“Face-to-face” bullying and cyberbullying: Influence of the socio-economic-cultural level

Author(s):

Maite Garaigordobil(presenting / submitting)Carmen Maganto Vanesa Martínez-Valderrey

Conference:

ECER 2013

Network:

05. Children and Youth at Risk and Urban Education

Format:

Poster

Session Information

05 SES 05.5 PS, General Poster Session

General Poster Session

Time:

2013-09-11

12:30-14:00

Room:

FUAYE

Chair:

Contribution

In recent years, interest and social concern about violent peer behaviors-- both face-to-face (bullying) and through information and communication technologies (ICTs) (cyberbullying)-- have increased (Aftab, 2006; Olweus, et al., 2007; Salmivali et al., 2005). Cyberbullying consists of using the Internet (e-mail, SMS, chat, websites, blogs, online videogames), and mainly the cell phone to exert psychological harassment among peers (Ahlfors, 2010, Garaigordobil, 2011a,b; Kowalski et al., 2008). Peer violence has pernicious consequences for all involved, but with different symptoms and levels of suffering (anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress…). Although the most pronounced effects are observed in the victim, the aggressors and witnesses are also the recipients of learnings and negative habits that will affect their current and future behavior (Garaigordobil, 2011c). This work presents the characteristics of the "Cyberbullying Test to Assess Peer Violence" (Garaigordobil, in press, 2013), and its goal is to determine whether there are differences as a function of the socio-economic-cultural level, both in “face-to-face” bullying and in cyberbullying.

Method

The study used a descriptive, comparative, and cross-sectional design. The sample was made up of 3,026 participants aged 12 to 18 years, and it was a representative sample of the Basque Country (Spain). The Cyberbullying Test was used to measure the target variables. It provides four indicators of presential bullying and cyberbullying, respectively: victimization, perpetration, observation, and aggressive-victimization. The instrument has adequate reliability and validity guarantees.

Expected Outcomes

With regard to bullying, the results of the analyses (frequencies, percentages, Pearson chi square) show that there are no significant differences as a function of the socio-economic-cultural level in any kind of aggressive behavior (physical, verbal, social, psychological). The univariate analyses showed that a higher socio-economic-cultural level was associated with a higher level of perpetration and observation of aggressive behaviors. With regard to cyberbullying, the results of the analyses reveals the absence of significant differences as a function of the socio-economic-cultural level in 13 of the 15 behaviors assessed, although, in general, as status increases, they tend to increase. Only the behaviors “being assaulted to record on the mobile phone and hang out on Internet” and "rigging photos or videos to publish them online with the intention of humiliating or ridiculing” decrease significantly as the socio-economic-cultural status increases. The univariate analyses found significant differences only in the level of observation, revealing that a socio-economic-cultural level was associated with a higher level of observation of cyberbullying behaviors. The debate emphasizes the importance of implementing psychoeducational interventions to decrease violent peer behavior, and interventions to increase safety rules in the use of ICTs.

References

Aftab, P. (2006). Cyberbullying. Practical guide for mothers, fathers, and teaching staff. Bilbao: Fundación EDEX http://www.edex.es Ahlfors, R. (2010). Many Sources, One Theme: Analysis of Cyberbullying Prevention and Intervention Websites. Journal of Social Sciences 6 (4), 515-522. Garaigordobil, M. (2011a). Bullying and cyberbullying: conceptualization, prevalence, and assessment. In FOCAD Formación Continuada a Distancia (Open Continued Training). Twelfth Edition January-April, 2001 (pp. 1-22). Madrid: General Council of the Official Psychologists' Association. Garaigordobil, M. (2011b). Bullying and cyberbullying: Prevention programs and strategies and intervention in the school and family setting. In FOCAD Formación Continuada a Distancia (Open Continued Training). Twelfth Edition January-April, 2001 (pp. 1-29). Madrid: General Council of the Official Psychologists' Association. Garaigordobil, M. (2011c). Prevalence and consequences of cyberbullying: A review. International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 11(2), 233-254. Garaigordobil, M. (in press, 2013). Cyberbullying Test to Assess Peer Violence. Madrid. TEA. Kowalski, R., Limber, S., & Agatston, P. (2008). Cyber bullying: Bullying in the digital age. Malden, MA: Blackwell. Olweus, D., Limber, S.P., Flerx, V.C., Mullin, N., Riese, J., y Snyder, M. (2007). Olweus bullying prevention program: Schoolwide guide. Center City, MN: Hazelden Foundation. http://www.olweus.org/public/stop-bullying-program.page Salmivalli, C., Kaukiainen, A., y Voeten, M. (2005). Anti-bullying intervention: implementation and outcome. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 75, 465-487.

Author Information

Maite Garaigordobil (presenting / submitting)

Faculty of Psychology. University of the Basque Country, Spain

Carmen Maganto

Faculty of Psychology. University of the Basque Country, Spain

Vanesa Martínez-Valderrey

Faculty of Psychology. University of the Basque Country, Spain

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