Cyberbullying: Bullying in the Digital Age

Bullying affects millions of children throughout the world each year. Recent advances in technology have led to greater prevalence of cyberbullying using e–mail, instant messages, social networking sites, and other digital messaging systems. The second edition of Cyberbullying provides the most current information on the nature and prevalence of this quickly–evolving issue that causes unique challenges and concerns for children, parents, and educators. Examining the latest research and methods for studying this issue, the authors have utilized vital studies involving over 3,500 middle–school students, online research projects on cyberbullying, and data from focus groups of victims, perpetrators, and their parents. This edition includes updated and expanded empirical data; coverage of the newest digital venues where cyberbullying is appearing, including social networking sites; and a look at occurrences of cyberbullying among adults and among children with disabilities. The book also covers sexting and some of the legal issues surrounding it. The authors – internationally known experts in the field – provide practical tips for parents and educators on how to prevent cyberbullying through family and classroom discussions about proper online behavior. They also offer suggestions for successful intervention techniques in cyberbullying episodes that stem from their own work, research, and experiences.

Foreword vi John Halligan Preface ix 1 Introduction 1 2 Children’s Experiences with Traditional Forms of Bullying 18 3 What Is Cyberbullying? 56 4 Current Research on Cyberbullying 89 5 What Parents Can Do 118 6 What Educators Can Do 155 7 Laws and Policies 187 8 Conclusion 223 References 233 Author Index 262 Subject Index 271

Robin M. Kowalski , Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at Clemson University. She is the author or coauthor of several books including Complaining, Teasing, and Other Annoying Behaviors (2003), Social Anxiety (1997), Aversive Interpersonal Behaviors (1997), Behaving Badly (2001), and The Social Psychology of Emotional and Behavioral Problems (2000) . Susan P. Limber , Ph.D., is the Dan Olweus Professor at the Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life and Professor of Psychology at Clemson University. She has published numerous articles on the topic of bullying. In 2004 she received the American Psychological Association′s Early Career Award for Psychology in the Public Interest. Patricia W. Agatston , Ph.D., is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Prevention Specialist with the Cobb County School District′s Prevention/Intervention Center in Marietta, Georgia. She was a participant in the CDC′s Expert Panel on Electronic Media and Youth Violence, and has presented nationally and internationally on cyberbullying.

“This book′s extensive review of current academic research on the social dynamics underlying cyberbullying is particularly beneficial in revealing such complexities as the gender and ethnic patterns of online bullying, the types of students most likely to be involved in this activity, and the ways that fellow students can discourage, or encourage, bullying.”  ( Choice , 1 November 2012)