Bullying and cyberbullying: Relationships with emotional problems and personality

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the degree of overlap between victimization and cybervictimization, on one hand, and between aggression and cyberaggression, on the other. In addition, it aimed to determine whether those engaged in cybervictimization and cyberbullying perpetration differed in emotional problems and personality from those engaged in traditional victimization and bullying perpetration. An Argentinean sample of 898 high school student was recruited (56% females, mean age = 15;2). The degree of overlap was 8% for victimization and cybervictimization, and 4% for aggression and cyberaggression. Traditional victims and cyber-victims did not differ in the level of emotional problems, but traditional victims scored lower in self-esteem; traditional victims showed higher level of Neuroticism compared to non-involved, as well. As regarding bullying, cyber-aggressors showed less depression than traditional aggressors did.
In addition, cyber-aggressors scored low in consciousness and high in agreeableness compared to traditional aggressors. In discussion, we discuss these results and we provide suggestion for future studies.