Sharing some old work

Several years ago now I wrote this submission to an online social work journal. I was studying the topic in my educational psychology classes and thought it was really useful information for social workers. I still think it is. The subject is pervasive and I believe it goes under-reported. At the time I thought there should be a screening to help professionals determine if there was an issue. 

Cyberbullying: What Social Workers Need to Know

Cyberbullying has been recognized as a public health concern (Aboujaoude, Savage, Starcevic, & Salame, 2015) and is has been a concern for social workers for some time. As technology continues to change at a rapid pace, social workers are faced with the challenge of working with children and adolescents who have been victims of cyberbullying. Definitions vary, however Tokunaga (2010) offers an integrated definition; “Cyberbullying is any behavior performed through electronic or digital media by individuals or groups that repeatedly communicates hostile or aggressive messages intended to inflict harm or discomfort on others” (p. 278). This type of bullying differs from traditional bullying because of its pervasiveness and possible anonymity (Aboujaoude et al, 2015; Agatston, Kowalski, & Limber, 2007).  Victims can be bullied at school and at home through text, email, and social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram. Perpetrators are able to remain completely anonymous to the victim and many. Risk factors for engagement and victimization have received from the available literature, however research shows that those who engage in cyberbullying are more likely to exhibit moral disengagement, poor relationship with parents, poor attitude and problem solving skills, diminished empathy, and involved bullying and/or being bullied (Cross, Barnes, Papageorgiou, Hadwen, Hearn, and Lester, 2015).

Starting where the client is, it is important to understand youth’s perspective on this critical issue. To summarize some key research findings:

·       Youth are very familiar with technology (Agatston et al, 2007) and younger youth are engaging in its use (Mishna, Saini, & Solomon, 2009),

·       Cyberbullying generally occurs outside of school (with the exception of text messaging) (Agatston, et al, 2007),

·       Youth believe that adults at school are unable to help with the issue, particularly off school grounds, and are not likely to report it because it occurs through cell phones that are prohibited (Agatston, et al, 2007; Mishna et al, 2009),

·       Youth were able to access restricted social media sites (Agatston, et al, 2007),

·       Youth believe adults are uninformed and unfamiliar with cyberbullying and associated technology (Mishna et al, 2009). 

·       And youth were hesitant to report cyberbullying to parents out of fear of losing Internet privileges (except when the cyberbullying was threatening in nature (Agatston, et al, 2007; Mishna et al, 2009).

While cyberbullying is an issue, we must be careful not to sensationalize it. We are all far too familiar with the media’s attempt to paint the phenomenon as an epidemic facing our nation’s youth. Sabella, Patchin, and Hinduga (2013) provide a list of myths that are often believed by professionals working with children and youth:

1. Everyone knows what cyberbullying is.
2. Cyberbullying is occurring at epidemic levels.
3. Cyberbullying causes suicide.
4. Cyberbullying occurs more often now than traditional bullying.
5. Like traditional bullying, cyberbullying is a rite of passage all teens experience.
6. Cyberbullies are outcasts or just mean kids.
7. To stop cyberbullying, just turn off your computer or cell phone.

So what’s the reality of the situation? It’s impossible to get an accurate number of children and youth have been victims of this type of bullying, it’s estimated to be somewhere between 4% and 72% (Aboujaoude et al, 2015; Mishna et al, 2009). Regardless of the prevalence, youth who are victims are at greater risks of negative life impacts, including mental health issues (depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and attempts), substance abuse, emotional health issues, physical health issues, academic issues and these problems may persistent into adulthood (Foody, Samara, & Carlbring, 2015; Mishna, 2002). These negative life impacts are concerning for the social work professional and we ethical challenged to address these following the NASW Code of Ethics values of Social Justice and the Dignity and Worth of the Person. A tertiary level of treatment does not honor a person’s inherent dignity and worth, while the act of cyberbullying impedes on a victims life and has potential to have long-lasting negative consequences.

Because of our perspective, skills, and training, social workers are in an excellent position to address this issue. While technology continues to change and evolve and new applications are developed that can be used to degrade an individual, social workers will need to remain on the front lines of these advances in order to advocate and educate our client systems on safe use. Through an ecological framework, interventions and prevention need to be implemented on a micro, mezzo, and macro level.

·       Parents are the first line of defense. Help parents keep informed on the latest technologies their children are using and educate them on their potential dangers.

·       Teach parents how to have open communication with their children and to not accept or encourage bullying behaviors is also an important strategy.

·       Continually educate and remind students on the importance of Internet safety including protecting passwords, rethinking posts, and not opening unidentified or unsolicited messages.

·       When children know that this type of bullying has occurred, children and youth should be encouraged to report this to parents and school personnel without repercussion. 

·       Technology is not to blame, it’s the behaviors of the individual and the environment that the supports the behavior that needs to be addressed (Cross et al, 2015).

·       Educating students on the Crisis Text Line for when the situation their situation has become overwhelming at the moment could be an effective strategy in helping students get the help they.

·       In addition to other therapies, clinicians can utilize Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy as a tool to reach youth who feel isolated and traditionally go to the internet for help (Foody et al, 2015).

·       Clinicians can incorporate screenings and questionnaires into their practice and regularly ask about bullying and cyberbullying.

·       Research suggests that programs proven effective for traditional bullying and dating violence may also be effective for cyberbullying (Aboujaoude et al, 2015). Programs that are universal rather than targeted also have more positive results.

·       Advocacy at all levels to continue to recognize cyberbullying and it’s negative impacts on the individual rather than being dismissed as a normal part of development. 

While the literature is full of information on bullying, cyberbullying, and it’s affect on the victim; it still remains a problem today. As technology advances at an exponential rate, social workers must continue to educate themselves on the issue and effective prevention and intervention methods at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Technology is a required part of life; turning off the phone and unplugging the computer does not make the problem go away. Youth need our support in addressing this pervasive problem that has potential negative emotional, physical, and social impacts that may last through adulthood. Social workers have an ethical obligation to pursue social justice that promotes the dignity and worth of the person therefore we must continue our work to eliminate bullying in all forms, including cyberbullying.

References

Agatston, P. W., Kowalski, R., and Limber, S. (2007). Student’s perspectives on cyberbullying. The Journal Of Adolescent Health: Official Publication Of The Society For Adolescent Medicine, 41(6 Suppl 1), S59S60.   

Aboujaoude, E., Savage, M. W., Starcevic, V., & Salame, W. O. (2015). Cyberbullying: Review of an old problem gone viral.  The Journal Of Adolescent Health: Official Publication Of The Society For Adolescent Medicine, 57(1), 10-18. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.04.011

Cross, D., Barnes, A., Papageorgiou, A., Hadwen, K., Hearn, L., & Lester, L. (n.d). A social-ecological framework for understanding and reducing cyberbullying behaviours. Aggression And Violent Behavior, 23109-117

Foody, M., Samara, M., and Carlbring, P. (2015). A review of cyberbullying and suggestions for online psychological therapy. Internet Interventions, 2(3), 235-242, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2015.05.002.

Mishna, F. (2003). Peer Victimization: The Case for Social Work Intervention. Families In Society, 84(4), 513-522.

Mishna, F., Saini, M., & Solomon, S. (2009). Ongoing and online: Children and youth's perceptions of cyber bullying. Children And Youth Services Review, 311222-1228. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.05.004

Sabella, R., Patchin, J., & Hinduja, S. (n.d). Cyberbullying myths and realities. Computers In Human Behavior, 29(6), 2703-2711.

Tokunaga, R. S. (2010). Following you home from school: A critical review and synthesis of research on cyberbullying victimization. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(3), 277-287.