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2nd Edition: Bullying and Cyberbullying, Mental Health and Behavioral Difficulties
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2nd Edition: Bullying and Cyberbullying, Mental Health and Behavioral Difficulties

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Behavioral and Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 15449

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Claudio Longobardi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Università degli Studi di Torino, Turin, 10124 Torino, Italy
Interests: bullying and cyberbullying; teacher-child relationship; atypical development; child abuse and neglect; violence
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Tomas Jungert

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Lund University, SE 220 00 Lund, Sweden
Interests: the study of motivation in different contexts; school bullying; bystander roles; factors influencing bystander motivation to defend victims
Dr. Laura Badenes-Ribera

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Methodology and Behavioral Science, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Interests: violence, bullying and cyberbullying; teacher-child relationship; atypical development; child abuse and neglect; LGBT people; methodology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bullying is a complex and widespread phenomenon of victimization that can be observed in all countries of the world. The new technologies, especially social networks, used daily by people around the world further increase the risk of cyberbullying phenomena. The adverse consequences and risk factors for mental health and behavioral problems as a result of bullying are well known.

This research topic aims to unite interdisciplinary and cultural perspectives from international researchers to highlight theoretical and empirical research on the relationships between cyberbullying, victimization, mental health, and behavioral difficulties, particularly among adolescents.

For this reason, and considering the participation and contributions of colleagues from different countries, we are proposing a second research topic on this subject, in order to deepen and broaden our understanding of the context and consequences of the phenomenon.

To this end, we solicit manuscripts from researchers addressing the following topics:

  • Risk factors mediating the relationships between cyberbullying, victimization, and mental health;
  • The role of social networks as a risk factor for cyberbullying;
  • Supportive prevention strategies in school, educational, and cognitive behavioral settings.

Dr. Claudio Longobardi
Dr. Tomas Jungert
Dr. Laura Badenes-Ribera
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 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 2500 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
  • mental health
  • victimization
  • social networks
  • school

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 346 KiB  
Article
Identity-Driven Targeted Violence in a College Setting: An Overview of Prevalence and Behavioral Responses
by Patrick T. McGonigal and Mario J. Scalora
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(10), 1312; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21101312 - 30 Sep 2024
Abstract
Background: Online and offline identity-driven harassment disproportionately affects minoritized college students, contributing to poorer academic performance and attrition. Because victims are often hesitant to formally report incidents, additional research is needed to understand the genuine prevalence of these experiences as well as the [...] Read more.
Background: Online and offline identity-driven harassment disproportionately affects minoritized college students, contributing to poorer academic performance and attrition. Because victims are often hesitant to formally report incidents, additional research is needed to understand the genuine prevalence of these experiences as well as the responses victims engage in following the incidents. Methods: A large undergraduate sample (N = 2000) from a Midwestern university responded to an anonymous survey assessing the frequency of identity-driven behavior occurring on-campus and beyond, in addition to how they responded to harassment. Results: The results unveiled that perpetrators most often targeted an individual’s sex and gender, followed by their sexual orientation and race. Specific behaviors ranged from more frequent, mild forms of harassment (i.e., verbal harassment, invading space) to less frequent, severe forms of harassment (i.e., physical and sexual assault). Victims reported engaging in informal activities following harassment, such as relying on social support or ignoring the perpetrator. Conclusions: The current study unveiled patterns of identity-driven behaviors experienced by college students as well as how they respond to victimization. Future directions and practical implications are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Bullying and Cyberbullying, Mental Health and Behavioral Difficulties)
25 pages, 1841 KiB  
Article
Perceived Social Support and Health Care Spending as Moderators in the Association of Traditional Bullying Perpetration with Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimisation among Adolescents in 27 European Countries: A Multilevel Cross-National Study
by Patrick Chanda, Masauso Chirwa, Ackson Tyson Mwale, Kalunga Cindy Nakazwe, Ireen Manase Kabembo and Bruce Nkole
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(7), 863; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070863 - 30 Jun 2024
Viewed by 773
Abstract
Existing research has documented the association between bullying perpetration and bullying victimisation. However, it is still unclear how different sources of social support moderate the association between bullying perpetration and bullying victimisation at a cross-national level. Using multilevel binary logistic regression models, this [...] Read more.
Existing research has documented the association between bullying perpetration and bullying victimisation. However, it is still unclear how different sources of social support moderate the association between bullying perpetration and bullying victimisation at a cross-national level. Using multilevel binary logistic regression models, this study examined the moderating role of public health care spending and perceived social support (i.e., family and teacher support) in the association between traditional bullying perpetration and victimisation by traditional bullying and cyberbullying among adolescents across 27 European countries. Country-level data were combined with 2017/18 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey data from 162,792 adolescents (11-, 13-, and 15-year-olds) in 27 European countries. Results showed that adolescents who perpetrated traditional bullying had a higher likelihood of being victimised by traditional bullying and cyberbullying than adolescents who did not bully others. Results also indicated that the magnitude of the positive association between traditional bullying perpetration and victimisation by traditional bullying and cyberbullying was mitigated among adolescents with more family, teacher, and public health care support. These findings support the notion that multilayered systems of social support could play a vital role in bullying prevention and intervention strategies to address bullying among adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Bullying and Cyberbullying, Mental Health and Behavioral Difficulties)
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11 pages, 332 KiB  
Article
Bullying at School, Cyberbullying, and Loneliness: National Representative Study of Adolescents in Denmark
by Katrine Rich Madsen, Mogens Trab Damsgaard, Kimberly Petersen, Pamela Qualter and Bjørn E. Holstein
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(4), 414; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21040414 - 28 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1858
Abstract
Aims: The aim was to examine how loneliness was associated with bullying victimization at school and online. Methods: We used data from the Danish arm of the international Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study from 2022. The study population was a nationally [...] Read more.
Aims: The aim was to examine how loneliness was associated with bullying victimization at school and online. Methods: We used data from the Danish arm of the international Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study from 2022. The study population was a nationally representative sample of 11–15-year-olds who completed the internationally standardized HBSC questionnaire at school, n = 5382. Multilevel logistic regression was applied to study the associations between bullying victimization and loneliness. Results: The prevalence of reporting loneliness often or very often was 9.0%; 6.3% of the sample experienced habitual bullying victimization at school, and 4.8% incurred cyberbullying. There was a strong and graded association between loneliness and bullying victimization at school and cyberbullying. The associations were significant for boys and girls, and the association between exposure to bullying at school and loneliness was steeper for boys than girls. The gradients were steeper for physical bullying than for cyberbullying. Students exposed to habitual bullying in both contexts had an adjusted OR (95% CI) of 11.21 (6.99–17.98) for loneliness. Conclusion: Exposure to bullying at school and cyberbullying are strongly associated with loneliness. It is important to reduce bullying at school and on the internet and to promote effective interventions to reduce continuing loneliness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Bullying and Cyberbullying, Mental Health and Behavioral Difficulties)
15 pages, 393 KiB  
Article
Anxiety, Depression, Self-Esteem, Internet Addiction and Predictors of Cyberbullying and Cybervictimization among Female Nursing University Students: A Cross Sectional Study
by Zainab Fatehi Albikawi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4293; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054293 - 28 Feb 2023
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4193
Abstract
Background: Cyberbullying and cybervictimization, which have been linked to the growth of the Internet and issues with mental health, can have serious psychological and academic consequences for young individuals, yet they have received relatively little scientific attention at universities. These phenomena have become [...] Read more.
Background: Cyberbullying and cybervictimization, which have been linked to the growth of the Internet and issues with mental health, can have serious psychological and academic consequences for young individuals, yet they have received relatively little scientific attention at universities. These phenomena have become an alarming social issue due to their rising rate and devastating physical and psychological effects on undergraduate university students. Aim: to estimate the prevalence of depression, low self-esteem, cybervictimization, anxiety, cyberbullying, and Internet addiction among Saudi female nursing university students and to identify the factors that predict cybervictimization and cyberbullying. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to select 179 female nursing university students with an average age of 20.80 ± 1.62 years for the purpose of conducting a descriptive cross-sectional study. Results: The percentage of students who reported having low self-esteem was 19.55%, depression (30.17%), Internet addiction (49.16%), anxiety (34.64%), cyberbullying (20.67%), and cybervictimization (17.32%). There was an inverse relationship between students’ self-esteem and their risk of engaging in cyberbullying (AOR = 0.782, 95% CI: 0.830–0.950, p = 0.002) or becoming cybervictims (AOR = 0.840, 95% CI: 0.810–0.920, p < 0.001). Further, Internet addiction predicted both cyberbullying (AOR = 1.028, 95% CI: 1.012–1.049, p = 0.003) and cybervictimization (AOR = 1.027, 95% CI: 1.010–1.042, p < 0.001). The likelihood of experiencing anxiety was linked to cyberbullying (AOR = 1.047, 95% CI: 1.031–1.139, p < 0.001) and cybervictimization (AOR = 1.042, 95% CI: 1.030–1.066, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Importantly, the findings suggest that programs designed to help university students avoid participating in cyberbullying activities or becoming cybervictims should take into account the influence of Internet addiction, mental health issues, and self-esteem. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Bullying and Cyberbullying, Mental Health and Behavioral Difficulties)
10 pages, 1476 KiB  
Article
Influence of Social Exclusion on Cool and Hot Inhibitory Control in Chinese College Students
by Suhao Peng, Xinhui Ruan, Dan Tao and Bin Xuan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2433; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032433 - 30 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1718
Abstract
Social exclusion can affect nearly every aspect of a person’s mental health, both on an emotional and cognitive level. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether cool or hot inhibitory control capacity varied under social exclusion. More precisely, participants who [...] Read more.
Social exclusion can affect nearly every aspect of a person’s mental health, both on an emotional and cognitive level. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether cool or hot inhibitory control capacity varied under social exclusion. More precisely, participants who had experienced and not experienced social exclusion were compared to explore the influence of social exclusion on cool and hot inhibitory controls. Social exclusion was induced through the use of a Cyberball game, and participants were divided into an exclusion group and an inclusion group. The number Stroop task and emotional face Stroop task were used to measure the cool and hot inhibitory control, respectively. In the cool Stroop task, participants had to refrain from reading printed digits to identify the number of items presented in the array. In the hot Stroop task, participants had to inhibit the meaning of the word to identify the emotion displayed on the face. Reaction time, accuracy, and Stroop interference were analyzed to compare the inhibitory control between the exclusion group and the inclusion group. The results showed an extension of the response time in the exclusion group compared to the inclusion group. We found a higher interference effect in the number of Stroop tasks in the exclusion group than that in the inclusion group, but it was not significant in the emotional face Stroop task. The results suggest that the cognitive and emotional basis of inhibitory control may differ during social exclusion. The present findings expand our understanding of how social exclusion affects cool and hot inhibitory controls and their internal psychological mechanism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Bullying and Cyberbullying, Mental Health and Behavioral Difficulties)
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14 pages, 695 KiB  
Article
Relational Victimization and Video Game Addiction among Female College Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: The Roles of Social Anxiety and Parasocial Relationship
by Gengfeng Niu, Siyu Jin, Fang Xu, Shanyan Lin, Zongkui Zhou and Claudio Longobardi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16909; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416909 - 16 Dec 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4136
Abstract
Video game addiction, a common behavioral problem among college students, has been more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic; at the same time, females’ video game usage has also attracted considerable research attention. Against this background and under the perspective of social interaction, this [...] Read more.
Video game addiction, a common behavioral problem among college students, has been more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic; at the same time, females’ video game usage has also attracted considerable research attention. Against this background and under the perspective of social interaction, this study aimed to examine the relationship between relational victimization and video game addiction among female college students, as well as its underlying mechanism—the mediating roles of social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters. Female college students (N = 437) were recruited to complete a set of questionnaires voluntarily in June 2022. Through the mediating effect analysis, the results found that (1) relational victimization was positively associated with female college students’ video game addiction; (2) social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters could independently mediate this relation; (3) social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters were also the serial mediators in this association. These findings not only expand previous studies by revealing the social motivation of video game usage and the underlying mechanism accounting for video game addiction, but also provide basis and guidance for the prevention and intervention of video game addiction in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Bullying and Cyberbullying, Mental Health and Behavioral Difficulties)
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