Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-20T23:05:59.047Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Cyberbullying in Australian Primary Schools: How Victims Differ in Attachment, Locus of Control, Self-Esteem, and Coping Styles Compared to Non-Victims

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2016

Rachel D. Muller ,
Jason L. Skues  and
Lisa Z. Wise
Rachel D. Muller
Affiliation:
Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Jason L. Skues*
Affiliation:
Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Lisa Z. Wise
Affiliation:
Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Dr Jason Skues, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, PO Box 218 (H99), Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia. Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

This study explored cyberbullying, coping resources and coping styles in a sample of 107 10- to 12-year-old Australian primary school students. Approximately 13% of participants reported experiencing single episodes of cyberbullying victimisation, while almost half of the participants (48.6%) reported being repeatedly cyberbullied. Technological responses employed by cyberbullying victims included blocking, deleting, and changing passwords. Those who reported a single episode of cyberbullying had higher levels of self-esteem compared to the never cyberbullied or repeatedly cyberbullied groups, but there were no significant differences in attachment, locus of control, and coping styles. These findings have important implications for teachers, parents, school psychologists, and researchers in terms of defining and operationalising cyberbullying, and developing cyberbullying interventions for primary school children.

Keywords

cyberbullyingcopingstudentsprimary schoolvictimcoping resourcesattachmentself-esteemlocus of control
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 27 , Issue 1 , June 2017 , pp. 85 - 104
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andreou, E. (2000). Bully/victim problems and their associations with psychological constructs in 8–12 year old Greek school children. Aggressive Behavior, 26, 49–56.3.0.CO;2-M>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Armsden, G., & Greenberg, M. (1987). The inventory of parent and peer attachment: Individual differences and their relationship to psychological well-being in adolescence. Youth Adolescent. 16, 427–454.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2009). Children's participation in cultural and leisure activities, Australia. Canberra, Australia: Author.Google Scholar
Baas, N., Menno, D.T., de Jong, M., & Drossaert, C. (2013). Children's perspectives on cyberbullying: Insights based on participatory research. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 16, 248–253.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baker, J.A., Grant, S., & Morlock, L. (2008). The teacher-student relationship as a developmental context for children with internalizing or externalizing behavior problems. School Psychology Quarterly, 23, 3–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bhat, C.S. (2008). Cyber bullying: Overview and strategies for school counsellors, guidance officers, and all school personnel. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 18, 53–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bond, L., Carlin, J.B., Thomas, L., Rubin, K., & Patton, G. (2001). Does bullying cause emotional problems? A prospective study of young teenagers. BMJ, 323, 480–484.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment. Attachment and loss Vol. 1. Loss. New York: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Brewer, G., & Kerslake, J. (2015). Cyberbullying, self-esteem, empathy and loneliness. Computers in Human Behavior, 48, 255–260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, M.A. (2005). Cyber bullying: An old problem in a new guise? Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 15, 68–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, M.A., Spears, B., Slee, P., Butler, D., & Kift, S. (2010). The prevalence of cyberbullying in Australia. Paper in preparation.Google Scholar
Cénat, J.M., Hébert, M., Blais, M., Lavoie, F., Guerrier, M., & Derivois, D. (2014). Cyberbullying, psychological distress and self-esteem among youth in Quebec schools. Journal of Affective Disorders, 169, 7–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cohen, J. (1992). A power primer. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 155–159.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cook, E.T., Greenberg, M.T., & Kusche, C.A. (1995, March). People in my life: Attachment relationships in middle childhood. Paper presented at the Biannual Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Indianapolis, IN.Google Scholar
Cross, D., Shaw, T., Hearn, L., Epstein, M., Monks, H., & Lester, L. (2009). Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study. Perth, Australia: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.Google Scholar
Cunningham, E.G. (2002). Developing a measurement model for coping research in early adolescence. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 62, 147.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Devine, P., & Lloyd, K. (2012). Internet use and psychological wellbeing among 10-year-old and 11-year-old children. Child Care in Practice, 18, 5–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dooley, J.J., Gradinger, P., Strohmeier, D., Cross, D., & Spiel, C. (2010). Cyber-victimisation: The association between help-seeking behaviours and self-reported emotional symptoms in Australia and Austria. Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 20, 194–209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Edstrom, R.B., Goertz, M.E., Pollack, J.M., & Rock, D.A. (1986). Who drops out of high school and why? Findings from a national study. Teachers College Record, 87, 356–373.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frydenberg, E., & Lewis, R. (1993). Adolescent Coping Scale. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Council for Educational Research.Google Scholar
Georgiou, S.N. (2008). Parental style and child bullying and victimization experiences at school. Social Psychology of Education, 11, 213–227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gray-Little, B., Williams, V.S.L., & Hancock, T. D. (1997). An item response theory analysis of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 443–451.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harter, S. (1990). Self and identity development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Hobfoll, S.E. (1988). The ecology of stress. New York: Hemisphere.Google Scholar
Hobfoll, S.E. (1989). Conservation of resources: A new attempt at conceptualizing stress. American Psychologist, 44, 513–524.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hobfoll, S. E. (2001). The influence of culture, community, and the nested-self in the stress process: Advancing conservation of resources theory. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 50, 337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hobfoll, S.E., Banerjee, P., & Britton, P. (1994). Stress resistance resources and health: A conceptual analysis. In Maes, S., Leventhal, H., & Johnston, M. (Eds.), International review of health psychology (Vol. 3, pp. 37–63). Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Hobfoll, S.E., & Jackson, A.P. (1991). Conservation of resources in community intervention. American Journal of Community Psychology, 19, 11–121.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hodges, E.V., Malone, M.J., & Perry, D.G. (1997). Individual risk and social risk as interacting determinants of victimization in the peer group. Developmental Psychology, 33, 1032–1039.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoffnung, M., Hoffnung, R.J., Seifert, K.L., Burton Smith, R., Hine, A., Ward, L., & Quinn, A. (2009). Lifespan development. Brisbane, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Hoffnung, M., Hoffnung, R. J., Seifert, K. L., Burton-Smith, R., Hine, A., Ward, L., . . . & Swabey, K. J. (2013). Lifespan development: A chronological approach. Brisbane, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Jeynes, W.H. (2008). Effects of parental involvement on experiences of discrimination and bullying. Marriage and Family Review, 43, 255–268.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Juvonen, J., & Gross, E.F. (2008). Extending the school grounds? Bullying experiences in cyberspace. Journal of School Health, 78, 496–505.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kaslow, N.J., Rehm, L.P., Pollack, S.L., & Siegel, A.W. (1984). Attributional style and self-control behaviour in depressed and non-depressed children and their parents. Unpublished manuscript, University of Houston, TX.Google Scholar
Kowalski, R.M., Giumetti, G.W., Schroeder, A.N., & Lattanner, M.R. (2014). Bullying in the digital age: A critical review and meta-analysis of cyberbullying research among youth, Psychological Bulletin, 140, 1073–1137. doi:10.1037/a0035618.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lachman, M.E., & Weaver, S.L. (1998). The sense of control as a moderator of social class differences in health and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 763–773.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Li, Q. (2007a). Bullying in the new playground: Research into cyberbullying and cybervictimisation. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 23, 435–454.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, Q. (2007b). New bottle but old wine: A research of cyberbullying in schools. Computers in Human Behavior, 23, 1777–1191.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, Q. (2010). Cyberbullying in high schools: A study of students’ behaviors and beliefs about this new phenomenon. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, 19, 372–392.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lodge, J., & Baxter, J. (2013). Children's experiences of unfriendly behaviour. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Institute of Family Studies.Google Scholar
Lodge, J., Frydenberg, E., Freeman, E., & Care, E. (2007). Understanding engagement in the middle years of schools: Relationships with coping and wellbeing. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Psychological Society.Google Scholar
Madden-Derdich, D., Estrada, A.U., Sales, L.J., Leonard, S.A., & Updegraff, K.A. (2002). Young adolescents’ experiences with parents and friends: Exploring the connections. Family Relations, 51, 72–80.Google Scholar
Menesini, E., & Nocentini, A. (2009). Cyberbullying definition and measurement: Some critical considerations. Journal of Psychology, 217, 230–232.Google Scholar
Menesini, E., Nocentini, A., & Calussi, P. (2011). The measurement of cyberbullying dimensional structure and relative item severity and discrimination. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 14, 267–274.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Modecki, K.L., Minchin, J., Harbaugh, A.G., Guerra, N.G., & Runions, K.C. (2014). Bullying prevalence across contexts: A meta-analysis measuring cyber and traditional bullying. Journal of Adolescent Health, 55, 602–611.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Monks, C., Robinson, S., & Worlidge, P. (2012). The emergence of cyberbullying: A survey of primary school pupils’ perceptions and experiences. School Psychology International, 33, 477–491.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mullis, R.L., & Chapman, P. (2000). Age, gender and self-esteem differences in adolescent coping styles. The Journal of Social Psychology, 140, 539–542.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Murray, C. & Greenberg, M.T. (2006). Examining the importance of social relationships and social contexts in the lives of children with high incidence disabilities. Journal of Special Education, 39, 220–233.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nowicki, S. Jr. & Strickland, B.R. (1973). A locus of control scale for children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 40, 148–154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Özdemir, Y. (2014). Cyber victimization and adolescent self-esteem: The role of communication with parents. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 17, 255–263.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Patchin, J.W., & Hinduja, S. (2006). Bullies move beyond the schoolyard: A preliminary look at cyberbullying. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 4, 148–169.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pianta, R. (1994). Patterns of relationships between children and kindergarten teachers. Journal of School Psychology, 32, 15–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pollastri, A.R., Cardemil, E.V., & O'Donnell, E.H. (2009). Self-esteem in pure bullies and bully/victims: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 1–14.Google Scholar
Price, M., & Dalgleish, J. (2010). Cyberbullying: Experiences, impacts and coping strategies as described by Australian young people. Youth Studies Australia, 29, 51–59.Google Scholar
Raskauskas, J., & Huynh, A. (2015). The process of coping with cyberbullying: A systematic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 23, 118–125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ridenour, T.A., Greenberg, M.T., & Cook, E.T. (2006). Structure and validity of people in my life: A self-report measure of attachment in late childhood. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 35, 1037–1053.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenberg, M. (1989). Society and the adolescent self-image (rev. ed.). Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press.Google Scholar
Rothbaum, F., Weisz, J.R., & Snyder, S.S. (1982). Changing the world and changing the self: A two-process model of perceived control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 5–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rotter, J.B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80, 1–28.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sakellariou, T., Carroll, A., & Houghton, S. (2012). Rates of cyber victimization and bullying among male Australian primary and high school students. School Psychology International, 33, 533–549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seals, D., & Young, J. (2003). Bullying and victimization: Prevalence and relationship to gender, grade level, ethnicity, self-esteem, and depression. Adolescence, 38, 735–747.Google ScholarPubMed
Salmivalli, C., Kaukiainen, A., Kaistaniemi, L., & Lagerspetz, K. (1999). Self-evaluated self-esteem, peer-evaluated self-esteem, and defensive egotism as predictors of adolescents’ participation in bullying situations. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 25, 1268–1278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sleglova, V., & Cerna, A. (2011). Cyberbullying in adolescent victims: Perception and coping. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 5 (2), Article 1.Google Scholar
Slonje, R., & Smith, P.K. (2008). Cyberbullying: Another main type of bullying? Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 49, 147–154.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, P. K., Mahdavi, J., Carvalho, M., Fisher, S., Russell, S., & Tippett, N. (2008). Cyberbullying: Its nature and impact in secondary school pupils. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49, 376–385.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sullivan, B. (2004). Cell phones and kids: Do they mix? NBC News. Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5671445/ Google Scholar
Tokunaga, R.S. (2010). Following you home from school: A critical review and synthesis of research on cyberbullying victimization. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 277–287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trivitis, L. (2005). A comparison of coping and coping resources in at-risk and seriously delinquent female adolescents. Unpublished manuscript, University of Virginia.Google Scholar
Vandebosch, H., & Van Cleemput, K. (2009). Cyberbullying among youngsters: Profiles of bullies and victims. New Media and Society, 11, 1349–1371.CrossRefGoogle Scholar