Original article
Examining the Overlap in Internet Harassment and School Bullying: Implications for School Intervention

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.09.004Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

As more and more youth utilize the Internet, concern about Internet harassment and its consequences for adolescents is growing. This paper examines the potential overlap in online and school harassment, as well as the concurrence of Internet harassment and school behavior problems.

Methods

The Growing Up with Media survey is a national cross-sectional online survey of 1588 youth between the ages of 10 and 15 years old. Our main measures were Internet harassment (i.e., rude or nasty comments, spreading of rumors, threatening or aggressive comments) and school functioning (i.e., academic performance; skipping school; detentions and suspensions; and carrying a weapon to school in the last 30 days).

Results

Although some overlap existed, 64% of youth who were harassed online did not report also being bullied at school. Nonetheless, youth harassed online were significantly more likely to also report two or more detentions or suspensions, and skipping school in the previous year. Especially concerning, youth who reported being targeted by Internet harassment were eight times more likely than all other youth to concurrently report carrying a weapon to school in the past 30 days (odds ratio = 8.0, p = .002).

Conclusions

Although the data do not support the assumption that many youth who are harassed online are bullied by the same (or even different) peers at school, findings support the need for professionals working with children and adolescents, especially those working in the schools, to be aware of the possible linkages between school behavior and online harassment for some youth.

Section snippets

Methods

Data are from the baseline survey of Growing Up with Media, a longitudinal survey of youth, and the adult in each household most knowledgeable about the child’s media use. Data were collected between August and September 2006. The protocol was reviewed and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention IRB.

Results

Percentages reported in the text and tables are weighted as described above; numbers reported in tables are unweighted and reflective of the actual sample [32].

Thirty-five percent of youth reported being targeted by at least one of the three forms of Internet harassment queried in the previous year, 8% reported frequent harassment (i.e., being targeted monthly or more often; Table 1). Demographic characteristics of youth respondents are shown in Table 1. Youth who were targeted by Internet

Discussion

One in three (34.5%) youth in the Growing Up with Media survey, conducted among youth between the ages of 10 and 15 years attending private and public schools in the United States, report at least one incident of Internet harassment in the previous year; 8% report frequent harassment occurring monthly or more often. Little overlap in school harassment is reported for youth who are harassed online. Nonetheless, school behavior problems including ditching or skipping school, weapon carrying, and

Conclusion

Current findings reveal concerning school behavior problems for youth who are harassed online. Data do not support the assumption, however, that many youth who are harassed online are bullied by the same (or even different) peers at school. Professionals working with children and adolescents, especially those working in the schools, should be aware of the possible linkages between school behavior problems and online harassment for some youth. Youth targeted by the same people online and offline

Acknowledgments

This publication was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number U49/CE000206-02 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC.

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