Introduction
Cyberbullying may be regarded as one of the most disturbing contemporary issues for adolescents. Defined as a particular form of psychological abuse via digital technologies and their use to intimidate or threaten others, cyberbullying is classified as a social problem, however, it started to be considered by the field of health care due to its highly negative consequences to a person’s mental well-being (Falkner, 2018). Cyberbullying has a range of specific features that distinguish it from traditional bullying and require additional research – in particular, it may be disseminated globally, occur at any time, and have an indefinite duration (Ferreira & Deslandes, 2018). In the present day, through the use of the Internet, especially social networks, young people are involved in digital relationships characterized by hypervisibility along with confidentiality that allows offenders to reveal their aggression without the fear of being caught and punished.
Cyberbullying’s Health-Related Consequences and External Factors
While almost anyone may become a victim of cyberbullying, its continuous influence and a person’s inability to confront it may lead to severe psychological issues. According to Alrajeh et al. (2021), “studies that focused on the psychological effects of cyberbullying found that victims reported high rates of depression and other mental health issues such as anxiety, low self-esteem, anti-social behaviors, and in some cases even suicide” (p. 3). At the same time, multiple external factors may contribute to the occurrence of cyberbullying, and they may be divided into three major categories – family, social environment, and individual characteristics. Thus, poor family functioning, sexual, psychological, and physical abuse, socioeconomic disadvantage, a lack of friends, emotional or behavioral problems, mental health disorders, and the peculiarities of appearance and functioning may contribute to the occurrence and involvement in cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying’s Assessment
Although there are several methods of assessment of cyberbullying, they presuppose surveys and questionnaires. According to Álvarez-García et al. (2017), “all of them are self-reports, with multiple-choice response formats on which the evaluated adolescent rates the frequency with which he/she suffers the behavior described in the item” (p. 271). Even though education facilities frequently organize the assessment of cyberbullying prevalence, in the case of an adolescent patient’s visit, a questionnaire with additional questions related to his family, peers, and self-esteem should be provided. It will allow us not only to identify the occurrence of cyberbullying as a reason for mental health issues but to evaluate the prevalence of particular external factors as well. Another strategy may include the discussion of cyberbullying reasons with a patient as they determine responsive measures. At the same time, ethical aspects should be considered – thus, if a patient expresses his unwillingness to share an issue with his parents or a guardian, his wish should be respected, however, a nurse should explain the advantages of sharing, especially in the case when parental involvement is crucial.
Support Options
Regardless of factors, cognitive therapy or digital etiquette-related training may be provided for adolescents. They will be provided with essential techniques to confront cyberbullying, communicate with a psychologist, and have an opportunity to improve their self-esteem. If the involvement of a family is possible, its members will be educated concerning the signs of cyberbullying victimization to consider and asked for the provision of support and understanding (Falkner, 2018). In an adolescent feels loved, valued, and respected by close ones, his emotional well-being and ability to resist cyberbullying will improve.
Conclusion
Cyberbullying may be regarded as a serious health-related issue as it may lead to multiple mental health disorders. Its external factors include relationships with family members and peers, socioeconomic status, and individual features. The assessment of cyberbullying presupposes self-reports in the format of questionnaires with additional questions related to external questions to determine responses. While ethical aspects should be considered, the most efficient support implies the combination of cognitive therapy or training with parents’ involvement.
References
Alrajeh, S. M., Hassan, H. M., Al-Ahmed, A. S., & Alsayed Hassan, D. (2021). An investigation of the relationship between cyberbullying, cybervictimization and depression symptoms: A cross sectional study among university students in Qatar. PLoS one, 16(12), 1-15.
Álvarez-García, D., Núñez, J. C., Barreiro-Collazo, A., & García, T. (2017). Validation of the Cybervictimization Questionnaire (CYVIC) for adolescents. Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 270-281.
Falkner, A. (2018). Adolescent assessment. In Canyon University (Ed), Health assessment: Foundations for effective practice. Academic Web Services.
Ferreira, T. R. D. S. C., & Deslandes, S. F. (2018). Cyberbullying: Concepts, dynamics, characters and health implications.Ciencia & Saude Coletiva, 23(10), 3369-3379.