Background: Cyberbullying is a new risk factor for the well-being of pediatric populations. Consequences of cyberbullying include both physical and mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, and somatic concerns. Adolescents who have been victims of cyberbullying and developed secondary symptoms are often recommended to visit a healthcare provider to obtain effective, evidence-based treatment. To date, no interventions exist in the healthcare setting for adolescents who are victims of cyberbullying.
Background
Graduate and professional students are reported to have higher than average rates of depression compared to age‐ and gender‐matched populations. Further, more than half of student health visits are due to anxiety, yet little is known about the relationships among depression, anxiety, and healthy lifestyle behaviors in this population as well as what factors predict depression and anxiety.
Aims
The purposes of this study were as follows: (a) to examine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, physical health, healthy beliefs, and lifestyle behaviors in incoming first‐year health sciences professional students; (b) to describe the relationships among these variables; and (c) to determine predictors of depression and anxiety.
Methods
A descriptive correlational study design was used with baseline data collected from first‐year graduate health sciences students from seven health professions colleges who were participating in a wellness onboarding intervention program, including Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Optometry, Pharmacy, Social Work, and Veterinary Medicine.
Results
Seventeen percent of incoming students reported moderate‐to‐severe depressive symptoms with 6% reporting suicidal ideation. In addition, 14% of the participating students reported moderate‐to‐severe anxiety. Factors that predicted depression and anxiety included having less than 7 hr of sleep per night, worse general health, lower healthy lifestyle beliefs, lower healthy lifestyle behaviors, higher stress, and a perceived lack of control.
Linking Evidence to Action
These findings highlight the need to routinely screen incoming health sciences students for depression and anxiety upon entrance into their academic programs so that evidence‐based interventions can be delivered and students who report severe depression or suicidal ideation can be immediately triaged for further evaluation and treatment. Providing cultures of well‐being and emphasizing self‐care throughout academic programs also are essential for students to engage in healthy lifestyles.
The aim of this article was to present a detailed analysis of the concept of cyberbullying. Research on the topic of cyberbullying is growing exponentially, but not all studies use the same definition to examine this concept. A concept analysis in the style of Walker and Avant was used to analyze cyberbullying. Literature was retrieved from the databases of CINAHL and PubMed between the years 2009 and October 2014 using the key word "cyberbullying." Twenty-five English-language articles were located that delineated a definition of cyberbullying. First, articles were analyzed to discover the defining attributes of cyberbullying. Second, antecedents, consequences, and related terms of cyberbullying were examined. Third, an operational definition of cyberbullying is proposed on the basis of a consensus of the review. This review proposes that the defining attributes of cyberbullying are: (1) electronic form of contact (2) an aggressive act (3) intent (4) repetition (publicity), and (5) harm of the victim. The antecedents most often mentioned were lower self-esteem, higher levels of depression, and social isolation and the consequences were academic problems and affective disorders. A single concise definition of cyberbullying was created that can be utilized by health care providers to educate their patients and families about cyberbullying. This definition also can be used to guide research to develop effective interventions.
The emotional experience of bullying victimization in youths has been documented primarily using quantitative methods; however, qualitative methods may be better suited to examine the experience. An integrative review of the qualitative method studies addressing the emotional experience of bullying victimization was conducted. From MEDLINE, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, Education Information Resource Center, and PsycINFO, 14 English-language, peer-reviewed, qualitative studies were reviewed. Applying the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme, the quality of the studies was deemed sufficient. The range of emotional experiences reported included sadness, decreased self-esteem, embarrassment, fear, suicidal thinking, anger, feeling hurt, loneliness, powerlessness, helplessness, and confusion. Overall, these results were similar to those obtained from quantitative method studies, apart from the feeling of embarrassment. This integrative review confirmed and expanded the knowledge of emotional experiences of bullying victimization.
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