The Relationship Between Cyber-Obsessive Stalking and Cyberbullying Among University Students

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 5 Sayı: Ek 1, 1 - 10, 19.12.2025

Merve Bat Tonkuş , Nazlıcan Eryetim

https://izlik.org/JA56SS76BW

Öz

With the increase in digital communication, incidents of cyber-obsessive stalking and cyberbullying have been observed among students, significantly affecting individuals' psychosocial health. This study aims to examine the relationship between university students' levels of cyber obsessive stalking and cyberbullying. The study was conducted between December 2023 and June 2024, involving 369 university students enrolled at a foundation university. Data were collected face-to-face using the Information Form, the Cyber-Obsessional Pursuit Scale (COPS), and the Cyberbullying Scale (CBS). The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS 25. Among the university students participating in the study, 71.8% were female, indicating that gender is a distinguishing factor in both cyberbullying and cyber-obsessive stalking. Correlation analysis between the COPS and CBS indicated a statistically significant moderate positive relationship between cyber-obsessive stalking and cyberbullying (r = 0.447; p < 0.05). The results show a statistically significant relationship between cyber-obsessive stalking and cyberbullying. Additionally, significant differences were identified between students' sociodemographic characteristics and their levels of cyber-obsessive stalking and cyberbullying. Furthermore, statistically significant moderate positive relationships were observed among the sub factors of the COPS (extreme intimacy, threatening, transference) and the CBS (emotional harm and humiliation, exclusion and violence). It is recommended that educational programs be developed to prevent cyber-obsessive behaviors as a means of combating cyberbullying in the university environment.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Obsessive stalking , cyberbullying , social media

Kaynakça

• Carpenter, L. M., & Hubbard, G. B. (2014). Cyberbullying: implications for the psychiatric nurse practitioner. Journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing: official publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, Inc., 27(3), 142–148. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcap.12079
• Carvalho, M., Branquinho, C. & de Matos, M.G. Cyberbullying and Bullying: Impact on Psychological Symptoms and Well-Being. Child Ind Res 14, 435–452 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-020- 09756-2
• Chan, E., Viñas-Racionero, M. R., & Scalora, M. J. (2022). Bridging the Gap: The Predictive Roles of Emotion Dysregulation and Stalking-related Attitudes on Offline and Online Stalking and Intrusive Harassment. Journal of interpersonal violence, 37(21-22), NP19331–NP19357. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211043590
• Cho, H., Cannon, J., Lopez, R., & Li, W. (2022). Social media literacy: A conceptual framework. New Media & Society, 26(2), 941-960. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211068530
• Choi, K. S., Earl, K., Lee, J. R., & Cho, S. (2019). Diagnosis of cyber and non-physical bullying victimization: A lifestyles and routine activities theory approach to constructing effective preventative measures. Computers in Human Behavior, 92, 11–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.10.014
• Dalmaz, E. (2014). Üniversite öğrencilerinde siber zorbalık/mağduriyet, depresyon ve anksiyete arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi [Yüksek Lisans Tezi]. Haliç Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü. Davison, C., & Stein, C. (2014). The dangers of cyberbullying. North American Journal of Psychology, 16(3), 595–606.
• Dreßing, H., Bailer, J., Anders, A., Wagner, H., & Gallas, C. (2014). Cyberstalking in a large sample of social network users: prevalence, characteristics, and impact upon victims. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking, 17(2), 61–67. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2012.0231
• Erdur-Baker, Ö., & Kavşut, F. (2007). Akran zorbalığının yeni yüzü: Siber zorbalık. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 27, 31–42.
• Küçük, S., İnanıcı, M. A., & Ziyalar, N. (2017). Turkish Adaptation of Cyberbullying Scale. The Bulletin of Legal Medicine, 22(3), 172-176. https://doi.org/10.17986/blm.2017331584
• Savage, M. W., & Tokunaga, R. S. (2017). Moving toward a theory: Testing an integrated model of cyberbullying perpetration, aggression, social skills, and internet self-efficacy. Computers in Human Behavior, 71, 353–361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.016
• Schoeler, T., Duncan, L., Cecil, C. M., Ploubidis, G. B., & Pingault, J. B. (2018). Quasi-experimental evidence on short- and long-term consequences of bullying victimization: A metaanalysis. Psychological bulletin, 144(12), 1229–1246. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000171
• Semerci, A. (2017). Examination of High School Students’ Cyberbullying and Victimization Cases in Terms of Different Variables. Kastamonu Education Journal, 25(4), 1285–1300.
• Stys, Y. (2004). Beyond the schoolyard: Examining electronic bullying among Canadian youth [Master’s Thesis]. Carleton University.
• Tezcan, D., Erdem, M. R., & Murat, R. (2020). Teorik ve Pratik Ceza Özel Hukuku [Theoretical and Practical Criminal Private Law]. Seçkin Yayıncılık. (in Turkish)
• Uğur, E., Akat, M., Savcı, M., & Ercengiz, M. (2022). The Validity and Reliability Studies of the Scales of Cyber-Obsessional Pursuit (COPS) and Cyber Dating Abuse (CDAS): Adaptation to Turkish. EInternational Journal of Educational Research, 13(3), 46–58. https://doi.org/10.19160/e-ijer.1041545
• Watts, L. K., Wagner, J., Velasquez, B., & Behrens, P. I. (2017). Cyberbullying in higher education: A literature review. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 269–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.038
• Ybarra, M. L., & Mitchell, K. J. (2004). Online aggressor/targets, aggressors, and targets: A comparison of associated youth characteristics. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45(7), 1308–1316. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00328.x