Mean: The Statistical Averages of Cyberbullying

Due to the exponential growth of technology over the past decade, cyberbullying has become a major public health concern among youth.  While states and schools have been creating laws and programs to address the issue, little research has been conducted on cyberbullying. The minimal research done has not explored racial/ethnic or gender-specific rates. This study examines national survey data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System collected in 2011 and 2013 to determine the change in cyberbullying prevalence over this 2-year time period.  We use weighted binary logistic regression to determine if race/ethnicity, gender, and/or their interactions are significant predictors of cyberbully victimization and examine the geographic variability of cyberbullying rates. The 2011 data show race/ethnicity and gender to be significant predictors. We found that, in 2011, females experience significantly more cyberbullying than males, and Whites experience significantly more cyberbullying than African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics. The 2013 data will be analyzed pending release on June 12, 2014, and compared to the 2011 data. Using the results of this analysis, we can most effectively create programs and interventions tailored to specific gender and racial/ethnic groups to help cyberbully victims cope with the negative effects of being cyberbullied. Cyberbullying remains a relevant issue for youth and, most importantly, our study adds to the limited information available on this troubling issue.