Cyber Bullying and Victimization among University Students

Abstract

The study aimed to reveal the prevalence of cyber bullying and victimization among university students and to analyze whether levels of cyber bullying and victimization in students can be differentiated according to the level of problematic Internet use. Moreover, the study intended to examine the relationships between gender, year level, and level of income and cyber bullying and victimization. The team recruited 863 university students enrolled at different departments of Ege University, during academic year 2017–2018. The Revised Cyber Bullying Inventory, Problematic Internet Usage Scale (PIUS), and Demographic Information Form were used for data collection. Multiple linear regression analysis and the Kruskal–Wallis H-test were used for data analyses. Results indicated that cyber bullying and victimization are common problems among university students with prevalence rates of 57% and 68%, respectively, among students in the current sample. The findings demonstrated that levels of cyber bullying and victimization differed based on gender and level of income. However, no significant relationship was observed with year level. Additionally, the “negative consequences of the Internet” and “social comfort,” which are two subscales of PIUS, predicted the prevalence of cyber bullying and victimization. Excessive usage, the third subscale, did not predict any variable. Considering the findings obtained from this study, further research on university students and adults is suggested. Moreover, preventive measures to secure the Internet should be considered to prevent cyber bullying. Specifically, developing intervention programs for cyber victims is necessary to mitigate the negative effects.