent bond and relationship that has associations with cyberbullying.
Prevention and intervention strategies to better protect adolescents online
For better protection of vulnerable adolescents online, it is critical to review prevention and intervention strategies with specific reference to cyberbullying and online harassment. These strategies should preferably target and address specific adolescent issues and variables reviewed here, guided by the routine activities framework (Cohen & Felson, 1979). At the same time, parent-related and parent–adolescent relationship variables should also be specifically targeted and addressed because
Conclusion
Adolescence is a critical period of transition. In an increasingly connected world and given that adolescents are active users of social networking sites and the ease with which they use technology, the period of adolescence in this current age is not just a time of growth, but also a time of considerable challenge with emerging risks. Cyberbullying is one such risk; it is a worldwide phenomenon and a rising universal concern. With the anonymity provided by the Internet and the limited social
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