Cyberbullying: A Literature Review

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CyberbullyingA Literature Review
Presented by
Dianne F. Olivier Department of Educational
Foundations and Leadership University of
Louisiana at Lafayette dolivier_at_louisiana.edu

• Buffy Sue Fegenbush
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• St. Mary Parish School System
• bfegenbush_at_stmary.k12.la.us
• bsf3696_at_louisiana.edu

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Purpose and Framework

• Purpose to provide a comprehensive analysis of
  the current research on cyberbullying and the
  implications of the issues that surround it in
  order to develop future researchable hypotheses
  in the area of cyberbullying as it relates to
  school policy and practice
• Research framework was developed around the works
  of Aftab, Hinduja Patchin, Olweus, Shariff, and
  Willard

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Cyberbullying - defined

• Belsey (2001) and Willard (2001 2003)
• Aftab (2006)
• Cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen
  is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated,
  embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another
  child, preteen or teen using the Internet,
  interactive and digital technologies or mobile
  phones. It has to have a minor on both sides, or
  at least have been instigated by a minor against
  another minor. Once adults become involved, it is
  plain and simple cyber-harassment or
  cyberstalking. Adult cyber-harassment or
  cyberstalking is NEVER called cyberbullying.

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From Traditional to CyberOur Kids Are Totally
Wired

• 42 - 72 bullied online - up from the 20 for
  traditional bullying (Juvonen Gross, 2008)
• PEW research
• 93 of teens are online
• 62 are online daily
• 71 own phones
• Social Networks are booming for teens
• Persistence
• Searchability
• Replicability
• Invisible Audiences
• Goodstein, (2007) PEW Researchers (2000 2006)
  Boyd (2008)

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The Cyberbully

• (the medium changes the profile of the
  traditional bully)
• 4 types
• Vengeful Angel
• Power Hungry / Revenge of the Nerds
• Mean Girls
• The Inadvertent
• Aftab, (2008) Trolley, (2006) Willard, (2007)

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The Cyberbullied

• Related issues
• Depression
• Lack of friends
• To themselves
• High absenteeism
• Low school performance
• 6 - 10 sink into severe depression
• Additional issues due to medium
• Trust
• Home Safety

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Cyberbystander and Stakeholders

• Cyberbystander
• Frequently left out of cyberbullying studies
• Hard to define
• Other Stakeholders
• Parents
• School Officials
• School Boards

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Cyberlaw and Legal Response

• Cyberlaw application of basic rights and legal
  precedents to cyber issues
• Bullying is not a crime. The components that
  contribute to bully and cyberbullying are crimes,
  if proven.
• Intimidation, harassment, slander, etc.
• Remember child on child

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Avenues for Cyberbullying
Flaming
Harassment
Cyberstalking
Denigration
Masquerading
Outing Trickery
Exclusion
Language that moves dialogue to a new level
Consistent messaging and repeating the action harassment
Harassment that is more serious in nature this is a threat of impending harm
This is the art of putting someone down - slander
This is a person who poses as someone else to retrieve sensitive or private information - fraud
This person is pretending to be a friend. It includes collecting private information and them sharing and mocking the individual
Not allowing someone to be part of a group intentionally leaving them or and not allow them to participate in electronic communication - exclusion
Trolley, et al., (2006)
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Cyberbullying The Law

• Federal
• No formal decision thus far
• 2001 Childrens Internet Protection Act revised
• State
• 36 states with 10 addressing cyberbullying
• 2006, Florida Jeffs Law obliges school systems
  to address the issues of bullying, including
  cyber
• 2007, Arkansas Public Act 115 defined material
  and substantial disruption as it applied to
  bullying
• 2001, Louisiana Response ACT 230

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Policy Implications

• NASSP Recommendations (2007)
• Considerations for how policy should be changed
• Guidelines for all stakeholders
• California School Boards Association (2007)
• Outlined possible revisions to cover school
  systems
• Outlined specific, current policies to be
  addressed

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Guiding Questions for Policy and Response?

• Did the incident happen on campus or off? (nexus)
• Can the school place restrictions on off-campus
  student free speech?
• Does the student speech create a school climate
  that is not conducive to student well-being?
  (materially and substantially disruptive)
• Were search and seizure measures followed?
  (reasonable suspicion)
• Did the school act in a reasonable and prudent
  manner? (in loco parentis)
• Mason, 2008

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Willards Framework

• Steps to review and respond to cyberbullying
  incidents for school administrators
• Review Process
• Actions and Options Form
• Incident Report and Evaluation
• Recommends ongoing training and proactive
  measures to response

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Discussion

• Change of mindset needs to occur
• Proactive measures are best for both
• Reactive measures must be grounded in law
• Acts of bullying and cyberbullying are not
  mutually exclusive
• Research is limited in broader perspectives

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Gaps and Future Research

• Gaps
• Limited Perception Data from all stakeholders
• Limited SES and Racial Information
• Limited legal application to cyberbullying
• More research in the area of bystanders
• More research connecting proactive measures to
  bullying not exclusive measures
• Digital Gap and understanding/response

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Thank You! Questions?