Cyberbullying: Development, Consequences, Risk and Protective Factors

From the beginning of 2000, with the increase and diffusion of modern technologies, a new form of bullying using electronic means has emerged. Literature has reached some consistent findings on the description of the problem. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about developmental processes of cyberbullying and about possible predictors and correlates. Some of the main emerging areas investigated in connection with cyberbullying are: personality factors, callous unemotional traits and self-control, memory cognitive distortions, emotional and moral mechanisms, ICT use and media exposure, family and social contexts.

Another important issue is the relation between cyberbullying and face to face bullying. From face to face literature we know some of the mechanisms in the peer group such as the relation between bullying, dominance and popularity and the role of bystanders in the social dynamic of the attacks. However, nothing is known about the cyber community. Contributors to this volume attempt to investigate these group mechanisms in the cyber community. Finally, for the victims, long-term consequences are also relevant, both in terms of perceived stress level and of the association between cyber-victimization and mental health.

This special issue offers important new findings on the development and consequences of cyberbullying and cyber-victimization, and opens new and future directions of research.

Ersilia Menesini is Associate Professor of Developmental Psychology and Educational Psychology at the University of Florence, Italy.

Christiane Spiel is Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Vienna, Austria.