Cyberbullying in WhatsApp Classroom Groups among Children and Adolescents: Exposure and Victimization

Year 2018, Volume: 10 , 1 - 10, 12.09.2018

Dana Aızenkot

Abstract

Social networks are an essential part of school-aged
children's social lives. WhatsApp application is perceived as a social network
which enjoys enormous popularity among children and adolescents. Nonetheless,
alongside the increasing popularity of WhatsApp, increases cyberbullying,
defined as an aggressive online behavior aimed to harm another person through
internet and technological communication means. The present study is a pilot research
aimed to learn about the extent, characteristics and expressions of
cyberbullying that children and adolescents experience in WhatsApp groups in
their classes, either as witnesses, or as victims. Additionally, the study aims
to offer a classification of cyberbullying in WhatsApp groups. Data was
collected from Israeli students who learn in 4^th to 12^th
grades (N = 1111). The participants completed a questionnaire regarding
cyberbullying in their class WhatsApp groups. Findings indicated that the vast
majority of participants are members in at least one WhatsApp group in their
classes, to which it`s important for them to belong. Alongside, most
participants experience cyberbullying in their WhatsApp class-groups, either as
victims or as witnesses and over half of them experience more than one
expression of cyberbullying simultaneously. Insults are the most common
expression of cyberbullying. After that swearword, forced removal from a group
and posting offensive photos. Witnessing WhatsApp cyberbullying is more common
than personal victimization. In addition, findings indicated of differences in
cyberbullying expressions according to the level of educational institution
(elementary school, middle school, and high school). Implications regarding
schools` and parents` roles, including developing educational policy and school
curriculum, are discussed.

Keywords

Cyberbullying, WhatsApp, Social networks, Children, Adolescents

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