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Tadena shannen.
1 Graduate Student, School of Nursing, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea
2 Professor, School of Nursing, Research Institute of Nursing Science, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea
3 Lecturer, School of Nursing, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea
The purpose of this study was to gain insights into empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization among Filipino adolescents.
The participants were 168 junior high school students in the 7th to 10th grades at a public high school in Cavite Province, Philippines. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, the Basic Empathy Scale, and Revised Cyber Bullying Inventory-II scores. The data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics (frequency and mean), the independent t-test, bivariate correlation, and one-way analysis of variance.
The degree of empathy did not show a statistically significant relationship with cyberbullying (r=−.07, p =.359) but did show a significant relationship with cybervictimization (r=.18, p =.025). Furthermore, cyberbullying had a statistically significant association with cybervictimization (r=.60, p <.001).
Although empathy does not necessarily affect cyberbullying, higher levels of empathy were found among cyberbullying victims. However, an alarming result of this study is the possibility that victims may become cyberbullies. Therefore, we should highlight empathy as part of efforts to prevent cyberbullying and to solve various cyber-related problems. Since cyberbullying and cybervictimization are closely related, it is important to focus on this relationship and to make multilateral efforts to ensure that cyberbullying does not lead to other negative issues.
Cyberbullying is more harmful than other types of violence because a negative post or comment can reach a limit-less number of social media (SM) users, thereby increasing the opportunity of prolonged exposure and permanency [ 1 , 2 ]. Furthermore, younger generations currently tend to embrace the use of SM [ 1 ]. A term related to “cyberbullying” is “cybervictimization’, which refers to the experience of being victimized through the use of electronic information on the internet [ 2 ]. Cyberbullying is considered to be a form of violent behavior; therefore, it is expected that cyberbullying causes detrimental effects for both the victim and the perpetrator.
The use of the internet for SM has steadily grown over time. As of January 2020, the estimated number of active SM users worldwide was 3.8 billion, reflecting an increase from the number of 3.4 billion in January 2019 [ 3 ]. In particular, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of digital platform users [ 4 ]. Individuals are now actively posting their new achievements during the pandemic lockdown and expressing their opinions more vocally than before, as SM is now the most frequently used communication method for most individuals [ 4 ]. One study showed that as SM use increases, students who are prone to bullying are more likely to face cyberbullying [ 4 ]. There can be a limitless exchange of information among the SM users, and this information can sometimes be used in negative ways that may cause harm or make someone feel harassed. The act of harassing or harming someone via the use of SM is called cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can happen by sending harassing messages, posting derogatory comments on SM sites, posting humiliating pictures, and threatening someone electronically [ 5 ].
Victims of cyberbullying usually report feelings of depression, anger, frustration, and even suicidal thoughts. Cyberbullying has been found to be linked to low self-esteem, family problems, academic problems, violence, and delinquent behaviors [ 1 , 4 ]. In general, the estimated number of adolescents experiencing cyberbullying is around 10%-40%, although the percentage depends on age and the definition of cyberbullying used in the study [ 1 , 2 ]. In the United States, among a sample of 5,700 middle to high school students, 33.8% admitted to being cyberbullied, while 11.5% admitted to being perpetrators of cyberbullying [ 1 ]. In South Korea, 10.8% of 50,000 elementary to high school students experienced cyberbullying [ 6 ]. In a survey conducted in the Philippines, it was found that 80% of 1,143 respondents aged 13-16 years experienced cyberbullying [ 7 ].
A psychological factor related to the development of violent behavior is having a low empathy level. Empathy can be defined using two dimensions: cognitive and affective. Cognitive empathy is the ability to communicate, tolerate, recognize, and perceive emotions, while affective empathy refers to the ability to perceive and share both the positive and negative emotions of other people [ 8 ]. A study showed that lower levels of empathy increased the development of violent or aggressive behaviors, while a higher level of empathy decreased the development of violent or aggressive behaviors [ 9 ]. Since cyberbullying is considered to be a violent behavior, it is possible that empathy influences cyberbullying.
Adolescence is an important developmental stage when adolescents transition from childhood to adulthood. The changes experienced by adolescents also affect their roles in their family, with friends, and in their communities. Thus, it is vital to pay special attention to adolescents [ 10 ]. The parents of Filipino adolescents set the expectation that they are to be aware of their actions and the consequences corresponding to those actions [ 11 ]. Camaraderie is a factor valued by Filipino adolescents, which is why it is natural for them to be friendly, resulting in the expectation that they know how to empathize with someone [ 11 ]. Nonetheless, little research has discussed Filipino adolescents’ characteristics, and although favorable characteristics have been mentioned, there has been an increase in cases of cyberbullying in the Philippines [ 7 ].
It has been reported that inhabitants of the Philippines spend an average of 4 hours a day using SM, exceeding the values reported for other countries [ 3 ]. Since prolonged exposure to SM can increase victimization, Filipinos may be exposed to the harmful effects of SM for a longer time than others [ 1 ]. Although there has been an increase in the number of cases of cyberbullying in the Philippines, little research has tackled this issue. Because of the detrimental effects of cyberbullying, it is important for adolescents to be aware of its seriousness and the importance of putting an end to this violent behavior. Since adolescence is a vital stage of life, it is important to properly guide adolescents throughout this period. To the researchers’ knowledge, no published study has yet investigated empathy among Filipino adolescents and its possible influence on cyberbullying and cybervictimization.
The purpose of this study was to investigate empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization among Filipino adolescents, with the following specific goals:
Two theoretical frameworks were used to support the study: the social learning theory developed by Albert Bandura [ 12 ] and the general strain theory developed by Robert Agnew [ 13 ] ( Figure 1 ).
Empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization framework.
Social learning theory [ 12 ] reflects the understanding that a person learns and develops attitudes, behaviors, and emotional reactions by observing others’ actions. It combines cognitive and behavioral learning theory. Cyberbullying incidents and SM may influence ones’ empathy due to what a person observes or experiences through SM. Along with other factors that may also affect someone’s empathy, a person might, or might not, engage in cyberbullying.
General strain theory [ 13 ] supports the assumption that negative experiences can lead to strain or stress. Victimization is considered a stressful experience, and according to this theory, experiences of stress or strain may cause a person to perform a positive or negative action to decrease the stress or strain. Within this framework, the study used general strain theory to investigate whether cybervictimization increased victims’ likelihood to engage in cyberbullying as a response to the strain that they experienced.
This research is a descriptive study using a questionnaire to investigate empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization among Filipino adolescents.
The participants were junior high school students who were currently enrolled in a public secondary school in Cavite Province, Philippines. Junior high school is the term used in the Philippines to describe grade 7 to 10 students, whereas in South Korea, the term middle or high school is used. The participants were students from grades 7 to 10 who were aged 12 to 19 years old and used SM applications. The school was selected using convenience sampling. The sample size for the correlation was calculated using G*Power 3.1.9.2. The results indicated that 164 participants were needed for an effect size of .25, a significance level of .05, and a test power of .95. Anticipating an 80% response rate, 201 participants were recruited. Responses from 168 participants were analyzed after excluding uncompleted questionnaires.
The Basic Empathy Scale was developed by Jolliffe and Farrington [ 14 ] and validated among 363 adolescents (grade 10) in the United Kingdom. The scale is a 20-item instrument with two subscales (cognitive empathy with 9 items, Cronbach’s α = .79; affective empathy with 11 items, Cronbach’s α = .85). It is a 5-point Likert-type scale (strongly disagree=1, disagree=2, neutral=3, agree=4, and strongly agree=5). Eight items are reverse-scored. A higher score indicates a higher empathy level [ 14 ]. For the current study, four items were omitted to obtain a more acceptable Cronbach’s α. Each of the eight items was used to measure cognitive empathy and affective empathy. Cronbach’s α values of .67 for the complete empathy scale, .51 for cognitive empathy, and .52 for affective empathy were recorded. Cronbach’s α values ranging from .50 to .75 are generally accepted because these values indicate moderate reliability [ 15 ]. The researcher conducted a pilot study without omitting the four questions and recorded a Cronbach’s α of .79 for the complete empathy scale, .67 for cognitive empathy, and .65 for affective empathy. After omitting the four questions, Cronbach’s α values of .81 for the complete empathy scale, .80 for cognitive empathy, and .66 for affective empathy were recorded.
The Revised Cyber Bullying (Cyber Victim) Inventory-II is the second revision of the tool developed by Topcu and Erdur-Baker [ 16 ] and validated among 1,803 high school students attending public high school in Ankara, Turkey. The purpose of the revision was to update and eliminate specific technology names. Consisting of 10 items, participants rate each item twice (once for reporting cyberbullying experience and once for reporting cybervictimization) on a 4-point rating scale (1=never, 2=once, 3=twice or three times, 4=more than three times). Scores are added to achieve the total score in each form. A total score of 10 means being not involved in cyberbullying or cybervictimization, respectively, whereas a higher score indicates more frequent engagement in cyberbullying and cybervictimization. The Cronbach’s α coefficients were .80 for the cybervictimization part and .79 for the cyberbullying part [ 17 ]. In this study, Cronbach’s α values of .80 for cyberbullying and .75 for cybervictimization were recorded. A pilot study recorded a Cronbach’s α of .88 for the entire questionnaire, .57 for the cyberbullying subscale, and .92 for the cybervictimization subscale.
The modified questionnaire used in this study to measure empathy was reviewed and approved by a group of experts, including two professors from the child and adolescent department and three nurses who had both worked in a pediatric unit at a university hospital for over 5 years and had doctoral degrees in nursing. The content validity index was .91 using the rating of item relevance.
After receiving approval to conduct the study from the Institutional Review Board of Hallym University, the researcher coordinated with a teacher at a public secondary school in the Philippines. The researcher was endorsed by the school principal, and a letter describing the timetable for gathering data, the research tools, the purpose of the study, and permission to conduct the study was personally given. After receiving permission to conduct the study, endorsement letters, student and parental consent forms were distributed to the students and were signed by both the student and parents as proof that they agreed to participate in the study. After receiving the consent forms, a pilot study was conducted among two students from each grade level to assess the validity of the tool. After validation, the researcher collected data by distributing the questionnaires, giving instructions, and remaining in the classroom for the duration of questionnaire completion be able to respond to any questions or clarification from the participants. It took around 15 minutes for each class to complete the questionnaires. The collected questionnaires were kept and locked in the cabinet of the corresponding author’s research room and were not accessible to any other researchers.
The two instruments used in this study were approved for use by the original authors through email. In addition, the study was conducted after receiving approval from the Institutional Review Board of Hallym University (HIRB-2019-092). The study was conducted at a public secondary school. The researcher explained the purpose and procedure of the research to the participants who agreed to participate by completing an informed consent form. Assurance was given that the results of the study would only be used for the current study and that the anonymity of the participants would be maintained. Participants were provided snacks worth about $1 per person as compensation.
Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Participants’ demographic characteristics were analyzed in terms of percentage, frequency, and mean±standard deviation. The Shapiro-Wilk hypothesis test and the Levene test for equality of variance were performed to confirm the normality of the distribution and within-group normality. The t-test and analysis of variance were conducted to identify differences in empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization according to participants’ characteristics. The Duncan multiple range test was used to determine specific differences between pairs of means. Bivariate correlation analysis was conducted to assess the relationships among empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization
The descriptive characteristics of the participants are shown in Table 1 . Of the 168 participants, 44.0%(n=74) were male and 56.0%(n=94) were female, and their ages were 12-19 years old, with a mean of 14.3±1.4 years. Forty-four (26.2%) of the participants were in the 10th grade, followed by 25.6 % (n=43) in eighth grade, 24.4% (n=41) in seventh grade, and 23.8% (n=40) in the ninth grade. The most commonly utilized SM platform by the participants was Facebook (98.8%; n= 166). The average time of SM usage per day was 296.1±266.1 minutes (4.93 hours or almost 5 hours). Among the 168 participants, the majority used SM applications more than seven times per day (n=57, 34.3%), followed by three to four times (n=46, 27.7%), five to six times (n=39, 23.5%), and one to two times (n=24, 14.5%). The cell phone was the primary device used to check SM platforms (n=154, 91.7%). The predominant purpose of using SM was to watch videos (n=121, 72.0%), while the least common purpose was to read articles (n=62, 36.9%).
Demographic Characteristics of Participants ( N =168)
Characteristics | Categories | n (%) M±SD |
---|---|---|
Gender | Male | 74 (44.0) |
Female | 94 (56.0) | |
Age (year) | 14.3±1.4 | |
12-15 | 129 (77.7) | |
16-19 | 37 (22.3) | |
Grade | 7th | 41 (24.4) |
8th | 43 (25.6) | |
9th | 40 (23.8) | |
10th | 44 (26.2) | |
What SM/SNS platform(s) do you use | 166 (98.8) | |
64 (38.1) | ||
Messenger | 123 (73.2) | |
Others | 21 (12.5) | |
Skype | 2 (1.2) | |
Snapchat | 86 (51.2) | |
TikTok | 61 (36.3) | |
Tumblr | 7 (4.2) | |
43 (25.6) | ||
Time usage (minute) | 296.1±266.1 | |
Daily use (time) | 1-2 | 24 (14.5) |
3-4 | 46 (27.7) | |
5-6 | 39 (23.5) | |
≥7 | 57 (34.3) | |
The device used to check SM | Cell phone | 154 (91.7) |
Laptop/personal | 48 (28.6) | |
Computer | 21 (12.5) | |
Tablet/iPad | 5 (3.0) | |
Purpose of using SM | Communication | 106 (63.1) |
Educational purposes | 73 (43.5) | |
Posting pictures | 97 (57.7) | |
Reading articles | 62 (36.9) | |
Updating oneself on the latest news | 84 (50.0) | |
Watching video | 121 (72.0) |
SM, social media; SNS, social networking site.
The content, mean score, and standard deviation of the Basic Empathy Scale and Revised Cyber Bullying Inventory-II are presented in Table 2 . The total mean score for empathy was 3.4±0.4 out of 5, indicating a high level of empathy among the participants. The item with the highest mean score was “I can understand my friend’s happiness when she/he does well at something” (3.7±1.1). Followed by “When someone is feeling ‘down’ I can usually understand how they feel” (3.6±1.2), “I often become sad when watching sad things on or in films” (3.6±1.3), “I can often understand how people are feeling even before they tell” (3.7±1.1), and “I can usually work out when people are cheerful” (3.6±1.1). The item with the lowest mean score was “I find it hard to know when my friends are frightened” (2.8±1.1). The average score was divided by 10 which is the number of items. Thus, for cyberbullying was 1.6±0.5, and that for cybervictimization was 1.7±0.6 out of 4, which indicated the existence of cyberbullying and cybervictimization, with a slightly higher score for the latter. “Insulting someone [on the internet]” was the item with the highest average score (1.9±1.0 for cyberbullying and 2.1±1.1 for cybervictimization), followed by “taking over the password of someone’s account [on the internet]”(1.8±0.9 for cyberbullying and 1.8±0.9 for cybervictimization). “Creating a humiliating website [on the internet]” showed the lowest mean score (1.1±0.5 for cyberbullying and 1.2±0.6 for cybervictimization).
Empathy, Cyberbullying, and Cybervictimization of the Participants ( N =168)
Variable | Categories | Contents | M±SD |
---|---|---|---|
Empathy | Cognitive empathy | I can understand my friend’s happiness when she/he does well at something. | 3.7±1.1 |
I find it hard to know when my friends are frightened. | 2.8±1.1 | ||
When someone is feeling ‘down’ I can usually understand how they feel. | 3.6±1.2 | ||
I can usually work out when my friends are scared. | 3.1±1.0 | ||
I can often understand how people are feeling even before they tell me. | 3.6±1.1 | ||
I can usually work out when people are cheerful. | 3.6±1.1 | ||
I am not usually aware of my friend’s feelings. | 3.4±1.2 | ||
I have trouble figuring out when my friends are happy. | 3.0±1.2 | ||
Sub total | 3.4±0.5 | ||
Affective empathy | My friend’s emotions don’t affect me much. | 3.3±1.2 | |
After being with a friend who is sad about something, I usually feel sad. | 3.5±1.0 | ||
I get caught up in other people’s feelings easily. | 3.2±1.1 | ||
Other people’s feelings don’t bother me at all. | 3.3±1.2 | ||
I often become sad when watching sad things on or in films. | 3.6±1.3 | ||
Seeing a person who has been angered has no effect on my feelings. | 3.0±1.1 | ||
I tend to feel scared when I am with friends who are afraid. | 3.0±1.0 | ||
I often get swept up in my friend’s feelings. | 3.3±1.0 | ||
Sub total | 3.3±0.5 | ||
Total | 3.4±0.4 |
Variable | Contents | Cyber bullying | Cyber victimization |
---|---|---|---|
M±SD | M±SD | ||
Cyberbullying and cybervictimization | [On the internet] taking over the password of someone’s account. | 1.8±0.9 | 1.8±0.9 |
[On the internet] using someone’s account without his/her permission. | 1.5±0.8 | 1.6±0.9 | |
[On the internet] threatening someone. | 1.4±0.8 | 1.7±0.9 | |
[On the internet] insulting someone. | 1.9±1.0 | 2.1±1.1 | |
[On the internet] sending embarrassing and hurtful messages. | 1.7±0.9 | 1.8±1.0 | |
[On the internet] sharing an inappropriate photo or a video of someone without his/her permission. | 1.5±0.8 | 1.7±0.9 | |
[On the internet] sharing a secret with others without the permission of the owner. | 1.6±0.8 | 1.8±0.9 | |
[On the internet] spreading rumors. | 1.5±0.7 | 1.7±0.9 | |
[On the internet] creating an account on behalf of someone without letting him/her know and acting like the account’s owner. | 1.3±0.7 | 1.4±0.8 | |
[On the internet] creating a humiliating website. | 1.1±0.5 | 1.2±0.6 | |
Total | 1.6±0.5 | 1.7±0.6 |
Patterns in empathy, cyberbullying and cybervictimization according to participants’ general characteristics are shown in Table 3 . Total empathy, cognitive empathy, and affective empathy were significantly higher among female participants than among male participants (t=3.82, p <.001, t=2.19, p =.030, and t=4.05, p =.001, respectively). However, there were no significant differences in cyberbullying and cybervictimization by gender (t=0.20, p =.838, and t=0.35, p =.724, respectively).
Differences in Participants’ Empathy, Cyberbullying, and Cybervictimization According to Their Characteristics ( N =168)
Characteristics | Categories | Cognitive empathy | Affective empathy | Empathy (total) | Cyberbullying | Cybervictimization | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M±SD | t or F ( ) | M±SD | t or F ( ) | M±SD | t or F ( ) | M±SD | t or F ( ) | M±SD | t or F ( ) | ||
Gender | Male | 27.0±4.4 | 2.19 (.030) | 25.6±3.9 | 4.05 (.001) | 52.7±7.0 | 3.82 (<.001) | 15.7±4.4 | 0.20 (.838) | 16.9±6.3 | 0.35 (.724) |
Female | 28.5±4.3 | 28.4±4.3 | 57.3±7.7 | 15.5±4.4 | 17.2±5.0 | ||||||
Grade | 7th | 26.2±4.7 | 3.80 (.012) | 25.3±4.9 | 3.45 (.010) | 51.9±8.0 | 3.90 (.010) | 14.0±3.9 | 3.03 (.031) | 15.0±5.2 | 7.66 (<.001) |
8th | 27.7±4.6 | 27.3±4.6 | 55.2±7.8 | 16.9±5.0 | 19.6±6.9 | ||||||
9th | 27.5±3.8 | 27.5±4.5 | 55.1±7.0 | 15.2±3.8 | 15.2±4.3 | ||||||
10th | 29.5±3.9 | 28.4±3.9 | 57.9±7.1 | 16.1±4.5 | 18.3±4.4 | ||||||
Age (year) | 12-15 | 27.3±4.4 | 2.67 (.008) | 26.7±4.7 | 2.51 (.013) | 54.3±7.7 | 2.86 (.005) | 15.3±4.1 | 0.59 (.558) | 16.7±5.8 | 1.13 (.262) |
16-19 | 29.5±3.7 | 28.8±3.9 | 58.4±7.0 | 15.8±4.8 | 17.9±4.6 | ||||||
Daily use (time) | 1-2 | 26.96±4.35 | 0.60 (.615) | 25.79±4.19 | 1.05 (.372) | 52.65±7.53 | 0.92 (.434) | 14.42±3.05 | 0.71 (.547) | 15.42±3.96 | 1.37 (.253) |
3-4 | 26.86±4.59 | 26.09±4.15 | 53.19±7.63 | 15.65±4.17 | 17.04±5.29 | ||||||
5-6 | 26.73±3.44 | 26.85±3.49 | 53.54±6.38 | 15.90±4.71 | 16.67±5.73 | ||||||
≥7 | 27.71±3.55 | 27.10±3.98 | 55.06±6.29 | 15.91±5.01 | 18.11±6.50 |
There was a statistically significant difference in total empathy and both cognitive and affective empathy according to grade level (F=3.90, p =.010, F=3.80, p =.012, and F=3.45, p = .010, respectively). Empathy was significantly higher among grade 10 students than among students of the other grade levels, but the Duncan post hoc test showed no significant difference in the mean scores. In addition, participants’ grade showed a statistically significant association with cyberbullying (F=3.03, p =.031). Cyberbullying was significantly more common among students in grade 8 than among students of the other grade levels, but the Duncan post hoc test showed no significance. In addition, cybervictimization showed a statistically significant difference according to grade level (F=7.66, p <.001), and was also higher in grade 8 participants, but the Duncan post hoc test showed no significance.
Statistically significant differences in total empathy and both cognitive and affective empathy were found according to participants’ age (t=2.86, p =.005, t=2.67, p =.008, and t=2.51, p =.013, respectively). There were no significant differences in cyberbullying or cybervictimization by age (t=0.59, p =.558, and t=1.13, p =.262, respectively). Finally, there were no significant differences in any dependent variables according to the daily use of SM.
Cybervictimization was significantly correlated with participants’ total empathy (r=.18, p =.025) and cognitive empathy (r=.17, p =.030), but not with affective empathy (r=.12, p =.114). Total empathy was not significantly correlated with cyberbullying (r=−.07, p =.359). Cyberbullying was significantly correlated with cybervictimization (r=.60, p <.001) ( Table 4 ).
Correlations among Empathy, Cyberbullying, and Cybervictimization ( N =168)
Variables | Empathy | Cyberbullying | Cybervictimization | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cognitive empathy | Affective empathy | Total | ||||
r ( ) | r ( ) | r ( ) | r ( ) | r ( ) | ||
Empathy | Cognitive empathy | 1 | ||||
Affective empathy | 1 | |||||
Total | .86 (<.001) | .87 (<.001) | 1 | |||
Cyberbullying | .03 (.753) | −.09 (.274) | −.07 (.359) | 1 | ||
Cybervictimization | .17 (.030) | .12 (.114) | .18 (.025) | .60 (<.001) | 1 |
The Philippines has a total population of 108 million, of whom 73 million are active SM users [ 3 , 18 ]. In the current study, Facebook was the most used SM application used by adolescents. In 2020, Facebook had approximately of 2.4 billion monthly users worldwide, thus making it the most popular SM application [ 3 ]. In the Philippines, Facebook is currently the most popular SM application, with at least 70 million users, and most SM users use cellphones to access SM; this trend was also found in a study conducted among Filipino adolescents [ 18 ]. The Philippines have had the longest average daily time of SM use for 4 consecutive years, which reached 4 hours in 2020 [ 3 ]. This finding is in line with the current study, which recorded an average of almost 5 hours of SM use. Most respondents used SM to watch videos (n=121) and for communication (n=106). Watching videos and communication were also the top 2 purposes of using SM in an earlier study [ 18 ].
Filipinos have been observed to value camaraderie and find it natural to be friendly to others, for which reason they place considerable importance on interpersonal relationships [ 11 ]. The importance placed on friendship may be interpreted as reflecting a high level of empathy among Filipino adolescents. The existence of cyberbullying and cybervictimization was evident according to the findings of the study. Even with the increase in cyberbullying in the Philippines, some undocumented cases may exist due to victims’ fear of their situation being publicized. Some schools also tend to under-report cyberbullying due to fears of tarnishing the school’s reputation [ 19 ].
Demographic characteristics are believed to possibly influence empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization. A significant relationship was found between empathy and gender in the current study, with female adolescents scoring higher for empathy than male adolescents. This may result from gender expectations in Filipino culture between the two genders. Female adolescents are expected to help their mothers with chores and to take care of their siblings, which fosters nurturing characteristics and helps them to understand different emotions. In contrast, male adolescents are trained to be logical and independent, and to keep their emotions to themselves [ 20 ]. This may explain why the female participants in this study had a higher degree of empathy than the male participants. However, no significant relationship was found between cyberbullying or cybervictimization and gender, similar to another study conducted in the Philippines [ 21 ]. These results show that when considering factors influencing empathy, other demographic characteristics such as age, educational level, and economic level must also be considered, as well as gender. Thus, further research is needed to predict the variables that affect Filipino adolescents’ empathy regarding cyberbullying and cybervictimization.
The current study established a significant relationship between age and empathy. Another study also reported a similar result, and this relationship reflects the development of empathy, which grows with age until it reaches full development in adolescence [ 22 ]. However, some studies have reported a decrease in cognitive empathy and an increase in affective empathy in the elderly. A decrease in cognitive empathy may be related to reduced activity in brain areas associated with cognitive function [ 23 ].
No significant relationship was found between age and cybervictimization or cyberbullying in this study. This finding is similar to a study conducted among Filipino university students, where it was found that cyberbullying and cybervictimization experiences of students were not significantly related to their age [ 24 ].
There is scarce evidence regarding the relationships among grade level, empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization. The current study identified a significant relationship between grade level and empathy, as well as with cyberbullying and cybervictimization. A study among grade 7-12 students found that the cognitive empathy of victims of cyberbullying was high [ 25 ]. However, in a comparison of cognitive empathy in cyberbully-victims (a term for victims who also engaged in cyberbullying) and bystanders, lower grade levels had higher levels of cognitive empathy than other groups, while higher grade levels had higher levels of cognitive empathy only among cyberbully-victims, but not bystanders. Furthermore, it was found that victimization increased after grade 7 and continued through grade 12 [ 25 ].
Empathy has consistently shown a negative relationship with antisocial behavior [ 15 ], implying that empathy may have a possible influence on cyberbullying. A study investigating the relationship between cyberbullying and empathy found out that a low level of both cognitive and affective empathy predicted cyberbullying [ 26 ]. The current study found no significant relationship between empathy and cyberbullying. The same result was found in another study, and a possible explanation for this result is that even though the participants had a high empathy level, which may make them sensitive to others’ emotions, they may have viewed cyberbullying as a normal phenomenon [ 27 ]. As such, it is crucial to provide Filipino adolescents with the necessary information to protect themselves against cyberbullying. In addition, active interest and participation of parents and teachers are needed for the development of programs, practices, and policies to protect and support this population from this problem.
Few studies have reported a relationship between empathy and cybervictimization. It was found that cybervictims scored higher than cyberbullies and uninvolved students or bystanders in both cognitive and affective empathy [ 28 ]. One study reported higher affective empathy among cybervictims [ 29 ]. Another study reported significant relationships of both cognitive and affective empathy with cybervictimization [ 30 ]. In the current study, total empathy and cognitive empathy, but not affective empathy, had significant relationships with cybervictimization. This finding of distinct relationships of cognitive and affective empathy with cybervictimization was not found in previous research. The significant relationship between cybervictimization and cognitive empathy may be explained by cybervictims’ capability to understand the perspective of others, while still having problematic social relationships, as shown by the lack of a significant association between affective empathy and cybervictimization. Furthermore, affective empathy is important in establishing social relationships [ 27 ].
Taking revenge is a possible response of a cybervictim to his or her bullies. The desire to take revenge may lead a cybervictim to engage in cyberbullying [ 30 ]. Another explanation is the application of general strain theory, which was developed by Agnew [ 13 ]. Greater exposure or experiences of cyberbullying may increase the likelihood that cybervictims will engage in cyberbullying to release their stress. This is an example of a negative response to strain. A study conducted in the Philippines and Turkey reported a positive relationship between cyberbullying and cybervictimization [ 21 ]. The current study yielded a significant relationship between cyberbullying and cybervictimization.
Several limitations were found in this study. The first is the length of the duration of data collection, which resulted in a small sample of participants from a single school. The second is that the researcher used convenience sampling to choose where to conduct the study and the participants to be included. Participants were picked by the teachers due to their availability and knowledge regarding SM use. The third is the use of a self-report survey. There is a possibility that students over-reported or misreported some data (e.g., SM time usage per day and the reasons for SM usage). The questionnaires used may have made the students feel discomfort, anxiety, and fear due to the questions. The fourth is the scarcity of articles about empathy, cyberbullying, cybervictimization, and characteristics of Filipino adolescents. The fifth is the reliability of the Basic Empathy Scale. This study recorded Cronbach’s α values of .67 for the total Basic Empathy Scale, .51 for the cognitive empathy subscale, and .52 for the affective empathy subscale. This is considered a low reliability score, but according to a book by Hinton et al. [ 15 ], a Cronbach’s α value ranging from .50 to .75 is accepted because it indicates moderate reliability.
Despite the limitations of this study, it still made a pertinent contribution to the study of empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization.
The findings of this study shed important light on the issues of cyberbullying and cybervictimization, which could become more problematic in the COVID-19 pandemic. Empathy was not found to be negatively associated with cyberbullying. This can be explained by a lack of self-awareness, because some SM users post or send whatever they want without thinking about whether the content can harm others [ 1 ]. It is also possible that cyberbullying was viewed as a normal phenomenon, especially as SM use has increased over time. Cognitive empathy, but not affective empathy, was significantly associated with cybervictimization. It is possible for cybervictims to understand the emotions of others but still have difficulty in establishing social relationships or feeling the emotions of other people. The finding of this study that cyberbullying was significantly associated with cybervictimization is alarming. This relationship may be explained by the stress that cybervictims experience and their desire to take revenge on the perpetrators, especially since SM can be anonymously.
We expect that the findings of this study may contribute to the prevention of cyber-related problems among adolescents as it offers basic guidelines. Since adolescence can be a confusing period due to changes and transitions from childhood to adulthood, adolescents deserve special attention and guidance from people surrounding them. It is vital for parents, teachers, and even guardians to establish open and good communication with adolescents to properly guide them towards betterment. At this time, with one’s capacity to empathize, it is possible to become a bystander or a defender of a victim, for which reason we should highlight empathy in efforts to prevent and solve various types of cyber-related problems. We also suggest that as cyberbullying and cybervictimization are closely related, it is important to focus on this relationship and to make multilateral efforts to ensure that cyberbullying does not lead to other negative problems.
Conflict of interest
No existing or potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
Data availability
Please contact the corresponding author for data availability.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health volume 15 , Article number: 74 ( 2021 ) Cite this article
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To examine recent trends in bullying and mental health problems among adolescents and the association between them.
A questionnaire measuring mental health problems, bullying at school, socio-economic status, and the school environment was distributed to all secondary school students aged 15 (school-year 9) and 18 (school-year 11) in Stockholm during 2014, 2018, and 2020 (n = 32,722). Associations between bullying and mental health problems were assessed using logistic regression analyses adjusting for relevant demographic, socio-economic, and school-related factors.
The prevalence of bullying remained stable and was highest among girls in year 9; range = 4.9% to 16.9%. Mental health problems increased; range = + 1.2% (year 9 boys) to + 4.6% (year 11 girls) and were consistently higher among girls (17.2% in year 11, 2020). In adjusted models, having been bullied was detrimentally associated with mental health (OR = 2.57 [2.24–2.96]). Reports of mental health problems were four times higher among boys who had been bullied compared to those not bullied. The corresponding figure for girls was 2.4 times higher.
Exposure to bullying at school was associated with higher odds of mental health problems. Boys appear to be more vulnerable to the deleterious effects of bullying than girls.
Bullying involves repeated hurtful actions between peers where an imbalance of power exists [ 1 ]. Arseneault et al. [ 2 ] conducted a review of the mental health consequences of bullying for children and adolescents and found that bullying is associated with severe symptoms of mental health problems, including self-harm and suicidality. Bullying was shown to have detrimental effects that persist into late adolescence and contribute independently to mental health problems. Updated reviews have presented evidence indicating that bullying is causative of mental illness in many adolescents [ 3 , 4 ].
There are indications that mental health problems are increasing among adolescents in some Nordic countries. Hagquist et al. [ 5 ] examined trends in mental health among Scandinavian adolescents (n = 116, 531) aged 11–15 years between 1993 and 2014. Mental health problems were operationalized as difficulty concentrating, sleep disorders, headache, stomach pain, feeling tense, sad and/or dizzy. The study revealed increasing rates of adolescent mental health problems in all four counties (Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark), with Sweden experiencing the sharpest increase among older adolescents, particularly girls. Worsening adolescent mental health has also been reported in the United Kingdom. A study of 28,100 school-aged adolescents in England found that two out of five young people scored above thresholds for emotional problems, conduct problems or hyperactivity [ 6 ]. Female gender, deprivation, high needs status (educational/social), ethnic background, and older age were all associated with higher odds of experiencing mental health difficulties.
Bullying is shown to increase the risk of poor mental health and may partly explain these detrimental changes. Le et al. [ 7 ] reported an inverse association between bullying and mental health among 11–16-year-olds in Vietnam. They also found that poor mental health can make some children and adolescents more vulnerable to bullying at school. Bayer et al. [ 8 ] examined links between bullying at school and mental health among 8–9-year-old children in Australia. Those who experienced bullying more than once a week had poorer mental health than children who experienced bullying less frequently. Friendships moderated this association, such that children with more friends experienced fewer mental health problems (protective effect). Hysing et al. [ 9 ] investigated the association between experiences of bullying (as a victim or perpetrator) and mental health, sleep disorders, and school performance among 16–19 year olds from Norway (n = 10,200). Participants were categorized as victims, bullies, or bully-victims (that is, victims who also bullied others). All three categories were associated with worse mental health, school performance, and sleeping difficulties. Those who had been bullied also reported more emotional problems, while those who bullied others reported more conduct disorders [ 9 ].
As most adolescents spend a considerable amount of time at school, the school environment has been a major focus of mental health research [ 10 , 11 ]. In a recent review, Saminathen et al. [ 12 ] concluded that school is a potential protective factor against mental health problems, as it provides a socially supportive context and prepares students for higher education and employment. However, it may also be the primary setting for protracted bullying and stress [ 13 ]. Another factor associated with adolescent mental health is parental socio-economic status (SES) [ 14 ]. A systematic review indicated that lower parental SES is associated with poorer adolescent mental health [ 15 ]. However, no previous studies have examined whether SES modifies or attenuates the association between bullying and mental health. Similarly, it remains unclear whether school related factors, such as school grades and the school environment, influence the relationship between bullying and mental health. This information could help to identify those adolescents most at risk of harm from bullying.
To address these issues, we investigated the prevalence of bullying at school and mental health problems among Swedish adolescents aged 15–18 years between 2014 and 2020 using a population-based school survey. We also examined associations between bullying at school and mental health problems adjusting for relevant demographic, socioeconomic, and school-related factors. We hypothesized that: (1) bullying and adolescent mental health problems have increased over time; (2) There is an association between bullying victimization and mental health, so that mental health problems are more prevalent among those who have been victims of bullying; and (3) that school-related factors would attenuate the association between bullying and mental health.
The Stockholm school survey is completed every other year by students in lower secondary school (year 9—compulsory) and upper secondary school (year 11). The survey is mandatory for public schools, but voluntary for private schools. The purpose of the survey is to help inform decision making by local authorities that will ultimately improve students’ wellbeing. The questions relate to life circumstances, including SES, schoolwork, bullying, drug use, health, and crime. Non-completers are those who were absent from school when the survey was completed (< 5%). Response rates vary from year to year but are typically around 75%. For the current study data were available for 2014, 2018 and 2020. In 2014; 5235 boys and 5761 girls responded, in 2018; 5017 boys and 5211 girls responded, and in 2020; 5633 boys and 5865 girls responded (total n = 32,722). Data for the exposure variable, bullied at school, were missing for 4159 students, leaving 28,563 participants in the crude model. The fully adjusted model (described below) included 15,985 participants. The mean age in grade 9 was 15.3 years (SD = 0.51) and in grade 11, 17.3 years (SD = 0.61). As the data are completely anonymous, the study was exempt from ethical approval according to an earlier decision from the Ethical Review Board in Stockholm (2010-241 31-5). Details of the survey are available via a website [ 16 ], and are described in a previous paper [ 17 ].
Students completed the questionnaire during a school lesson, placed it in a sealed envelope and handed it to their teacher. Student were permitted the entire lesson (about 40 min) to complete the questionnaire and were informed that participation was voluntary (and that they were free to cancel their participation at any time without consequences). Students were also informed that the Origo Group was responsible for collection of the data on behalf of the City of Stockholm.
Mental health problems were assessed by using a modified version of the Psychosomatic Problem Scale [ 18 ] shown to be appropriate for children and adolescents and invariant across gender and years. The scale was later modified [ 19 ]. In the modified version, items about difficulty concentrating and feeling giddy were deleted and an item about ‘life being great to live’ was added. Seven different symptoms or problems, such as headaches, depression, feeling fear, stomach problems, difficulty sleeping, believing it’s great to live (coded negatively as seldom or rarely) and poor appetite were used. Students who responded (on a 5-point scale) that any of these problems typically occurs ‘at least once a week’ were considered as having indicators of a mental health problem. Cronbach alpha was 0.69 across the whole sample. Adding these problem areas, a total index was created from 0 to 7 mental health symptoms. Those who scored between 0 and 4 points on the total symptoms index were considered to have a low indication of mental health problems (coded as 0); those who scored between 5 and 7 symptoms were considered as likely having mental health problems (coded as 1).
Experiences of bullying were measured by the following two questions: Have you felt bullied or harassed during the past school year? Have you been involved in bullying or harassing other students during this school year? Alternatives for the first question were: yes or no with several options describing how the bullying had taken place (if yes). Alternatives indicating emotional bullying were feelings of being mocked, ridiculed, socially excluded, or teased. Alternatives indicating physical bullying were being beaten, kicked, forced to do something against their will, robbed, or locked away somewhere. The response alternatives for the second question gave an estimation of how often the respondent had participated in bullying others (from once to several times a week). Combining the answers to these two questions, five different categories of bullying were identified: (1) never been bullied and never bully others; (2) victims of emotional (verbal) bullying who have never bullied others; (3) victims of physical bullying who have never bullied others; (4) victims of bullying who have also bullied others; and (5) perpetrators of bullying, but not victims. As the number of positive cases in the last three categories was low (range = 3–15 cases) bully categories 2–4 were combined into one primary exposure variable: ‘bullied at school’.
Assessment year was operationalized as the year when data was collected: 2014, 2018, and 2020. Age was operationalized as school grade 9 (15–16 years) or 11 (17–18 years). Gender was self-reported (boy or girl). The school situation To assess experiences of the school situation, students responded to 18 statements about well-being in school, participation in important school matters, perceptions of their teachers, and teaching quality. Responses were given on a four-point Likert scale ranging from ‘do not agree at all’ to ‘fully agree’. To reduce the 18-items down to their essential factors, we performed a principal axis factor analysis. Results showed that the 18 statements formed five factors which, according to the Kaiser criterion (eigen values > 1) explained 56% of the covariance in the student’s experience of the school situation. The five factors identified were: (1) Participation in school; (2) Interesting and meaningful work; (3) Feeling well at school; (4) Structured school lessons; and (5) Praise for achievements. For each factor, an index was created that was dichotomised (poor versus good circumstance) using the median-split and dummy coded with ‘good circumstance’ as reference. A description of the items included in each factor is available as Additional file 1 . Socio-economic status (SES) was assessed with three questions about the education level of the student’s mother and father (dichotomized as university degree versus not), and the amount of spending money the student typically received for entertainment each month (> SEK 1000 [approximately $120] versus less). Higher parental education and more spending money were used as reference categories. School grades in Swedish, English, and mathematics were measured separately on a 7-point scale and dichotomized as high (grades A, B, and C) versus low (grades D, E, and F). High school grades were used as the reference category.
The prevalence of mental health problems and bullying at school are presented using descriptive statistics, stratified by survey year (2014, 2018, 2020), gender, and school year (9 versus 11). As noted, we reduced the 18-item questionnaire assessing school function down to five essential factors by conducting a principal axis factor analysis (see Additional file 1 ). We then calculated the association between bullying at school (defined above) and mental health problems using multivariable logistic regression. Results are presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (Cis). To assess the contribution of SES and school-related factors to this association, three models are presented: Crude, Model 1 adjusted for demographic factors: age, gender, and assessment year; Model 2 adjusted for Model 1 plus SES (parental education and student spending money), and Model 3 adjusted for Model 2 plus school-related factors (school grades and the five factors identified in the principal factor analysis). These covariates were entered into the regression models in three blocks, where the final model represents the fully adjusted analyses. In all models, the category ‘not bullied at school’ was used as the reference. Pseudo R-square was calculated to estimate what proportion of the variance in mental health problems was explained by each model. Unlike the R-square statistic derived from linear regression, the Pseudo R-square statistic derived from logistic regression gives an indicator of the explained variance, as opposed to an exact estimate, and is considered informative in identifying the relative contribution of each model to the outcome [ 20 ]. All analyses were performed using SPSS v. 26.0.
Estimates of the prevalence of bullying at school and mental health problems across the 12 strata of data (3 years × 2 school grades × 2 genders) are shown in Table 1 . The prevalence of bullying at school increased minimally (< 1%) between 2014 and 2020, except among girls in grade 11 (2.5% increase). Mental health problems increased between 2014 and 2020 (range = 1.2% [boys in year 11] to 4.6% [girls in year 11]); were three to four times more prevalent among girls (range = 11.6% to 17.2%) compared to boys (range = 2.6% to 4.9%); and were more prevalent among older adolescents compared to younger adolescents (range = 1% to 3.1% higher). Pooling all data, reports of mental health problems were four times more prevalent among boys who had been victims of bullying compared to those who reported no experiences with bullying. The corresponding figure for girls was two and a half times as prevalent.
Table 2 shows the association between bullying at school and mental health problems after adjustment for relevant covariates. Demographic factors, including female gender (OR = 3.87; CI 3.48–4.29), older age (OR = 1.38, CI 1.26–1.50), and more recent assessment year (OR = 1.18, CI 1.13–1.25) were associated with higher odds of mental health problems. In Model 2, none of the included SES variables (parental education and student spending money) were associated with mental health problems. In Model 3 (fully adjusted), the following school-related factors were associated with higher odds of mental health problems: lower grades in Swedish (OR = 1.42, CI 1.22–1.67); uninteresting or meaningless schoolwork (OR = 2.44, CI 2.13–2.78); feeling unwell at school (OR = 1.64, CI 1.34–1.85); unstructured school lessons (OR = 1.31, CI = 1.16–1.47); and no praise for achievements (OR = 1.19, CI 1.06–1.34). After adjustment for all covariates, being bullied at school remained associated with higher odds of mental health problems (OR = 2.57; CI 2.24–2.96). Demographic and school-related factors explained 12% and 6% of the variance in mental health problems, respectively (Pseudo R-Square). The inclusion of socioeconomic factors did not alter the variance explained.
Our findings indicate that mental health problems increased among Swedish adolescents between 2014 and 2020, while the prevalence of bullying at school remained stable (< 1% increase), except among girls in year 11, where the prevalence increased by 2.5%. As previously reported [ 5 , 6 ], mental health problems were more common among girls and older adolescents. These findings align with previous studies showing that adolescents who are bullied at school are more likely to experience mental health problems compared to those who are not bullied [ 3 , 4 , 9 ]. This detrimental relationship was observed after adjustment for school-related factors shown to be associated with adolescent mental health [ 10 ].
A novel finding was that boys who had been bullied at school reported a four-times higher prevalence of mental health problems compared to non-bullied boys. The corresponding figure for girls was 2.5 times higher for those who were bullied compared to non-bullied girls, which could indicate that boys are more vulnerable to the deleterious effects of bullying than girls. Alternatively, it may indicate that boys are (on average) bullied more frequently or more intensely than girls, leading to worse mental health. Social support could also play a role; adolescent girls often have stronger social networks than boys and could be more inclined to voice concerns about bullying to significant others, who in turn may offer supports which are protective [ 21 ]. Related studies partly confirm this speculative explanation. An Estonian study involving 2048 children and adolescents aged 10–16 years found that, compared to girls, boys who had been bullied were more likely to report severe distress, measured by poor mental health and feelings of hopelessness [ 22 ].
Other studies suggest that heritable traits, such as the tendency to internalize problems and having low self-esteem are associated with being a bully-victim [ 23 ]. Genetics are understood to explain a large proportion of bullying-related behaviors among adolescents. A study from the Netherlands involving 8215 primary school children found that genetics explained approximately 65% of the risk of being a bully-victim [ 24 ]. This proportion was similar for boys and girls. Higher than average body mass index (BMI) is another recognized risk factor [ 25 ]. A recent Australian trial involving 13 schools and 1087 students (mean age = 13 years) targeted adolescents with high-risk personality traits (hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, sensation seeking) to reduce bullying at school; both as victims and perpetrators [ 26 ]. There was no significant intervention effect for bullying victimization or perpetration in the total sample. In a secondary analysis, compared to the control schools, intervention school students showed greater reductions in victimization, suicidal ideation, and emotional symptoms. These findings potentially support targeting high-risk personality traits in bullying prevention [ 26 ].
The relative stability of bullying at school between 2014 and 2020 suggests that other factors may better explain the increase in mental health problems seen here. Many factors could be contributing to these changes, including the increasingly competitive labour market, higher demands for education, and the rapid expansion of social media [ 19 , 27 , 28 ]. A recent Swedish study involving 29,199 students aged between 11 and 16 years found that the effects of school stress on psychosomatic symptoms have become stronger over time (1993–2017) and have increased more among girls than among boys [ 10 ]. Research is needed examining possible gender differences in perceived school stress and how these differences moderate associations between bullying and mental health.
Strengths of the current study include the large participant sample from diverse schools; public and private, theoretical and practical orientations. The survey included items measuring diverse aspects of the school environment; factors previously linked to adolescent mental health but rarely included as covariates in studies of bullying and mental health. Some limitations are also acknowledged. These data are cross-sectional which means that the direction of the associations cannot be determined. Moreover, all the variables measured were self-reported. Previous studies indicate that students tend to under-report bullying and mental health problems [ 29 ]; thus, our results may underestimate the prevalence of these behaviors.
In conclusion, consistent with our stated hypotheses, we observed an increase in self-reported mental health problems among Swedish adolescents, and a detrimental association between bullying at school and mental health problems. Although bullying at school does not appear to be the primary explanation for these changes, bullying was detrimentally associated with mental health after adjustment for relevant demographic, socio-economic, and school-related factors, confirming our third hypothesis. The finding that boys are potentially more vulnerable than girls to the deleterious effects of bullying should be replicated in future studies, and the mechanisms investigated. Future studies should examine the longitudinal association between bullying and mental health, including which factors mediate/moderate this relationship. Epigenetic studies are also required to better understand the complex interaction between environmental and biological risk factors for adolescent mental health [ 24 ].
Data requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis; please email the corresponding author.
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Authors are grateful to the Department for Social Affairs, Stockholm, for permission to use data from the Stockholm School Survey.
Open access funding provided by Karolinska Institute. None to declare.
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Stockholm Prevents Alcohol and Drug Problems (STAD), Center for Addiction Research and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
Håkan Källmén
Epidemiology of Psychiatric Conditions, Substance Use and Social Environment (EPiCSS), Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Level 6, Solnavägen 1e, Solna, Sweden
Mats Hallgren
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HK conceived the study and analyzed the data (with input from MH). HK and MH interpreted the data and jointly wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to Mats Hallgren .
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As the data are completely anonymous, the study was exempt from ethical approval according to an earlier decision from the Ethical Review Board in Stockholm (2010-241 31-5).
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Additional file 1..
Principal factor analysis description.
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Källmén, H., Hallgren, M. Bullying at school and mental health problems among adolescents: a repeated cross-sectional study. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 15 , 74 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-021-00425-y
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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-021-00425-y
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Bullying cases in Philippine public schools have increased, as revealed by several studies released during EDCOM 2's meeting at the University of the Philippines-BGC Campus last June 13, 2024.
Second Congressional Commission on Education ( EDCOM 2 ) convened a meeting on "Basic Education on Bullying and Home & School Environment." In the meeting, a series of studies titled "Understanding Bullying in Philippine Education: Impacts and Opportunities for Change" was presented.
EDCOM 2 emphasized the alarming prevalence of bullying in schools in the Philippines based on studies conducted by researchers from De La Salle University (DLSU), led by Dr. Allan B.I. Bernardo , a distinguished university professor and fellow. "One of the most striking findings in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 results was that the Philippines had the highest percentage of bullying among all participating countries and territories ," said Bernardo.
The professor continued, "This trend was also observed in the PISA 2022 assessment , although the percentage was lower in this round of assessment (OECD 2023)."
ALSO READ: What Are The Causes of Bullying?
According to the PISA 2018 results, 65% of Filipino students are reportedly victims of bullying a few times a month, with 40% bullied frequently (once a week or more).
On the other hand, the PISA 2022 report states that one out of three Filipino students suffer from various types of bullying , such as physical and verbal abuse and cyberbullying, in schools.
The data indicates that approximately 43% of girls and 53% of boys in the country experience multiple bullying a few times a month . This percentage is higher than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD) average, which reports that 20% of girls and 21% of boys experience similar incidents.
Furthermore, the DLSU study highlighted how the school structure and environment, and the level of support kids receive from adults, can predict exposure to bullying among students.
RELATED: Filipino Students Lag Behind In Creative Thinking—New OECD Study
According to Nob et al., bullying is prevalent in public schools with large class sizes, discriminatory teacher behavior, and lower levels of competition and discipline. Bullying is also more common among students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
A digital visualization tool was developed to map bullying hotspots in the country, which used data from the 2019 PISA report. According to Cordel et al., Regions XIII and IV-B MIMAROPA had the highest incidence of bullying, followed by Regions XII, V, and I.
Furthermore, the study by Baloloy et al. showed that Filipino individuals who experience bullying encounter mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety.
Additional factors that contribute to bullying include psychosocial issues and the individual's environment, such as school safety, parental relationships, and prevailing attitudes toward bullying.
According to the Learner Rights and Protection Office (LRPO) of the Department of Education (DepEd), a total of 7,742 cases of bullying were reported in the 2022-2023 school year, as of June 10, 2024.
Despite the passing of the Anti-Bullying Law in 2013, there was a significant increase in reported bullying cases based on DepEd's data. The cases rose from 1,158 to 20,172 in the span of five years (2013 to 2018), as noted by EDCOM 2.
When questioned about the discrepancies in the data from DepEd and the actions taken by the agency in response to the law's passing, Revsee Escobedo , DepEd Undersecretary for Governance and Field Operations, explained that annual reports are compiled at the Central Office from divisions, but these reports remain "unverified."
Usec. Escobedo also clarified that the responsibility of monitoring bullying cases has been passed between different units in DepEd over the years. In addition, he pointed out that not all Child Protection Committees (CPCs) in schools were functional due to lack of personnel.
In presenting a summary of the research, Bernardo highlighted the need for school-wide anti-bullying strategies, which involve raising awareness among students, parents, teachers, schools, and the community.
"Bullying is a continuum; every point of the continuum should be addressed... We need to look at it as sustaining and supporting the whole school environment," said Bernardo.
He emphasized the necessity of implementing programs that cover education, prevention, and addressing the effects of bullying on victims, perpetrators, and witnesses.
Parents play a crucial role in preventing bullying in schools. They can act as a strong support system for their children and help promote a culture of kindness through the following measures:
Create a safe space for your child where they can talk to you about anything without fear of judgment; this is crucial if they are being bullied or witnessing bullying. Moreover, make it a habit to talk to your child about their day at school. Ask open-ended questions to encourage them to share their experiences, both positive and negative.
Help your child understand the impact of their words and actions on others. Encourage them to be kind and inclusive. You can also teach your child assertive communication techniques. Help them navigate disagreements peacefully and stand up for themselves without resorting to aggression.
Familiarize yourself with the school's anti-bullying policies and reporting procedures. More importantly, maintain open communication with teachers and school counselors. Get involved in school-organized anti-bullying efforts.
Parents suggests that parents must teach their own children to be an upstanders. " Being an upstander (and not a passive bystander) means a child takes positive action when they see a friend or another student being bullied." Bullying is usually underreported, as evidenced by data above, and children need to know they have the power to report bullying incidents. Remember that while it's automatic for adults to think of reporting bullying to authorities, it may not come naturally to children, which is why they must be reminded and taught how.
Ask your child how they would feel if another child stood up for them when they were being bullied and remind your child the difference one person can make.
Model respectful behavior in your interactions with others, both online and offline. Children learn by observing their parents. Refrain from negative talk about others, especially in your child's presence. This can send a mixed message about kindness and respect.
Read here to know more about bullying and tips on how to prevent it from happening to your child .
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Experiences on the implementation of child protection policies.
Child protection capacity of public secondary schools in northern samar division and academic performance of victims of violence against children, the use of resilience-based group intervention program for victims of bullying, bullying in south-east asian countries: a review, barriers in the implementation of school-based anti-bullying intervention programs and strategies in public elementary schools in a certain division in the philippines., height matters, justification of intimate partner violence in the philippines: attitudes towards wife beating among filipina women, 16 references, policies and programming for safer schools: are “anti-bullying” approaches impeding education for peacebuilding, school violence: a qualitative case study, violence in schools and representations of young people: a critique of government policies in france and england, bullying in middle schools: an asian-pacific regional study, school bullying in korea and christian educational approach, the association of community violence exposure with middle-school achievement: a prospective study, presentation and management of school bullying and the impact of anti-bullying strategies for pupils: a self-report survey in london schools., effectiveness of antibullying school programmes: a systematic review by evidence levels, facebook bullying: an extension of battles in school, preventing the bullying of foster children in our schools, related papers.
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Student bullying. INQUIRER STOCK PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has revealed disturbing statistics, citing that the Philippines is the most problematic in the world for bullying among over 70 countries.
Gatchalian expressed disbelief as he presided over Monday’s hearing of the Senate committee on basic education, where he mentioned the information on bullying from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).
The panel chair stressed that it is safe to say that 17.5 million students have been bullied across the Philippines. This figure was confirmed by the Child Protection Network Foundation (CPNF) during the hearing.
A 2016 National Baseline Survey on Violence Against Children led by the Council for the Welfare of Children indicated that 65% of Filipino students have been bullied nationwide, according to CPNF Executive Director Bernadette Madrid.
The PISA data apparently found the same percentage in its assessment. However, it was not clear when the PISA study was conducted.
“There is bullying across all nations. It’s happening. But, the disparity is so glaring. The OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) average is around 20 percent. Even if you look at the average, we’re triple the average of the PISA assessment,” Gatchalian said.
“Na-shock ako dito (I’m shocked) that [the] Philippines is the number 1 among 70 plus countries in terms of bullying. It’s something that is really bothering me ever since I saw this,” he added.
During the Senate committee on basic education hearing on Monday, February 13, 2023, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian cited data from the Program for International Student Assessment which shows that among at least 70 nations, the Philippines ranked first in the prevalence of bullying. Screenshot from Senate of the Philippines YouTube
Madrid said the 2016 National Baseline Survey on Violence Against Children was conducted among children aged 13 to 17, who were asked if they had experienced bullying.
Gatchalian asked Madrid: “If we do the simple math and apply it to our student population from Grades 1 to Grades 12, 65 percent is about 17.5 million… So, is it safe to conclude that 17.5 million students experienced some form of bullying in our country?”
“Yes,” answered Madrid, who also noted information from the Department of Education (DepEd) that for the School Year 2022-2023, there are more than 27 million enrolled students.
READ: DepEd: 46% of schools ready for in-person classes, 5 days a week
Save the Children Philippines Child Protector Advisor Wilma Banaga said that most of the 65% of bullied students were females, at 70.5%.
Among the common triggers for bullying, said Banaga, are physical appearance, status in life, and skin color.
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Citing another study called Systematic Literature Review of the Drivers of Violence Against Children, Banaga said that children with disabilities and those belonging in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer community “were more prone to experiencing violence.”
The DepEd earlier reported that 404 learners nationwide killed themselves while 2,147 others attempted suicide during Academic Year 2021-2022.
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This paper discussed bullying and its effects on the children who have been bullied, who is bully and children who witness bullying situations. It also discussed how the school, parents and guardians deal if their children are caught are up in different bullying situations. The paper highlighted the issues of school bullying in the Philippines and its serious psychological consequences for victims that includes low psychological well-being, poor social adjustment, psychological distress and physical illness.
Arvi Cabungcal
Randwick International of Education and Linguistics Science Journal
Rodalyn Lapada
This study was conducted to determine students’ experiences, reactions and opinions on bullying. It used a descriptive research design wherein students’ experiences, reactions and opinions were gathered through survey questionnaires. Purposive sampling technique was employed using snowball sampling technique. Online survey questionnaire was sent to the selected students via messenger. These students forwarded the online survey questionnaire to those students who they thought potential respondents of the study via messenger too. Finding revealed that Esperanza National High School has maintained a healthy school environment suited to the different types of learners since the bullying was less evident in the school. Occasional occurrence of bullying in the school prompted the students to rarely report the incidence to the concerned people. Students very seldom experienced the bullying from the people they frequently engaged and communicated. They normally responded to the minor incide...
Laurence dela cruz
Bullying affects 50 percent of the Filipino school children. However, there is still the lack of literature that discusses this problem in a Philippine setting. This paper employed descriptive research technique to determine the profile of school bullying, peer aggression, and victimization among junior high school students of the UP High School in Cebu. Results of the survey revealed that bullying exists in the school with classmates as the perpetrators; direct verbal and relational are the most common forms of bullying; gender is not a factor in bullying and victimization, both sexes are involved in bullying and peer victimization, and, there is a significant relationship between bullying and victimization. Results underscore the need to implement a bullying prevention program focusing on awareness of the problem and their long-term impact to students is highly recommended. There is a need for the school to organize a peer counseling group to address the high rate of bullying cases reported only to their peers instead of school officials.
IJESRT Journal
The main purpose of the study was to assess the bullying management approaches in selected secondary schools in Zone III, Schools Division of Zambales, Philippines during the school year 2015-2016 from the perspective of the teachers. The study made used of descriptive research design with questionnaire as the main instrument in gathering data from sixty-one (61) teacher-respondents. Based on the summary of the investigations conducted, the researcher had concluded that the teacher-respondents are predominantly females in their early adulthood, married with a family income below poverty level and who have been in the teaching profession for 10 years. The type or nature of bullying perceived strongly agreed by the teachers was forcing someone to do something against one's will, the bullying occurred among bossy students do violence to meek and shy students and effects of bulling strongly agreed were emotional and psychological disturbance. The teachers perceived that the character building as bullying management approach was very effective. The teachers perceived strongly agreed on the coping mechanisms of bullying mainly counseling. The analysis of variance result revealed a no significant differences on the teachers' perceptions towards type or nature of bullying, occurrence of bullying and bullying management approaches. However, the teachers have perceived differences on age towards coping mechanisms.
roldan cardona
While bullying in schools has begun to receive great attention with the enactment of the Republic Act 10627 or the Anti-Bullying Act and the DepEd’s Child Policy, little is known about the link between and among classroom discipline techniques, parenting styles and bullying incidences. This descriptive study is aimed to provide insights how bullying behaviors could be integrated in the classroom discipline techniques employed by the teacher and be able to craft an anti-bullying program involving the stakeholders of Binakayan National High School, Kawit, Cavite.
Ma Monique DeLuna
While bullying in schools has begun to receive great attention with the enactment of the Republic Act 10627 or the Anti-Bullying Act and the DepEd's Child Policy, little is known about the link between and among classroom discipline techniques, parenting styles and bullying incidences. This descriptive study is aimed to provide insights how bullying behaviors could be integrated in the classroom discipline techniques employed by the teacher and be able to craft an anti-bullying program involving the stakeholders of Binakayan National High School, Kawit, Cavite.
ACE2019 Official Conference Proceedings
Philippine Education Research Journal
Cynthia CORREO , Ronaldo SP. Elicay
Background: Bullying is a complex social phenomenon influenced by a myriad of factors, including psychological and environmental ones. It is generally perceived as dangerous and life-threatening and, thus, must be urgently addressed. Purpose: Investigate the prevalence and the actual bullying experiences of Filipino junior high school students using Urie Bronfenbrenner's socioecological theory or ecological model of development as a framework. Participants: 1,090 students from nine selected secondary schools in the 4th and 6th District in the province of Batangas, with 30 of them chosen as key informants Research design: Mixed method expansion sequential research design Data collection and analysis: The V-SCAIRD Acts of Bullying Inventory Tool was administered to determine the prevalence of bullying (by bullying role, form of bullying, and effect of bullying) across genders and school types. Independent sample t-tests were used to compare male and female differences in the bullying roles, the forms of bullying, and the effects of bullying across genders. Analysis of variance showed the degree of significant differences in the bullying roles, the forms of bullying, and the effects of bullying across school types. Fisher's least significant difference test was run as post hoc test. All statistical analyses were tested at p < .05. The students who scored high as bullies, victims, and bystanders were interviewed to draw out their actual bullying experiences and the possible psycho-social environmental factors influencing this social phenomenon. Findings: Prevalence rates of 8, 14, and 78 in 100 students translate to one bully, two victims, and seven bystanders in every 10 students, with a victimization ratio of 1:5. Male students exhibited a significantly higher tendency to be bullies and victims. All forms of bullying (covert indirect, cyberbullying, physical, and verbal) were experienced by students regardless of gender. However, it appeared that the male students were more exposed to verbal bullying while the female students were more exposed to cyberbullying. Significant gender differences were found in the students' experiences of the cognitive, affective, and behavioral effects of bullying. Across school types, no significant differences were found in bully tendencies, but a significant difference was found in victim tendencies between public and Catholic schools, with the former having a higher rate than the latter. Students from both Catholic and non-sectarian schools registered a significantly higher tendency to become bystanders than those in public schools. The interview disclosed various forms of bullying experienced by the students, categorized into covert indirect, cyberbullying, physical, and verbal types. Verbal abuse from family members was reported, primarily due to failed expectations such as perceived poor academic performance. Psycho-social factors influencing bullying phenomenon in schools include teachers' attitude in school, peer influence, and school discipline. Recommendation: Provide continuing professional development to teachers on bullying management in schools and create clear structure and school policies that emphasize home and school partnership and certain discipline in school.
Salmi Sudan
This research paper examines the problem of school bullying in a primary school in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Particularly the paper looks at bullying victimization with the focus on how bullying affects the thinking, feelings and behavior of the bullying victims. The paper also explores how the school regards school bullying, what type of intervention measures that the school has and how these measures are implemented in the school. Data was collected through in depth interviews with the participants of this study who were two victims of school bullying, a school counselor, and a Discipline Head. The results showed that bullying affects negatively the thinking, feelings and behavior of the victims in which they reported among other feelings of fear, anguish, anger, foolish, and hating school as the outcomes of being bullied. It was also found that the school under study does not have a particular or constant intervention programs for both bullies and victims of school bullyin...
Yakup Can Avcı
In all cultures, the "bullying", which is confronted in some way, is an issue that students feel freak, insecure, in severe situations commit suicide. This study is criticized, Roldan S. Cardona, Agnes, S. Reyes and Marlu M. Tangalin’s The Bullying Experiences and Classroom Discipline Techniques in an Urban National High School in the Philippines: A Basis for an Anti-Bullying Program article from Philippine Normal University and Binakayan National High School which is published by American International Journal of Contemporary Research Magazine Vol.5, No. 2; April 2015 with community benefit and implementation, methodology, arguments and recommendations. The article main target audiences are Local public and Academic communities especially teachers and parents. The aim of the study is, researching is there a link between bullying incidences and classroom management skills together with parenting styles? On the other hand, reveal the what capabilities has teacher to recognize bullying incidences and what should they act to decrease bullying behaviors in their classroom. This paper aim criticized and evaluate main arguments of the text. The study use Graham Hewitt criticized methods (Hewitt. G 2017) . The general opinion about the article is insufficient background knowledge and wrong method to link classroom discipline technique and parenting style.
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Home ⇛ smcc higher education research journal (multidisciplinary journal) ⇛ vol. 8 no. 1 (2021), effects of bullying on the academic performance of grade 3 learners.
EVELYN T. PENALES
The role of school in school is to help children develop their mental, physical, and moral abilities. The study determined the effects of bullying on the academic performance of Grade 3 learners in Kitcharao District, Division of Agusan del Norte, Philippines. The researcher in the study used the descriptive survey method. The test questionnaires were administered to 147 respondents. Physical bullying, verbal bullying has been affecting the academic performance of grade learners significantly. The study concludes that bullying in school, such as physical, verbal, and gang of bullies, has been happening in school often and disturbing to some extent the learners’ performance. These disturbances have only obtained average performance. The school should monitor without let-up bullying and strictly implement disciplinary action to it versus bullies to protect graders from disturbances of their learning process. Moreover, the teachers should always advise and guide their learners to shun away from resorting to bullying at all times.
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COMMENTS
Drawing on diverse studies spanning various regions 196 of the Philippines, our findings reveal a pervasive pattern of bullying encompassing physical, verbal, and relational aggression.
This study aimed to understand bullying through the lived experiences of three students who became bully-targets in state universities and colleges (SUCs) using a socio-ecological perspective.
This study explored the nature and extent of bullying among high school students in Baguio City, Philippines. It determined the relations between parent-child attachment, parenting styles, and bullying via a quantitative survey (n = 876) and focus group discussions (n = 16). Results revealed that verbal bullying/victimization is more frequent than
This systematic literature review investigates the intricate landscape of bullying in Philippine schools, focusing on prevalence, cultural dynamics, mental health implications, and the effectiveness of anti-bullying interventions. Drawing on diverse studies spanning various regions of the Philippines, our findings reveal a pervasive pattern of bullying encompassing physical, verbal, and ...
Philippine Education Research Journal June-December 2020, volume 2020, numbers 1-2, pages 29-47 ... world experiencing peer-to-peer bullying. The Philippines has not been spared from this socioeducational concern (Plan Philippines,2008; Selim,2018), prompting scholars ... studies conducted in the Philippines focused on certain aspects of ...
On the other hand, the PISA 2022 reports that one out three Filipino students are being bullied in schools. This is about 43% of girls and 53% of boys in the Philippines encounter bullying incidents multiple times a month. This is much higher than the OECD average of 20% of girls, and 21% of boys. "International large-scale assessments show ...
B. T. Inocencio et al. International Journal of Research in Engineering, Science and Management, VOL. 4, NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 2021 217 Bullying in the Philippines is widespread in schools and over the Internet, with a study that states that about 50 percent of
The present study retrospectively examined gender differences in bullying and suicidal behaviour (ideation, plan, and attempts) as well as associations between selected risk factors and suicidal behaviour among secondary school Filipino students. The study used a secondary data set from the GSHS developed by the World Health Organization, which was conducted in the Philippines in 2011.
The research data were drawn from a larger study aimed at describing the incidence, forms, and experience of bullying in the elementary and secondary schools in Iloilo City, Philippines. Given the magnitude and scope of the time required to meet bureaucratic requirements and schedule students to be surveyed in each school, it was decided to cut ...
Abstract. During the school years, bullying is one of the most common expressions of violence in the peer context. Research on bullying started more than forty years ago, when the phenomenon was defined as 'aggressive, intentional acts carried out by a group or an individual repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him- or herself'.
The study aims to determine the perceptions of senior high school students in the concept of bullying in the post pandemic era. The participants in this study consisted of 41 Grade 12 students ...
According to the Pisa study published on Dec. 5, the incidence of bullying in Philippine schools went down between 2018 and 2022. The country first took part in the large-scale international ...
Abstract. This research looked into prevalence rate of bullying victimization and perpetration as well as teachers' response to bullying incidence in the Philippines. A total of 340 sixth graders from five different schools in Western Visayas participated in the study. Slightly more than half (54.1%) of the sample were boys and 45.9% were girls.
Using a socio-cultural perspective, the study developed a 48-item assessment tool that reflected the context-specific bullying experiences of Filipino high school students. Scale items were generated from the one-on-one interview results conducted among bullied high school students and from existing literature and studies on bullying. Exploratory Factor Analysis yielded a 3-factor structure of ...
The purpose of this study was to gain insights into empathy, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization among Filipino adolescents.The participants were 168 junior high school students in the 7th to 10th grades at a public high school in Cavite Province, Philippines. ...
Objective To examine recent trends in bullying and mental health problems among adolescents and the association between them. Method A questionnaire measuring mental health problems, bullying at school, socio-economic status, and the school environment was distributed to all secondary school students aged 15 (school-year 9) and 18 (school-year 11) in Stockholm during 2014, 2018, and 2020 (n ...
On the other hand, the PISA 2022 report states that one out of three Filipino students suffer from various types of bullying, such as physical and verbal abuse and cyberbullying, in schools. The data indicates that approximately 43% of girls and 53% of boys in the country experience multiple bullying a few times a month.
Local and international studies have affirmed the alarming situation of bullying and school violence involving Filipino children. The intensity of violence has reached a disturbing rate that has pushed policy-makers to formulate bullying prevention schemes. Despite organized attempts to make schools a safe environment, this dilemma poses critical risks that call for aggressive and determined ...
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has revealed disturbing statistics, citing that the Philippines is the most problematic in the world for bullying among over 70 countries ...
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the campus bullying experiences of senior high school students in a certain secondary school of Davao City, Philippines. Three senior ...
This study is criticized, Roldan S. Cardona, Agnes, S. Reyes and Marlu M. Tangalin's The Bullying Experiences and Classroom Discipline Techniques in an Urban National High School in the Philippines: A Basis for an Anti-Bullying Program article from Philippine Normal University and Binakayan National High School which is published by American ...
MANILA, 6 September 2019—One in three young people in 30 countries said they have been a victim of online bullying, with one in five saying they skipped school due to cyberbullying and violence, according to a new poll released today by UNICEF, the United Nations organization working for children's rights.. In the Philippines, latest national data show that cyberviolence affects almost ...
The role of school in school is to help children develop their mental, physical, and moral abilities. The study determined the effects of bullying on the academic performance of Grade 3 learners in Kitcharao District, Division of Agusan del Norte, Philippines. The researcher in the study used the descriptive survey method. The test questionnaires were administered to 147 respondents. Physical ...