Comments on cyberbullying article: A rejoinder

• Published in: European journal of developmental psychology Vol. 9; no. 5; pp. 559 - 568
• Main Author: Olweus, Dan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hove Psychology Press 01.09.2012; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Bullying; Confounders; Cyberbullies; Cybervictims; Effects; Traditional bullying
• ISSN: 1740-5629; 1740-5610
• DOI: 10.1080/17405629.2012.705086

In this article, I discuss many of the points raised in the thoughtful comments by Hinduja and Patchin (2012, this issue), Menesini (2012, this issue), and Smith (2012, this issue) on my original article "Cyberbullying: An overrated phenomenon" (Olweus, 2012, this issue). After having seriously considered the arguments of my commentators, I still think there is strong empirical evidence for my original position-supported by one or more but not all of my commentators-that cyberbullying is a basically low-frequent phenomenon and that there has not occurred a marked increase in the prevalence rates of cyberbullying over the past five or six years. With regard to the possible negative effects of cyberbullying, over and above the effects of traditional bullying, I note with appreciation that this issue has received some attention in the recent research literature but I also make a call for more systematic consideration of potential confounders in such studies. A good deal of the discussion in the comments and the current article concerned the issue of whether cyberbullying should be regarded as a form of bullying on a par with traditional forms of bullying or if it is distinct enough to be considered a partly separate phenomenon or dimension. I conclude by arguing that in order for research on cyberbullying to proceed in a systematic and fruitful way, it is necessary to place it in proper context (along with traditional bullying) and to communicate a somewhat more realistic picture of its prevalence and nature.