Cyber victimization during the <scp>COVID</scp>‐19 pandemic: A syndemic looming large

Shoib, Sheikh; Philip, Sharad; Bista, Seema; Saeed, Fahimeh; Javed, Sana; Őri, Dorottya; Bashir, Aadil; Chandradasa, Miyuru

doi:10.1002/hsr2.528

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 17 publications

(43 reference statements)

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“…Identifying cybervictimization as a global health issue is an essential step in an increasingly connected world with massive web-based communication. During the COVID-19 pandemic, web-based experiences changed, cybervictimization risks increased [ 58 ], and more hate crimes were reported in the United Kingdom [ 59 - 61 ]. In public health emergencies and without proper action, people with long-term conditions may face long- and short-term health consequences.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cybervictimization of Adults With Long-term Conditions: Cross-sectional Study

Alhaboby¹,

Barnes²,

Evans³

et al. 2023

J Med Internet Res

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Background People living with chronic conditions and disabilities experience harassment both offline and on the web. Cybervictimization is an umbrella term for negative web-based experiences. It has distressing consequences on physical health, mental well-being, and social relationships. These experiences have mostly been documented among children and adolescents. However, the scope of such experiences is not well documented among adults with long-term conditions, and the potential impact has not been examined from a public health perspective. Objective This study aimed to examine the scope of cybervictimization among adults living with long-term conditions in the United Kingdom and the perceived impact on self-management of chronic conditions. Methods This paper reports the findings of the quantitative phase of a mixed methods study in the United Kingdom. This cross-sectional study targeted adults aged ≥18 years with long-term conditions. Using a web-based link, the survey was shared on the web via 55 victim support groups, health support organizations, and social media accounts of nongovernmental organizations and activists such as journalists and disability campaigners. People with long-term conditions were asked about their health conditions, comorbidities, self-management, negative web-based experiences, their impact on them, and support sought to mitigate the experiences. The perceived impact of cybervictimization was measured using a set of questions on a Likert scale, frequency tables, and the Stanford Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Diseases Scale. Demographic data and the impact on self-management were cross-tabulated to identify the demographic characteristics of the targeted individuals and potential conditions with complications and highlight directions for future research. Results Data from 152 participants showed that almost 1 in every 2 adults with chronic conditions was cybervictimized (69/152, 45.4%). Most victims (53/69, 77%) had disabilities; the relationship between cybervictimization and disability was statistically significant (P=.03). The most common means of contacting the victims was Facebook (43/68, 63%), followed by personal email or SMS text messaging, each accounting for 40% (27/68). Some participants (9/68, 13%) were victimized in web-based health forums. Furthermore, 61% (33/54) of victims reported that experiencing cybervictimization had affected their health condition self-management plan. The highest impact was on lifestyle changes such as exercise, diet, avoiding triggers, and avoiding excessive smoking and alcohol consumption. This was followed by changes to medications and follow-ups with health care professionals. Most victims (38/55, 69%) perceived a worsened self-efficacy on the Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Diseases Scale. Formal support was generally rated as poor, with only 25% (13/53) of victims having disclosed this experience to their physicians. Conclusions Cybervictimization of people with chronic conditions is a public health issue with worrying consequences. This triggered considerable fear and negatively influenced the self-management of different health conditions. Further context- and condition-specific research is needed. Global collaborations to address inconsistencies in research are recommended.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cybervictimization of Adults With Long-term Conditions: Cross-sectional Study

Alhaboby¹,

Barnes²,

Evans³

et al. 2023

J Med Internet Res

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“…An example of protective actions was the recommendations for current legislation to protect people who are disabled in the United Kingdom [32] and the ongoing changes to policy [83,84]. In addition, public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in an increase in both web-based presence and disability discrimination [85]. Nevertheless, further work is needed to tackle the wider discriminatory scene and how public health emergencies might further influence the web-based experiences of people with disabilities.…”

Section: Comparison With Prior Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Cybervictimization on the Self-Management of Chronic Conditions: Lived Experiences

Alhaboby¹,

Evans²,

Barnes³

et al. 2023

J Med Internet Res

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Background Cybervictimization of people with long-term conditions is a disturbing phenomenon with a documented impact on health and well-being. These experiences are primarily examined using quantitative methods, focusing on children and young people. However, research centered on the cybervictimization of adults with chronic conditions is scarce, with limited qualitative input from the victims as experts in their own experiences. Objective This study aims to understand the impact of cybervictimization on the self-management of long-term conditions among adults with chronic conditions and disabilities in the United Kingdom. Methods This paper reports the findings from the qualitative phase of a phenomenologically informed mixed methods study. The biographical disruption concept was used to conceptualize the study. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 participants with chronic conditions who experienced cybervictimization. A codebook was developed, and a zigzag approach to thematic analysis was used to define and refine themes. Ethical considerations and risk assessment were ongoing during the research process because of the sensitivity of the topic and cases of harassment. Results Cybervictimization has direct and indirect impacts on the self-management of chronic conditions. This impact was verified across 6 overarching themes that emerged from this study. First, biomedical events included overall health deterioration because of existing conditions, new diagnoses, and subjective physical complaints. Second, the impact on mental health was perceived through psychological consequences and psychiatric disorders that developed after or during this traumatic experience. Third, the multilevel impact theme focused on disrupting the strategies for coping with health conditions and involved unplanned changes to victims’ health management priorities. Fourth, the impact of complexity reflected the perceived uniqueness in each case, intersectionality, struggle to obtain formal support, and subsequent health complications. Fifth, social network involvement comprised the effects of social isolation, victim blaming, and deception. Finally, the disability discrimination theme focused on prejudice, issues on inclusion, and hostility in society, with subsequent effects on well-being. Conclusions People with long-term conditions experienced different forms of cybervictimization, all disruptive with various effects on health. Disability discrimination was a prominent finding to be further investigated. This paper reports the impact as themes to guide further research and practice, with the recognition that long-term conditions and impairments are not a homogeneous group. Despite the devastating consequences, there are positive points that strengthen potential interventions. Awareness-raising campaigns, training of support channels, and multidisciplinary research are recommended to tackle this issue and initiate change.

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“…-either taking into account only certain, rather narrow aspects of the cyber socialization engagement, such as motivation or the nature of the use of the Internet (e.g., Smith, Hewitt and Skrbiš, 2015), smartphones (Servidio, Griffiths and Demetrovics, 2021), social networks (Casale, Musicò and Spada, 2021;Kircaburun, Jonason and Griffiths, 2018) and instant messengers (Casale, Musicò and Spada, 2021;Honnekeri et al, 2017;Saeed and Hassan, 2020), such specific negative manifestations of destructive cyber socialization as cyberbullying and cyberstalking (Kircaburun, Jonason and Griffiths, 2018), cybervictimization (Shoib et al, 2022), various cyberaddictions (see, for example, (Casale, Musicò and Spada, 2021;Siah et al, 2021), cyberloafing (Metin-Orta and Demirtepe-Saygılı, 2021), etc.…”

Section: Young University Studentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cyber Socialization Engagement and Dark Tetrad of Personality among Young University Students

Lenkov¹,

Rubtsova²,

Elagina³

et al. 2022

IJCRSEE

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The article considers the relationship between the cyber socialization engagement and the Dark Tetrad of personality (Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism). The cyber socialization engagement was understood, according to the author’s concept, as having constructive and destructive components. The study purpose was to identify correlation and deterministic relationships between indicators of the cyber socialization engagement and the Dark Tetrad among young university students. The sample included 424 students from Russian universities. For measurements, «The cyber socialization engagement questionnaire» and «The Short Dark Tetrad Scale» were used. It has been established that the relationship between the indicators of the cyber socialization engagement and the Dark Tetrad has a qualitatively heterogeneous character – from the complete absence of connections to mutual determination. The strongest mutual determination is associated with the everyday sadism: it increases the destructive engagement in cyber socialization, explaining 12% of the total variance, and the latter, in turn, increases the severity of sadism (10.5%). It is advisable to take into account the revealed connections between the general cyber socialization engagement and the Dark Tetrad of the personality when organizing psychological support for the socialization of students in the context of expanding social interactions carried out in cyberspace.

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Cyber victimization during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A syndemic looming large

Cited by 11 publications

References 17 publications

Cybervictimization of Adults With Long-term Conditions: Cross-sectional Study

Cybervictimization of Adults With Long-term Conditions: Cross-sectional Study

The Impact of Cybervictimization on the Self-Management of Chronic Conditions: Lived Experiences

Cyber Socialization Engagement and Dark Tetrad of Personality among Young University Students

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