Psychiatric Symptomatology as a Predictor of Cyberbullying among University Students

Abstract

Problem Statement: The internet as online technology has become one of the most popular communication channels among university students worldwide. Young adults and university students have become sophisticated users of technology and often lead the way in adapting new technologies for everyday use. Sometimes their technological savvy can become a gateway, exposing them to a host of sordid activities, including pornography, drugs, violence, and cyberbullying. Although online technologies provide numerous benefits (i.e., learning and teaching activities), online technology also has a potentially 'dark side,' as it can be used for harm. The current study focuses on the harmful consequences of one type of misuse of online technology: cyberbullying. Purpose of Study: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relations between cyberbullying and psychiatric symptoms, and to investigate which symptoms predicted cyberbullying. Methods: This study was cross-sectional and correlational research. A demographic information form, questions about cyberbullying, and a Symptom Check List-90-Revised Form were administered to 695 undergraduate university students (247 males and 448 females). Findings and Results: Data revealed that there are significant differences between non-bully-victims, pure-victims, pure-bullies, and bully-victims, according to the self-reported psychiatric symptom scores. The non-bully-victim group reported significantly less psychiatric symptoms than pure-victims and bully-victims. The path analysis revealed that hostility and psychoticism significantly predicted cyberbullying. Additionally, current cyberbullying could predict the possibility of future cyberbullying. Nearly half of the participants in the current study reported that they pretended (at least one time) to be someone else on the internet or cell phone. Additionally, a significant relation between cyberbullying and anonymity was found. Interestingly, although no gender differences were found in relation to victimization, males engaged in cyberbullying and pretended to be someone else in cyberspace significantly more frequently than females. Additionally, males were more likely than females to endorse that they would engage in cyberbullying in the future. Conclusions and Recommendations: The current study reported that some psychiatric symptoms were significant predictors of cyberbullying. The relation of psychoticism and hostility to cyberbullying particularly should be investigated in more detail in future research.

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