Cyberbullies Are Victims of PTSD Too, UK Study Claims

A study of over 2,000 UK teens reveals that teens who initiate cyberbullying tend to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The researchers from the Imperial College London were somewhat astonished by their findings, as it was the first they've heard of cyberbullies being victims of some kind too.

More than 2,200 teenagers aged 11 to 19 from four schools in London were questioned for the study. The researchers utilized the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire first to determine the types of bullying. From the results, they found that cyberbullying was less likely. One of four adolescents partook in cyberbullying, compared to one in three adolescents being involved in regular or traditional bullying.

According to Ana Pascual-Sánchez, one of the authors of the study from Imperial College London, inflicting aggression exposes bullies to potentially violent circumstances. In these scenarios, they could lose control, feel vulnerable, or have regret over some things, which causes them to have intrusive memories.

Approximately 75 percent of the teenagers filled out the Children's Revised Impact of Events Scale to evaluate PTSD symptoms. The study's findings revealed that 35 percent of cyberbullying victims scored above the threshold for PTSD symptoms. On the other hand, 29 percent of the teens who acted as cyberbullies displayed signs of PTSD.

The study's findings were published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood Journal on June 23, 2020.

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Bullies Behind the Screen but Not in Real Life

According to the researchers, their findings determined that cyberbullies were less likely to be traditional bullies as well. Although they did note that some fell under both categories, only a small number of kids belonged to this group.

Pascual-Sánchez mentioned that somehow they observed that the anonymity provided by being behind the screen could increase the risk of cyberbullying. Moreover, being online provides a platform that is easily accessible, and effortlessly connects to others.

Because the study was purely informational, there were no findings on why some cyberbullies presented PTSD symptoms. The researchers say that further studies need to be conducted to understand the reasons behind the symptoms completely.

Possible Causes of Cyberbullying

According to Sameer Hinduja, the co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center and criminology professor at Florida Atlantic University, some adverse childhood events could have contributed to some teenagers' partaking in cyberbullying.

Hinduja, who was not involved in the study, said that in his own research, he found that some reasons for cyberbullying include being jealous, insecure, feeling peer pressure, or finding their home life stressful.

Moreover, he said that teens are more likely to feel free from morals, ethics, rules, and consequential punishments when they're behind a screen. Additionally, being physically distant or geographically separate from the target might contribute to their actions.

Cyberbullying: Warning Signs and What To Do

According to Hinduja, warning signs that a teen might be engaging in cyberbullying could be them hiding or quickly switching their screens whenever someone walks by. They may also appear more irritable or sensitive.

Furthermore, teens could also isolate themselves or stop using their devices for some time. As for emotional symptoms, he says anger or frustration are the most common ones.

For cyberbullying victims, he recommends three steps. The first one is to take advantage of controls within websites and sites such as report, block, and mute. The second step is to file formal reports to social media companies to initiate an investigation.

Lastly, Hinduja says to reach out to a person that could be trusted, such as a counselor or a parent to go over what happened. This would allow the victim to vent out his or her feelings and to get support.