Survey Shows 'Cyberbullying' Up

With the ever-increasing use of blogs, instant messaging and social networking sites among teens and children has come a rise in bullying via the Internet, or "cyberbullying," a study published in the most recent issue of Pediatrics says.

In a survey of teens and children aged 10 to 17, nine percent reported having been the target of harassment online, up from six percent in 2000. Of these, only 38 percent reported feeling distressed about the incident--although they were much more likely to if the harassment was by an adult user, if they were asked to send a picture of themselves, if offline harassment accompanied the bullying, or if they were preadolescents.

Researchers also found that youths were more likely to be harassed online if they likewise displayed aggressive behavior to others on the web, had significant social problems or were victimized elsewhere. These findings suggest both a need for online bullying prevention programs as well as programs aiming to improve the interpersonal social skills of adolescents and children communicating electronically, researchers say.

Read more: Cyberbullies increasingly target peers online

FULL TEXT: Examining Characteristics and Associated Distress Related to Internet Harassment: Findings From the Second Youth Internet Safety Survey