Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying: Differences in Sex, Emotional Problems and Personality in Victims and Aggressor and Personality in Victims and Aggressor

SANTIAGO RESETT; MANUEL GAMEZ GUADIX

Andalucía

Conferencia; XV Biennal Conference de la European Association for Reseach on Adolescence; 2016

European Association for Reseach on Adolescence

Compared to traditional bullying, cyberbullying presents unique features (anonymity, huge potential audience, disinhibition). Some authors indicate that cyberbullying is an extension of bullying. Other authors suggest that cyberbullying is a qualitatively different phenomenon. Few studies have examined differences in gender, emotional problems and personality of those involved in cyber and traditional bullying. Aims: 1) to explore the overlapping between traditional bullying and cyberbullying and 2) to examine correlates of emotional problems and personality for those involved in traditional bullying and cyberbullying. An Argentinean sample of 898 secondary school student was recruited (46% male, mean age=15.2). Olweus Bully/Victims Questionnaire and Calvet et al. Cyberbullying Questionnaire were applied. They also completed GSOEP Big Five Inventory, Rosenberg Self-esteem and Psychosomatic Scale (anxiety), and Kovacs Depression Inventory. Results show that 75% of participants were not involved, 11% were traditional victims, 6%, cyber-victims, and the remaining 9% traditional/ cyber-victims. For bullying, the percentages were: 82%, 6%, 8%, and 4%, respectively. No gender differences emerged in victim status, but more males were aggressors. Traditional/cyber-victims scored high in depression, anxiety, and low in self-esteem compared to the remaining groups. Traditional victims and cyber-victims did not differ in the level of emotional problems, but traditional victims scored lower in self-esteem. Cyber-aggressors presented a similar level of self-esteem as the not involved. Traditional/cyber-victims presented lower levels of Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and a higher level of Neuroticism compared to the remaining groups. When compared for aggression status, not involved groups and cyber-aggressors showed less depression than traditional aggressors and cyber/traditional aggressors. Cyber-aggressors scored lower in Conscientiousness and higher in Agreeableness and showed lower Neuroticism than traditional aggressors. The results suggest that there is little overlapping between traditional bullying and cyberbullying. Regarding the correlates of victimization, the effect of suffering from traditional bullying and cyberbullying were quite similar. On the other hand, cyber-aggressors are characterized by personality profiles different from traditional aggressors.