Action for Cyber Health Promotion: A Mixed-Method Assessment to Study the Effect of Cyberbullying on Health
Abstract
Background: Cyberbullying is one of the present global challenges which negatively impacts both the physical and mental health of an individual. It has been found that people of all age groups are affected by cyberbullying at some point.
Objective: The objective of the present assessment was to study the effect of different types of cyberbullying on physical and mental health.
Methodology: Data collection included both qualitative and quantitative methods. A short survey questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data while qualitative was collected through anonymous confessions, discussions, and in-person interviews.
Results: The majority of participants (86%) reported using the internet frequently, while 34% revealed they had faced cyberbullying. Of the individuals who experienced cyberbullying, 37% did not report the incident. According to the participants, males indulge more in cyberbullying (65%) as compared to their female counterparts (24%). Of the various types of cyberbullying, trolling and harassment were the most commonly experienced ones. The majority of the participants experienced a negative impact on their mental health, which also affected their physical health. The anonymous confession box response revealed that 41% experienced cyberbullying while 7% confessed to having conducted cyberbullying.
Conclusion: Of the various emotions reported due to cyberbullying, anger was the most common, followed by fear, embarrassment, suicidal feelings, sadness, loneliness, and depression. The anonymity of the online platform was found to be one of the factors that encourage people to commit cyberbullying.
How to cite this article:
Arora S, Senugupta G N, Goel A. Action for Cyber Health Promotion: A Mixed-Method Assessment to Study the Effect of Cyberbullying on Health. Ind J Youth Adol Health. 2024;11(1):6-12.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2349.2880.202403
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