Cyberbullying and young people: behaviours, experiences and resolutions
Year: 2019
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Introduction: Cyberbullying is a complex and multifaceted public health issue among young people. Research indicates deleterious effect on the mental health and wellbeing of victims which warrants action to address this issue. Adults do not have first-hand experience of cyberbullying in their youth and so the development of prevention and \nintervention strategies can benefit from the engagement of young people’s \nperspectives. However, young people’s voices are largely absent from the current \ndiscourse. This thesis aims to explore the nature, causes, and consequences of \ncyberbullying from the perspective of young people with a view to informing the \ndevelopment of evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies. Methods: The research was framed by the Medical Research Council guidelines for intervention \ndevelopment. Qualitative and participatory research methods were employed. In the \nfirst instance a systematic review and meta-ethnographic synthesis of qualitative \nstudies related to young people’s conceptualisations of cyberbullying was conducted. \nSecondly, a rights-based model was developed to facilitate the active involvement of \nyoung people in the research process. A Young Person’s Advisory Group was \npurposefully formed to collaborate in the design, conduct, and interpretation of a \nqualitative study of young people’s perspectives on cyberbullying as well as in priority \nsetting for intervention development. Young People’s involvement in the Advisory \nGroup was evaluated to determine the effectiveness off the model in facilitating \nyoung people’s participation in the research process and the acceptability of the \napproach. The co-designed qualitative study comprised focus groups with secondary \nschool students which were conducted in the school setting. Findings:The meta-ethnography highlighted that the fundamental role of cyber technology in \nyoung people’s lives and the complexity and ambiguity of the cyber world in which they connect are inherent to young people’s conceptualisations of cyberbullying. The \nparticipatory evaluation of young people’s involvement in the research process \nindicated that the elements necessary for the effective realisation of young people’s \nparticipation rights were present in this study. Based on their interpretation of \npreliminary findings from the qualitative study, Advisory Group Members identified \nthe non-consensual distribution of nude images and the mental health impact of \ncybervictimisation as serious concerns for young people and priorities for \nintervention development. Findings indicate that non-consensual distribution \ninvolves a complex process that is produced by, and reinforces, gender power \ndynamics. Young males, under pressure to conform to societal constructs of \nmasculinity, coerce females to send explicit images which are screenshot and \nintentionally distributed, without consent, to male peers in exchange for social \nkudos. Regarding the mental health impact, cyberbullying was described as more \npsychological in nature and impact than traditional bullying with increased \ndeleterious effect on the mental health and wellbeing of victims. Analysis identified \nseveral barriers which prevent victims from seeking social support and participants’ \nperception that suicide is a viable escape route for young victims defeated and \nentrapped by cybervictimisation. Conclusion:This research makes a valuable contribution to the existing knowledge base in that it privileges youth voice on the nature, causes, and consequences of the phenomenon and highlights young people’s priorities with regard to intervention development. In response to research findings and suggestions from the Young Person’s Advisory Group a number of recommendations are made in relation to research, policy, and practice which are grounded in young people’s experiences, values, and norms.
Author: Rebecca Dennehy
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3024720791