Dados do Trabalho

Título

CYBERBULLYING AMONG OFFENDED AND OFFENDING ADOLESCENTS ON THE INTERNET: ASSOCIATION WITH EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS

Introdução

Internet use is an increasingly common phenomenon nowadays, especially from mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. This use from mobile devices has increased significantly among children and adolescents. In this sense, it has been reported in the literature that excessive use in this population is associated with higher frequency of psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as greater engagement in risky and harmful online behaviors.

Objetivo

To explore possible associations between sociodemographic characteristics and patterns of use of children and adolescents classified as problematic internet users, who reported having offended someone while using the net.

Método

This is an exploratory study with convenience sample composed of children (N = 400) between 9 and 16 years old from a public school in a city in the state of São Paulo. The participants completed the following instruments: sociodemographic questionnaire, Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI), Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version; Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and a questionnaire of internet use pattern and parenting style based on the TIC KIDS Brazil 2019 survey.

Resultados

No significant differences were detected to participants' gender and digital media use. However, the participants in the group that had already experienced offensive behaviors presented a higher mean age than those who had not experienced such behavior, being twice as high in ninth grade students attending the morning period. Regarding daily smartphone usage time, the sample that reported having already offended used the device about 1 hour more, receiving about 166 messages daily and sending 157. A two times higher prevalence in severe symptoms of depression and anxiety was observed between offender and non-offender. An average of seven times higher harm behavior was found in the offender sample, and more than twice as high in risk behaviors.

Conclusão

The characteristics of the pattern of internet use among the children and adolescents in the sample indicated that internet is an important part of daily life, with most of them carrying out an intense daily use of the net. A significant amount of the sample who showed excessive (abusive) internet use and who reported offensive behavior during use, showed predisposition to the development of emotional problems (depression, anxiety, and stress).

Palavras-chave

Internet addiction; Problematic internet use; Child; Adolescent; Emotional problems; Risk behavior