You may be concerned that the time your teenager spends on the computer may damage their academic or social wellness, but what you should really be worried about your teen’s mental and emotional health. This is according to a new study, presented last month at the Paediatric Academic Societies’ annual meeting in Washington, DC, which found that approximately 16% of US high school students are victims of cyberbullying. However, as this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Based on collected from more than 15,000 public and private high school students who took part in a yearly survey on risky youth behaviours in 2011, the researchers found that one in six of the students had been a target of cyberbullying within the past 12 months. Girls were the victims of cyberbullying more often than boys, with 22% and 11% reporting being targeted, respectively. The study also found that white teenagers were more than twice as likely to be victims as black teens.
In an American Academy of Paediatrics news release, study author Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioural paediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Centre of New York, said, ‘Electronic bullying of high school students threatens the self-esteem, emotional wellbeing and social standing of youth at a very vulnerable stage of their development. Although teenagers generally embrace being connected to the Web and each other 24/7, we must recognize that these new technologies carry with them the potential to traumatize youth in new and different ways.’ He added, ‘As technology continues to advance and computers become that much more accessible, cyberbullying will continue to grow as a hurtful weapon against kids and teens.’
In the news release, principal investigator Karen Ginsburg, also of Cohen Children’s Medical Centre, commented, ‘Electronic bullying is a very real yet silent danger that may be traumatizing children and teens without parental knowledge, and [it] has the potential to lead to devastating consequences. By identifying groups at higher risk for electronic bullying, it is hoped that targeted awareness and prevention strategies can be put in place.’ Another expert noted that parents may not have any idea what’s going on.
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