247614 Cyberbullying, school bullying, and help-seeking behaviors among a regional census of middle school students

Wednesday, November 2, 2011: 9:30 AM

Shari Kessel Schneider, MSPH , Health and Human Development Division, Education Development Center, Inc., Waltham, MA
Robert Coulter, MPH , Health and Human Development Division, Education Development Center, Inc., Newton, MA
Olivia Alford, BA , Health and Human Development Division, Education Development Center, Inc., Newton, MA
Lydia O'Donnell, EdD , Health and Human Development Division, Education Development Center, Inc., Waltham, MA
Background/Purpose: The MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey is a regional census that provides data on cyberbullying, school bullying, and associated help-seeking behaviors to inform the development of school-based, anti-bullying prevention programs and strategies.

Methods: In Fall 2010, a census was conducted in 21 of 23 middle schools in the MetroWest Boston region. Surveys were obtained from 11,597 students in grades 7-8 (91%). Survey items asked about 12-month cyberbullying and school bullying victimization, and help-seeking behaviors (talking to adults at school or outside of school about being bullied).

Findings: Cyberbullying victimization is reported by 17.2% of middle school students, and is less prevalent than school bullying (31.7%). Females are nearly twice as likely as males to report cyberbullying (22.2% vs. 12.2%) and slightly more likely to report school bullying (33.1% vs. 30.2%). Overall, only 31.3% of cyberbullying victims talked to an adult about being bullied. Cyberbullying victims were much less likely to seek help from adults at school than school bullying victims (14.5% vs. 31.0%) and also less likely to seek help from parents/non-school adults (28.0% vs. 48.4%). Regardless of the victimization type, females were more likely than males to seek help from school and non-school adults.

Conclusions: Most cyberbullying victims do not seek help from adults at school or outside of school; cyberbullying victims are less likely than school bullying victims to talk to adults about being bullied. School-based anti-bullying programs should include steps to create a school climate that encourages both cyberbullying and school bullying victims to seek adult support.

Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe sociodemographic patterns in cyberbullying, school bullying, and associated help-seeking behavior in middle and high school. 2. Discuss how findings on help-seeking behaviors can inform school-based anti-bullying prevention programs

Keywords: School Health, Youth Violence

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a Senior Research Associate who directs projects including large-scale behavioral health surveys and program evaluations. I am the director of the MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey initiative, and am the primary person responsible for analyzing and reporting its data.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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