Assessing Predictors of Cyberbullying Perpetration Among Adolescents: the Influence of Individual Factors, Attachments, and Prior Victimization

• Published in: International Journal of Bullying Prevention Vol. 2; no. 2; pp. 149 - 159
• Main Author: Paez, G. R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.06.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescents; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Bullying; Children & youth; Computers; Cyberbullying; Developmental Psychology; Disease control; Health behavior; Influence; Mental depression; Original Article; Parent Participation; Peers; Psychology; Public Health; Social networks; Social Work; Students; Teachers; Technology; Teenagers; Victimization; Victims of crime; United States > US; Cappadocia; Turkey; Attachments; Cyberbullying; Multivariate logistic regression
• ISSN: 2523-3653; 2523-3661
• DOI: 10.1007/s42380-019-00025-7

Cyberbullying continues to be prevalent among adolescents, and advancing technology provides more ways for this harmful behavior to persist. Using data from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey administered by the World Health Organization, this study examines the influence of individual, attachment, and victimization characteristics of 12,642 adolescents on the likelihood to cyberbully. Results from multivariate logistic regression models show that physical aggression, associations with peers who smoke cigarettes or carry weapons, prior cyberbullying victimization, and involvement in traditional bullying are associated with cyberbullying perpetration. Results underscore the need to ensure positive and strong attachments to parents, teachers, or peers to enhance cyberbullying prevention efforts. Implications for future research and practices are also discussed.