The coping of bystanders with cyberbullying in an adolescent population

in Slee, Phillip T.; Skrzypiec, Grace; Cefai, Carmel (Eds.) Child and Adolescent Wellbeing and Violence Prevention in Schools (2018)

Cyberbullying is a serious social phenomenon that occurs in different settings. In line with the participant role approach (Salmivalli, 2010), different bystanders (e.g. assistants, reinforcers, defenders ... [more ▼]

Cyberbullying is a serious social phenomenon that occurs in different settings. In line with the participant role approach (Salmivalli, 2010), different bystanders (e.g. assistants, reinforcers, defenders, and outsiders), likewise cyberbullies, and cybervictims are involved in cyberbullying incidents. The current study explores how participants in cyberbullying incidents differ in coping behaviour. Students of German and Luxembourg secondary schools (n = 367) completed a questionnaire, amongst others, on participant roles and coping. Coping behavior was classified into six strategies: other-focused, self-focused, avoidance, relationships improvement, assertive responses, and technical responses (AUTHORS et al, 2012). These coping behaviors were mostly interrelated. Regression analysis showed that avoidance, self-focused strategies, and assertive responses predicted victimization. Additionally, defender behavior was predicted by reduced technical responses and enhanced other focused strategies. Hence, different actors in cyberbullying incidents differ systematically in coping behavior. The implications of the findings are of relevance for the development of efficient coping-based intervention programs against cyberbullying. In particular, avoidance, self- and other-focused strategies of actors in cyberbullying incidents have to be considered in intervention programs. [less ▲]