The Academic Events Group, 6th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION

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Cyber Bullying and Cyber Victimization in Adolescents: Predictors and Responses
Ezgi Taştekin, Pınar Bayhan

Last modified: 2017-03-24

Abstract


Cyber bullying, that occurs when the opportunities of internet environments are used for harming the others, has an important role in adolescents’s life when it is considered adolescents use the internet and technological devices intensively. In adolescence, increasing role of peer relationships and development of self-concept are important milestones for adolescent. Therefore, the main purpose of the study is to examine the relations between cyber bullying, cyber victimization, peer relationships, self-concept and other variables in adolescents. Besides, it is aimed to determine the responses of adolescents when they are cyber bullied. The sample of the study consists of 895 adolescents between the ages 14-17 who are choosen by the method of simple random, 450 of them are female and 445 of them are male. In this study, General Information Form which is designed for determining the demographic informations and internet usage characteristics, Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale, The Revised Cyber Bullying Inventory (RCBI) and Peer Relationship Scale were used. In addition to these instruments, at the end of the RCBI, open ended questions are asked to adolescents about their responses when they are cyber bullied. The relations between cyber bullying, cyber victimization, peer relationships, self-concept and other variables are investigated by Hierarchical Multiple Regression Analysis and the responses of adolescents are investigated by descriptive statistics. Cyber bullying and cyber victimization were predicted by gender (male), low self-concept and daily time spent on the internet. Cyber bullying and cyber victimization are predictors of each other. When they are cyber bullied; most of the adolescents ignore it or do the same, feel sadness and anger, share it with friends or nobody. The study results were discussed and advices are given within the scope of the literature.

Key words: cyber bullying, cyber victimization, adolescents, peer relationships, self-concept