Cyberbullying and Depression Among Adolescents in an Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital

Date

2018-08

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Bethamscience

Abstract

While cyberbullying has been tied to mental health problems, there is a lack of research related to this phenomenon and associated psychopathology among the adolescent inpatient psychiatric hospital population. Objective: To examine the relationship between cyber aggression, cyber victimization, and depression among adolescents (N = 100) in an acute inpatient psychiatric setting. Method: We utilized the Cyber Peer Experiences Questionnaire and the Center for Epidemiological Studies- Depression Scale to obtain information related to cyberbullying and depression. Results: The findings indicate 95% prevalence rate of cyber victimization and 94% prevalence rate of cyber aggression among participants, during the previous two months. The findings also indicated there was a significant difference between the association of gender and cyber victimization (t = 4.12, df = 69, p = 0.01) and gender and cyber aggression (t = 2.36, df = 48, p ≤ 0.02). Ninety nine percent of females reported experiencing cyber victimization (M = 25.53) at least once in the previous two months, compared to 87% of males (M = 20.10). Additionally, 97% of females reported participating in cyber aggression (M = 20.31) at least once in the previous two months, compared to 87% of males (M = 17.73). The findings also indicated a significant association between cyber victimization and depression (r = 0.218, p ≤ 0.03) and adolescents who reported experiencing cyber victimization were significantly likely to engage in cyber aggression (r = .555, p ≤ 0.01). Conclusions: Inpatient psychiatric hospitals need to update assessment and treatment procedures to account for the impact cyberbullying has on the adolescent population.

Description

Keywords

Adolescents, cyber aggression, cyberbully, cyber victimization, depression

Citation

Florang, J., Jensen, L. W., & Goetz, S. B. (2018). Cyberbullying and Depression Among Adolescents in an Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital. Adolescent Psychiatry, 8(2), 133.

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