Cyberbullying: Common Predictors to Cyber-Victimisation and Bystanding.

ABSTRACT

Cyberbullying has increased worryingly in the last decade, becoming a mental health problem in adolescence. Research usually focuses on cyber-bullies or cyber-victims, overlooking that these roles may overlap (e.g., cyber-victim-bystander). AIM: To identify possible common predictors to cyber-victimisation and bystanding. SAMPLE The study sample consisted in 560 students, 12-15 years old, 47.5% female. METHOD: Canonical correlation, examining linear relationship between a group of X variables, and a group of Y variables. MAIN RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Two canonical varieties were built (Cor (U1,V1) = 0.442; Cor (U2,V2) = 0.270). Minors with high scores in cyber-victimisation (r = -0.888) and bystanding (r = -0.902) would have more favourable attitude towards violence, greater number of contacts on social networks/messaging and greater attention to emotions. The second variety discriminates minors with high cyber-victimisation score, but low observation and would relate to low attitudes towards violence and contacts on social networks/messaging, together with high scores in parental monitoring. Results suggest the possible overlapping of roles and how cyber-victimisation and bystanding share predictive factors.