A recent study has added to the growing pool of data that links cyberbullying to a significant rise in teen depression.
A team of researchers reviewed 36 studies that looked at the health-related effects of cyberbullying through social media, the JAMA Network Journals reported. The team found that out of the study participants, a median of 23 percent reported cyberbullying. Online bullying was consistently associated with an increased risk of depression throughout the studies.
The studies looked at in the review were mostly conducted in the U.S., and included students between the ages of 12 and 18. The majority of the participants were female, and Facebook was the most commonly used social media platform seen across the studies.
The most common reason for online bullying proved to be relationship issues, other typical forms of online bullying appeared to be spreading rumors, circulating embarrassing pictures, and name-calling. The most common strategies children and adolescents reported using to cope with this type of bullying were blocking the sender, ignoring messages, and keeping personal information protected.
"The evolution of social media has created an online world that has benefits and potential harms to children and adolescents. Cyberbullying has emerged as a primary concern in terms of safety, and, while publications remain inconclusive regarding its effects on mental health, there is some evidence to suggest that there are associations of harms with exposure to cyberbullying as well as cyberbullying behavior. This review provides important information characterizing the issue of cyberbullying that will help inform prevention and management strategies, including attributes of the recipients and perpetrators, reasons for and the nature of bullying behaviors, and how recipients currently react to and manage bullying behaviors," the study concluded.
