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Children
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Early Intervention Strategies for Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimization—Protecting Mental and...
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Early Intervention Strategies for Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimization—Protecting Mental and Physical Health

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2026 | Viewed by 1633

Editors

Dr. Ana Paula Monteiro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Education and Psychology, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
2. Centre for Research and Intervention in Education (CIIE), Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Interests: conflict in family context; bullying; cyberbullying; cyber dating abuse; Internet addiction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Catarina Pinheiro Mota

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Education and Psychology, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
2. Center for Psychology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Interests: attachment; family relations; psychosocial adaptations; resilience; emotional regulation; residential care context; psychotherapy; adolescents; young people
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Inês Carvalho Relva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Education and Psychology, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
2. Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), Centre for Research and Intervention in Education (CIIE), Center for Psychology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Interests: conflict in families; sibling violence; bullying; cyberbullying; cyber dating abuse; Internet addiction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bullying and cyberbullying are currently an international concern, and are recognized as a serious public health problem, with long-term implications for individual and collective well-being. From a public health perspective, these behaviours require prevention and early intervention strategies that address both individual factors and the social, educational, and digital contexts of adolescents.

Among adolescents, these practices are some of the most common antisocial behaviors in contemporary society. The consequences of this problem extend beyond the school environment, significantly affecting the mental and physical health of everyone involved—especially the victims. Early intervention is essential to significantly reduce the incidence of bullying and cyberbullying, minimize risks, and strengthen protective factors such as social–emotional skills, safe internet use skills, and social support.

The scientific literature shows that prevention and intervention programs involving schools, families, communities, and health services prepare adolescents to play an active role in both preventing and intervening in situations of bullying and cyberbullying, in addition to offering adequate support to victims.

This Special Issue aims to bring together articles presenting empirical research (quantitative and/or qualitative), systematic reviews, meta-analyses, experience reports, and innovative proposals that explore early intervention strategies in bullying and cyberbullying victimization. We will also accept studies addressing risk and protective factors, comparative studies, and those that are clinical- or evidence-based in different scientific areas of study.

 We especially welcome papers on the following topics:

  • Prevention and intervention programs in school settings.
  • Prevention and intervention programs in health settings.
  • Development of social–emotional and digital citizenship skills.
  • Psychological support and specific therapies for victims.
  • The role of observers and their social–emotional skills.
  • The use of physical activity, arts, or extracurricular contexts as preventive tools.
  • The role of families and communities in early intervention.
  • Public policies and innovative digital approaches.
  • Training teachers and health professionals for the prevention, detection, and intervention in bullying and cyberbullying situations.

Dr. Ana Paula Monteiro
Dr. Catarina Pinheiro Mota
Dr. Inês Carvalho Relva
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bullying
  • cyberbullying
  • early intervention
  • prevention
  • mental health
  • social-emotional skills
  • digital citizenship
  • risk factors
  • protective factors

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 440 KB  
Article
The Role of Parenting Styles and Empathy in the Perpetration of Cyberbullying in a Sample of Adolescents
by Adriana Martins, Margarida Simões, Ana Paula Monteiro, Catarina Pinheiro Mota, Ana Isabel Sani and Inês Carvalho Relva
Children 2026, 13(8), 1015; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13081015 - 30 Jul 2026
Viewed by 397
Abstract
Background: The study of cyberbullying has been growing worldwide; however, the literature is still scarce regarding risk and protection factors. Objectives: Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to analyze cyberbullying from the perspective of the aggressors and their association [...] Read more.
Background: The study of cyberbullying has been growing worldwide; however, the literature is still scarce regarding risk and protection factors. Objectives: Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to analyze cyberbullying from the perspective of the aggressors and their association with authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles and with the two components of empathy. Methods: The sample consisted of 422 participants, students of the 2nd and 3rd cycles in schools and Secondary Education in the North region of Portugal, aged 12 to 17 years. For data collection, the Sociodemographic Questionnaire, the Cyberbullying Questionnaire (CBQ), the Parenting Styles & Dimensions Questionnaire: Short Version (PSDQ), and the Short Version of the Basic Empathy Scale (BES-A) were used. Results: It was found that positive associations were identified between cyberbullying behaviours and authoritarian style in the father figure and the mother figure. Low positive associations were also identified between the father figure’s authoritative parenting style and cognitive empathy, and moderate positive associations between the mother figure’s authoritative parenting style and cognitive empathy. There were differences between males and females in both empathy components, with females showing higher levels of affective and cognitive empathy than males. Regarding parental styles, the authoritarian style of the father figure stood out as the only predictor of cyberbullying behaviors. Conclusions: It is considered important to educate parents towards healthier family functioning and encourage the abandonment of punitive discipline to promote a reduction in the perpetration of cyberbullying and an increase in empathy levels in the younger generation. It will also be important to raise awareness among adolescents about the consequences of internet misuse. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Early Intervention Strategies for Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimization—Protecting Mental and Physical Health)
12 pages, 256 KB  
Article
The Analysis of the Correlations Between Bullying Perpetration, Victimization, and Assertive Behavior Among Primary School Students in Romania
by Andreea Maria Sticea, Bogdan Constantin Ungurean, Bogdan Constantin Rață and Adrian Cojocariu
Children 2026, 13(6), 724; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13060724 - 23 May 2026
Viewed by 410
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The phenomenon of bullying represents a major issue in school settings worldwide, despite extensive research on the topic. This study aimed to investigate the associations between bullying perpetration, victimization, and assertive behavior among primary school students. Methods: The sample consisted of 352 [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The phenomenon of bullying represents a major issue in school settings worldwide, despite extensive research on the topic. This study aimed to investigate the associations between bullying perpetration, victimization, and assertive behavior among primary school students. Methods: The sample consisted of 352 fourth-grade students (174 boys and 178 girls; aged 10–11 years) from 7 schools in Iași, Romania. Bullying perpetration and victimization were assessed using the Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument–Bully/Target (APRI-BT), while assertive behavior was assessed using the Children’s Assertive Behavior Scale (CABS). Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 20. Results: Positive correlations ranging from weak to strong were identified between bullying perpetration and victimization in both boys and girls. Bullying perpetration and victimization were also associated with assertive behavior and nonassertive behaviors, although most correlations were weak in magnitude. Conclusions: The findings highlight the complexity of bullying-related interpersonal dynamics during late childhood and may have implications for school-based social and emotional learning and bullying prevention interventions during this developmental stage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Early Intervention Strategies for Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimization—Protecting Mental and Physical Health)

Review

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16 pages, 8452 KB  
Review
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Bullying in School Settings: A Narrative Review of Implications for Prevention and Intervention Strategies
by Felipe Montalva-Valenzuela, Eduardo Guzmán-Muñoz, Antonio Castillo-Paredes, Iván Molina-Márquez, Claudio Farias-Valenzuela, Rodrigo Yáñez-Sepúlveda, Guillermo Cortés-Roco, Álvaro Farfán-Díaz and Exal Garcia-Carrillo
Children 2026, 13(8), 1047; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13081047 - 6 Aug 2026
Viewed by 296
Abstract
Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and social difficulties that may increase vulnerability to bullying during childhood and adolescence. Although previous studies have examined different aspects of this relationship, the available evidence remains limited and heterogeneous, particularly regarding associated [...] Read more.
Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and social difficulties that may increase vulnerability to bullying during childhood and adolescence. Although previous studies have examined different aspects of this relationship, the available evidence remains limited and heterogeneous, particularly regarding associated factors, profiles of bullying involvement, and implications for prevention and intervention. Objective: To analyze the available evidence regarding bullying involvement in children and adolescents with ADHD, focusing on victimization, perpetration, bully–victim profiles, associated factors, psychological consequences, and implications for prevention and intervention. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using studies identified in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science between January and March 2026, with no publication date restrictions. The search was performed in three independent and consecutive stages and included observational studies evaluating the relationship between ADHD and bullying in children and adolescents. Narrative reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, editorials, and studies conducted exclusively in adults were excluded. Results: Seventeen studies were included. The evidence consistently showed that children and adolescents with ADHD have greater involvement in bullying than their peers without ADHD. Victimization was the most consistently reported outcome, although increased perpetration, bully–victim profiles, and cyberbullying were also identified. Bullying involvement appeared to be influenced by multiple interacting factors, including ADHD symptoms, emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, comorbidities, peer relationships, family characteristics, and school-related factors. Victimization was consistently associated with increased anxiety and depressive symptoms, emotional difficulties, and poorer quality of life. Emerging evidence also suggests sex-specific patterns of bullying involvement and bidirectional longitudinal relationships between ADHD symptoms and bullying experiences. Conclusions: Children and adolescents with ADHD may have greater involvement in multiple forms of bullying; however, this relationship appears to be multifactorial rather than solely explained by core ADHD symptoms. Family, peer, and school environments may play important protective roles, highlighting the need for comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies that address both individual and contextual factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Early Intervention Strategies for Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimization—Protecting Mental and Physical Health)
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