Comparing factors related to school-bullying and cyber-bullying

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this review was to present a comparative summary of literature of the risk and preventative factors related to school bullying (SB) and cyber-bullying (CB), while identifying research gaps.Literature on bullying appears to disagree whether CB should be considered as a different form of bullying or as a sub-type of SB. Researchers, in an attempt to understand bullying, examined in depth numerous risk and preventive factors. Based solely on previous research papers, fourteen risk and preventative factors related to SB and likewise to CB, were selected on the basis that are most commonly indicated as strong factors in preceding works; each factor was searched for in relation to SB and CB separately, allowing a comparison of how each factor relates to SB and likewise to CB. Findings present a comparative picture of the factors related to SB and CB and provide a direction in the area of factors for fellow researchers wishing to develop anti-bullying strategies in the future. As expected the present study found that some factors are similarly related to SB as to CB, and others differentiate. Details of findings, limitations and implications are further discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• School-bullying
• cyber-bullying
• bullying
• risk factors
• preventive factors

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Calli Tzani-Pepelasi

At the time of writing Calli Tzani-Pepelasi was a lecturer for the MSc Investigative Psychology at Huddersfield University.

Maria Ioannou

Dr Maria Ioannou was a Reader in Forensic Psychology and Course Director of the MSc in Investigative Psychology.

John Synnott

Dr John Synnott was a Senior Lecturer and Associate Course Director of the MSc in Investigative Psychology, all at the University of Huddersfield. And

Sally-Ann Ashton

Dr Sally-Ann Ashton was a lecturer for the Department of Applied Health and Social Care, Faculty of Health and Social Care, Edge Hill University.