CURE: An Ounce of Prevention: Predictors of Cyberbullying

Predictors of Cyberbullying

CURE: An Ounce of Prevention: Predictors of Cyberbullying

Student Presenters

Grayson Eastman, Alyssa Suarez, Brice Tingle

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Jennifer Doty

College

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Abstract

Socio-ecological models suggest that parent-child relations impact other micro- and mesosystem interactions; specifically, our research group investigated whether or not the amount of trust and disclosure of information between children and their parents have a substantial effect on the degree to which the child is involved in or a victim of cyberbullying. We used existing data from the Cyberbullying Prevention Research Collaborative. The survey interviewed 310 participants consisting of parent-child dyads. Children were aged 10-14, 51% male vs. 49% female, 69% white, 11% black, and ~20% other. Parents were aged 21-53, 40% male vs. 60% female, 71% white, 13% black, and ~16% other. In order to measure the impact of communication in the parent-child relationship from both the parent and child reports, we ran four linear regressions, measuring the effect of two pairs of independent variables (parental trust and disclosure vs. child trust and disclosure) on the dependent variables (child cyberbullying victimization vs. perpetration). Both child trust and parental trust were found across all four regressions to be significantly (p < .011) negatively related to cyberbullying victimization and perpetration, suggesting that mutual trust between parent and child is a protective factor against both bullying and being bullied online. Disclosure variables did not show significant relationships to either victimization in perpetration, with one exception: child disclosure was found to be positively related (p = .002) to cyberbullying victimization, suggesting that children who are more likely to disclose experiences to their parents are also more likely to be victimized online. 

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1 Response
  1. Elizabeth F.

    I find this fascinating as cyberbullying has had a direct influence on the increase of teen suicide. This study focusing on trust between a child and parent could be a jumping-off point for further study on child/parent trust and teen suicide that resulted from cyberbullying. I am a psychology major double minoring in anthropology and sociology and am highly interested in studying early self-termination and it’s various causes.

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