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Cyberbullying and Adolescents

  • Adolescent Medicine (M Goldstein, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Pediatrics Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Cyberbullying is an aggressive behavior involving a type of electronic communication intending to harm a victim that can have profound effects on adolescents. This review examines the epidemiology, issues from cyberbullying, presentation to care of its victims, and proposed interventions to this behavior.

Recent Findings

There are a variety of physical and psychological effects on victims of cyberbullying that can include recurrent abdominal pain, headaches, and difficulty with sleep. In addition, victims have higher rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and a lower level of well-being. Unfortunately, victims may remain silent, so screening for cyberbullying is encouraged in a variety of settings. Interventions can be designed at the level of the victim (and perpetrator), family, school, and other support networks. Prevention of cyberbullying can be a focus for providers of healthcare.

Summary

Cyberbullying can have profound biopsychosocial effects on its victims. There are strategies currently in use and under development to identify and intervene on behalf of those affected by these behaviors.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr. Karen Sadler for reviewing their manuscript.

Funding

This paper was funded in part by NIH grant 5 R01 MH103402.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Vidhya Lakshmi Kumar

  2. Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Mass General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA

    Mark A. Goldstein

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, 175 Cambridge Street, Room 508, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Mark A. Goldstein

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  1. Vidhya Lakshmi Kumar
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Correspondence to Mark A. Goldstein.

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Kumar, V.L., Goldstein, M.A. Cyberbullying and Adolescents. Curr Pediatr Rep 8, 86–92 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40124-020-00217-6

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