Cyberbullying

About

cyberbullying graphic

Cyberbullying is a pervasive component of our children's lives – it is anticipated that approximately 20% of middle and high school students are affected. Cyberbullying has three core elements: unwanted aggressive behavior, observed or perceived power imbalance, and repetition or high likelihood of repetition which are facilitated through various communication technologies. Research has shown that there is not a single “type” or “profile” of person who is involved with cyberbullying. Just like traditional bullying, those who were cyberbullied often bully others.

Research into the impacts of cyberbullying on mental health portray a worrying picture. Adolescents who report cyberbullying episodes also have reported increased depression, loneliness, anxiety and suicidal ideation. There is also an association with missed school and withdrawal from social interactions. To address this within Parkview Health, The Parkview Behavioral Health Inpatient Youth Hospital changed their standard of care to include a cyberbullying survey upon intake and discharge of their facility.

The analysis of this data has provided enhanced insights for clinical providers, targeted education for the patient and their families, and greater awareness of the staff to other connected components like home/community safety for the patient prior to discharge. The Health Services and Informatics Research (HSIR) team is currently in the process of the ongoing evaluation of these surveys, enhancements to the survey, and conducting additional assessments to understand the connection of bullying and adverse childhood experiences within our patient population.

Partners

Funding

  • Internal

Publications and presentations

  • Nova, F.F., Pfafman, R., Kardys, K., Kerrigan, C., Guha, S., and Pater, J..  2022. Uncovering Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) from Clinical Narratives within the Electronic Health Record. J. ACM 37, 4, Article 111 (August 2022), 28 pages. https://doi.org/10.1145/1122445  
  • Kardys, K., Pfafman, R., Kerrigan, C., Reining, L., Drouin, M., Toscos, T., & Pater, J. (2020, May). Cyberbullying: Determining the Prevalence and Impact of Bullying and Cyberbullying as a Contributing Factor in Patients Who Have Been Admitted Into an Inpatients Facility. In JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC NURSES ASSOCIATION (Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 311-311).
  • Pfafman, R., Pater, J., Reining, L., Drouin, M., Kerrigan, C., & Kardys, K. (2019, November). Connecting ACEs to in-patient behavioral health treatment associated with bullying/cyberbullying. In APHA's 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo (Nov. 2-Nov. 6). American Public Health Association.

Press

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