The Issue of Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is a social epidemic among the country’s youth, affecting children of all ages and backgrounds. Taking place in virtual mediums, it is both often very public where people can view and participate on social medium forums, but also remains hidden from many adults. School counselors have a critical role to prevent and mitigate consequences of cyberbullying by working with victims and parents, as well as perpetrators. Through various methods and strategies, counselors can work with children and parents to focus on empowering individuals, building confidence and assertiveness, developing social skills, examining issues of control, and other therapeutically acceptable means of providing psychological help and institutional support. Counselors can also provide guidance in teaching soft skills, socio-emotional learning, and empathy that can be vital in cyberbullying contexts for both sides of the conflict.
Strategies Against Cyberbullying
An effective strategy recommended by counselors is for parents to begin monitoring social media use and potentially limiting a child’s access to specific technology or platforms. Furthermore, counselors represent the educational institution in its capability to prevent and mitigate cyberbullying. Therefore, counselors can work with the school administration to ensure there are relevant, updated policies which students understand. Also, developing school-based peer helper programs and responsive services such as anonymous reporting or small-group counseling can offer students, especially victims, the vital support when they feel like there is no one to turn to. Overall, counselors have a variety of methods to influence and help in resolving cyberbullying which typically originates from school social conflicts.