Understanding Cyberbullying from Various Perspectives

Youths in the 21st century are raised in a digital world where blogs, social networking sites, and instant messaging are part of their everyday lives. These youths have been immersed in a digital world for as long as they can remember. Furthermore, millions of children and adolescents utilize electronic technologies (e.g., cell phones, the Internet) everyday, engaging in many different behaviors (Madden et al., 2013). Although their usage of such technologies has many benefits (e.g., fast communication with friends and family, access to an array of rich information), there is also a darker side to youths’ electronic interactions: Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying has become a major focus of not only youths, educators, and researchers, but also among the general population, due to high profile cases of cyberbullying victimization involving suicide. Due to the ability to remain anonymous, the cyber context offers flexibility to cyberbullies, allowing them to harm their potential victims without the constraints and many of the repercussions associated with traditional face-to-face bullying. Cyberbullies can also target the victim or victims quicker, more often, and involve multiple bystanders in the bullying situation.

Research evidence reveals that cyberbullying perpetration and victimization occur in a variety of countries, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States. Less attention has focused on countries in Asia, with a smaller set of studies revealing cyberbullying involvement in China, India, Japan, Korea, and Singapore. Even less attention has focused on cyberbullying in Africa, Central America, and South America, with studies conducted in South Africa, Mexico, and Brazil. Some research has focused on cross-cultural differences as well.

This Research Topic will focus on studies utilizing innovative research methodologies to investigate cyberbullying, with specific attention on international samples, particularly among countries underrepresented in the research on this topic, as well as studies examining cross-cultural, cross-national, or ethnic differences in cyberbullying involvement. The expectation is that the special section will draw on experts in the area of cyberbullying across multiple continents and disciplines. The aim of the special issue is to bring together a variety of research focused on cyberbullying in diverse contexts.