Parental Communication and Feelings of Affiliation in Adolescent Aggressors and Victims of Cyberbullying

Jessica Ortega Barón, Javier Postigo, Begoña Iranzo, Sofía Buelga and Laura Carrascosa
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Jessica Ortega Barón: Department of Psychology of Education and Psychobiology, Faculty of Education, International University of la Rioja (UNIR), 26006 Logroño, Spain
Javier Postigo: Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain
Begoña Iranzo: Department of Health Sciences, Valencian International University, 46002 Valencia, Spain
Sofía Buelga: Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Laura Carrascosa: Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain

Social Sciences, 2018, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Cyberbullying is an increasingly frequent problem among adolescents, and it produces considerable social concern. Using a cross-sectional and quantitative methodology, the main objective of this study was to analyze the differences among students involved in the perpetration and victimization of cyberbullying (non-involved, occasional, and severe), in their parental communication, and feelings of affiliation with classmates. The sample consisted of 849 adolescents (51.7% boys and 48.3% girls) from 12 to 18 years old ( M = 14.5; SD = 1.62). Three comparison groups of aggressors and victims of cyberbullying were formed, depending on the intensity of the intimidation: non-involved, occasional, and severe. The results of the analysis of variance indicated that adolescents involved in cyberbullying as perpetrators or victims have less open and more avoidant communication with their parents than adolescents who are not involved in cyberbullying. Additionally, victims of cyberbullying perceive lower feelings of affiliation with their classmates, whereas cyberbullies show no differences between the groups on this variable. These new results provide insight into the important role of family and peers in the prevention and eradication of the growing problem of cyberbullying.

Keywords: cyberbullying; perpetration; victimization; parental communication; affiliation; peers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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