Bullying and Cyberbullying in Adolescents from Disadvantaged Areas: Validation of Questionnaires; Prevalence Rates; and Relationship to Self-Esteem, Empathy and Social Skills

Abstract

Although bullying and cyberbullying have been widely studied in diverse geographical areas, the number of studies in isolated regions, located in rainforests such as the Peruvian Amazonia, is low. Most research has been conducted in wealthy, Western countries, although disadvantaged areas are usually the most affected by various problems. Thus, the aims of this study were to validate bullying and cyberbullying measurement instruments among adolescents in the Peruvian Amazonia, to determine the prevalence rates of bullying and cyberbullying among this population, and to examine how bullying and cyberbullying relate to self-esteem, empathy, and social skills. The sample included 607 students from the region of Loreto (Peruvian Amazonia) who completed self-report questionnaires. Both questionnaires used in the sample were found to have good psychometric properties. Results showed that bullying and cyberbullying are prevalent among teenagers in the Amazonia. Low self-esteem and high affective empathy predicted bullying victimization. Being a bully was related to high assertiveness. Being a bully-victim was related to low self-esteem and low assertiveness. Cybervictims showed higher cognitive empathy. Cyberbullies showed higher affective empathy in comparison to uninvolved adolescents. Having low self-esteem and higher affective empathy were related to being a cyberbully/victim. This study provides a validated questionnaire that can be used for research and practice in the Amazonia. Based on the current results, tailored anti-bullying and anti-cyberbullying interventions with components focused on self-esteem, empathy, and social skills should be implemented in Peruvian secondary schools.

Factors associated with cyberbullying among vocational students based on the ecological system model in an ethnic minority area

“…[ 19 ] Second, students from rural areas are more likely to experience challenges such as lack of resources, limited economic opportunities, and fewer extracurricular activities than those from urban areas, which may lead to students from rural areas having less interpersonal interaction with others and thus fewer socio-emotional skills. [ 30 ] The prevalence of CV is also higher among students from rural areas than those from urban areas. These discrepancies can be explained by the fact that students from rural households in the YKAP area may have experienced greater academic pressure than students from urban households.…”

“…These results are consistent with studies that found a negative effect of detachment from peers on bullying. [ 30 ] Students who have fewer close friends or poor peer relationships have reported higher CB or CV, which was attributed to adolescents’ lack of experience in close friendships. [ 31 ] First, adolescents lacking previous experience in handling conflicts in their interpersonal relationships might explain their involvement in CB.…”

Prevalence and psychosocial predictors of cyberaggression and cybervictimization in adolescents: A Spain-Ecuador transcultural study on cyberbullying

“…Also, in Spain, Larrañaga, Yubero, Ovejero, & Navarro's study [ 29 ] on adolescents showed that 26.6% were cybervictims, of whom 22% had become cybervictims promptly and 6.6% were serious cybervictims, without differences regarding sex. In recent years, the number of studies carried out on adolescents from Latin America has increased; but most of them are not published in impact journals [ 30 ]. There are countries where very few studies with scientific rigor and large samples have been carried out, as is the case of Ecuador.…”

Food Insecurity and Bullying Victimization Among 170,618 Adolescents in 59 Countries

“…Inferior physical appearance would make adolescents being alien in the school or community settings, which could result in discrimination and subsequent bullying perpetration from others ( 53 , 54 ). Besides, adolescents who come from low SES families appear to have a weak sense of self-esteem ( 55 ), which may be perceived as being vulnerable or submissive that can also increase the risk for peer victimization and serves to maintain victimization ( 56 ). Generally, our finding, combined with previous literature, provide supportive evidence to the application or extension of related theories in explaining bullying involvement, especially the social capital theory ( 21 ): adolescents with low social capital (e.g., low SES), such as being food insecure, are more likely to be bullying victims than their peers.…”