Adversity in University: Cyberbullying and Its Impacts on Students, Faculty and Administrators

Wanda Cassidy, Chantal Faucher and Margaret Jackson
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Wanda Cassidy: Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University 250-13450-102 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3T 0A3, Canada
Chantal Faucher: Centre for Education, Law & Society, Simon Fraser University, 250-13450-102 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3T 0A3, Canada
Margaret Jackson: School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-19

Abstract: This paper offers a qualitative thematic analysis of the impacts of cyberbullying on post-secondary students, faculty, and administrators from four participating Canadian universities. These findings were drawn from data obtained from online surveys of students and faculty, student focus groups, and semi-structured interviews with faculty members and university administrators. The key themes discussed include: negative affect, impacts on mental and physical health, perceptions of self, impacts regarding one’s personal and professional lives, concern for one’s safety, and the impact of authorities’ (non) response. Students reported primarily being cyberbullied by other students, while faculty were cyberbullied by both students and colleagues. Although students and faculty represent different age levels and statuses at the university, both groups reported similar impacts and similar frustrations at finding solutions, especially when their situations were reported to authorities. It is important that universities pay greater attention to developing effective research-based cyberbullying policies and to work towards fostering a more respectful online campus culture.

Keywords: cyberbullying; post-secondary; impacts; health; well-being; safety; relationships; campus culture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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