An Investigation of Short-Term Longitudinal Associations Between Social Anxiety and Victimization and Perpetration of Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying

Abstract

Previous research has suggested that social anxiety is associated with victimization and perpetration of (cyber)bullying. The direction and causality of this relationship has not yet been empirically supported for both traditional and cyberbullying involvement. This study examined short-term longitudinal associations between feelings of social anxiety and involvement in traditional bullying and cyberbullying among 2128 adolescents aged 10-17 (56.6 % girls). A cross-lagged panel analysis provided evidence for the contribution of social anxiety to later victimization of bullying, both on- and off-line. The possibility of a reciprocal relationship was also examined, although it was not supported. Furthermore, longitudinal bidirectional relationships between social anxiety and the perpetration of bullying were investigated. Only one significant longitudinal association was found: the perpetration of traditional bullying predicted subsequent higher levels of social anxiety. The implications of these findings are discussed.

The Influence of Childhood Psychological Maltreatment on Mainland China College Students’ Cyberbullying: The Mediating Effect of Moral Disengagement and the Moderating Effect of Moral Identity

“…It has been found that individuals mainly use computers, tablet PCs, or mobile telephones to engage in cyberbullying (Hu and Fan, 2013). About 75% of teenagers and 58.4% of college students have indulged in cyberbullying behaviour (Chapin, 2016;Kokkinos et al, 2014), accompanied by certain unhealthy emotions such as depression, social anxiety, and indignation (Pabian and Vandebosch, 2016). In addition, cyberbullying is closely related to some deviant behaviours in real life, such as suicidal behaviour, internet addiction, smoking, and alcoholism (Litwiller and Brausch, 2013;Casas et al, 2013;Pabian and Vandebosch, 2014).…”

From risk factors to detection and intervention: a practical proposal for future work on cyberbullying

“…While traditional bullying seems to peak during middle school, cyberbullying peaks somewhat later (Pabian & Vandebosch, 2016). In fact, with age, there seems to be a gradual shift away from traditional forms of bullying such as spreading rumors, to cyberbullying; for example, Mishna, Khoury-Kassabri, Gadalla and Daciuk (2012) found that the older the student, the more likely s/he was to cyberbully others or to both bully and be bullied online, rather than to be a bully or victim.…”

Considering mindfulness techniques in school-based anti-bullying programmes

“…For traditional bullying, exposure to such incidences has been associated with anxiety (Stapinksi et al, 2014;Pabian & Vandebosch, 2016), depression and suicidal behaviour (Bauman, Toomey, & Walker, 2013), eating disorders , borderline personality disorder (Wolke, Shreier, Zanarini, & Winsper, 2012), lower self-esteem (O'Moore & Kirkham, 2001) and psychosomatic problems (Fekkes, Pijpers, & Verloove-Vanhorick, 2004). Lower school achievement (Nakamoto & Schwartz, 2010), higher school delinquency (Barboza, 2015) and school dropout (Cornell, Gregory, Huang, & Fan, 2013) are also attributed to victimisation.…”