Between a screen and a sad face : an investigation of similarities, differences and dynamics in adolescents' experiences of cyberbullying and face-to-face bullying

Abstract

Cyberbullying has been regarded as a phenomenon separate from face-to-face bullying. Research tends to focus on the experience of the victim. The need to study bullying beyond the primary of victimology is argued. To test the level of similarity between cyberbullying and face-to-face bullying, a partial replication of Campbell et al.’s (2012, 2013) and Olenik-Shesmesh & Heiman’s (2016), studies were undertaken for a Maltese sample (n=260 14-16 years). The analysis centred on assessing consistencies of judgement of harshness and impactfulness rates, gender and age differences along with levels of psychological distress according to the SDQ and DSA-21 for the structured roles between cyberbullying and face-to-face bullying acts. Various quantitative data analysis tests were employed to determine consistency. A certain level of overall consistency for the above factors across the forms supports the main hypothesis that cyberbullying and face-to-face bullying are better modelled as extensions of the same phenomenon. Nevertheless, the few divergences between the forms the factors presented highlighted additional motivation to provide ecological approaches to bullying. Notably, results suggest that the forms are viewed as distinct by the bullies but experienced similarly by victimisation.