BUSSU, ANNA

LONGPRE, NICHOLAS

English

A meta-analysis of Cyberstalking and Cyberbullying victimization in Higher Education Dr Anna Bussu &amp; Dr Nicholas Longpré*School of Law, Criminology and Policing, Edge Hill UniversityBackground: Cyberbullying and cyberstalking can lead to social, physical, and psychological health problems and have long-term negative impacts on victims. Students and academic staff present an increased risk regarding cyber-victimisation, both in and outside of university campus; therefore, understanding more about this phenomenon will enhance identification and support of victimisation. There is a gap in the literature relating to cyberstalking and cyberbullying behaviour among students and staff on university campuses. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of implementing research projects, and have stressed the need to develop new protocols and best practices to prevent cyberbullying and cyberstalking in an academic context. Aims: The paper explores the risk factors and impact of cyberstalking and cyberbullying on the everyday lives of students and staff and the potential strategies to counteract cybervictimisation.Methodology: Full searches were conducted in February 2021 on PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Sixty-one articles were deemed eligible for inclusion in the systematic review: 48 examined cyberbullying, 10 examined cyberstalking and 3 articles examined both crimes. A meta-analysis was conducted on the articles providing empirical data. Data analysis: A meta-analysis of studies overall and summary current evidence for each of our research aims was conducted using SPSS version 28. Main results: Our analysis contributes additional evidence concerning the prevalence of cyberbullying and cyberbullying in higher education. Results are contributing to towards the development of effective prevention strategies and inform best-practices and policy for victims of cyberbullying/cyberstalking. <br/

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A META-ANALYSIS OF CYBERSTALKING AND CYBERBULLYING VICTIMIZATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION DR ANNA BUSSU & DR NICHOLAS LONGPRÉOVERVIEW OF THE TALK• CYBERSTALKING /CYBERBULLYING DEFINITIONS• CYBERSTALKING /CYBERBULLYING IN HE• RESEARCH PROJECT   AIM AND RQS METHODOLOGY/DATA ANALYSIS MAIN FINDINGS • IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS • QUESTIONS/COMMENTSSTALKING: DEFINITION • STALKING CAN BE DEFINED AS A PATTERN OF REPEATED AND UNWANTED BEHAVIOURS THAT CAUSE ANOTHER PERSON TO BE AFRAID • SOME OF THE BEHAVIOURS MAY NOT BE PERCEIVED AS SERIOUS (E.G., BROWSING SOMEONE’S SOCIAL MEDIA WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT AND KNOWLEDGE)• IT IS THE PERSISTENCE AND THE LEVEL OF INTRUSION BY THE STALKER THAT MAKES THE BEHAVIOUR CRIMINAL • STALKING REMAINS AN UNUSUAL OFFENCE AS ITS OCCURRENCE IS NOT SOLELY DEFINED BY THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PERPETRATOR, BUT ALSO BY THE REACTION OF THE VICTIM  (LONGPRÉ ET AL., 2022; STEFANSKA ET AL., 2021)BULLYING AND CYBER-WORLD • STALKING CAN EXTEND TO THE CYBER-SPHERE                      CYBERSTALKING• CONCEPTUALLY OVERLAP WITH BULLYING • THERE IS NO CONSENSUS ACROSS JURIDISCTIONS. IT IS USUALLY DEFINED AS BEHAVIOUR THAT IS:• REPEATED• INTENDED TO HURT SOMEONE EITHER PHYSICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY• OFTEN AIMED AT CERTAIN GROUPS, FOR EXAMPLE RACE, RELIGION, GENDER OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION• FOR ADULTS, WE USED THE WORD INTIMIDATION, CYBER-INTIMIDATION & HARASSMENT TO DESCRIBE THE SAME BEHAVIOURS    (HINDUJA & PATCHIN, 2014, PATCHIN & HINDUJA, 2016;  BUSSU ET AL UNDER REVIEW). • IT TAKES MANY FORMS, SUCH AS:• TEASING, NAME CALLING, RUMOURS, THREATS, PHYSICAL ASSAULTS AND CYBERBULLYING HOW IS CYBER DIFFERENT? • PERPETRATORS CANNOT SEE IMMEDIATE REACTION • DISINHIBITION & DEINDIVIDUATION • UNABLE TO SEE PAIN, UNLIKELY TO FEEL EMPATHYOR• UNABLE TO SEE PAIN, UNLIKELY TO GAIN REWARD FROM ENJOYING• REPETITION AND FREQUENCY• THE REPETITION CAN BE PERPETRATED BY OTHERS • POTENTIAL FOR NO END POINT TO THE VICTIMIZATIONCYBERBULLYING AND CYBERSTALKING  CB can be defined as the ‘willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and electronic devices’ (Hinduja & Patchin, 2014, p.1). It can include sending, posting or sharing negative, harmful, false or malicious content about someone else, causing embarrassment or humiliation (Olweus, 1993; Patchin & Hinduja, 2016). The literature (Olweus, 1993; Patchin & Hinduja, 2006) defines CB as repeated and intentional aggressive behaviour with the intent to intimidate a victim, using tactics to induce fearCS is the repeated use of electronic communications to harass or frighten someone persistently, for example, by sending threatening emails or finding out information about them (Alexy et al., 2005; Kraft & Wang, 2010). CS behaviours relates to harassment and intimidation and may include spying, monitoring or controlling the victim’s behaviour (e.g. hidden webcams, SpyWareand GPS devices) (Fissel & Reyns, 2020)CB & CS IN HIGHER EDUCATIONThere are several reasons to explore CB and CS jointly in an academiccontext.1) First, according to Kamali (2015), CB and CS research in HE lackconsistent definitions. Additionally, the two phenomena are oftenconsidered interrelated by victims. HE environments remain under-researched (Oksanen et al., 2021).2) Second, CB (Abaido, 2020) and CS (Stevens, 2021) have beeninvestigated in the workplace and academic context independently butnot together (Fissel & Reyns, 2020) and without included both studentsand staff.3) Third, there is a need to understand cybervictimisation in HE during theCOVID-19 pandemic.4) Finally, CB and CS in HE have not received internationally an adequateattention, leading to a lack of clear policies for students and staff (e.g.,Alotaibi, 2019; Marcum & Higgins, 2019; Marcum et al., 2016).AIM AND RESEARCH QUESTIONSThe paper explores the impact of cyberstalkingand cyberbullying on the everyday lives ofstudents and staff and the potential strategies tocounteract cybervictimisation.RQ1.What are the risk factors that predispose ormediate an individual’s (students or staff)experience of cyber-bullying and/or cyber-stalkingas a victim?RQ2.The impact cyber-bullying and cyberstalkinghave on individuals.RQ3.How can the literature informs best-practicesand policy for victims of cyber-bullying and/orcyber-stalking?Bussu, A., Molloy E., Mangiarulo M., Pulina & Ashton, S. Cyberbullying and Cyberstalking inHigher education: a narrative systematic review submitted to Cyberpsychology, 2nd review)Bussu A., Ashton S., Pulina M. & Mangiarulo M. A Qualitative study of cyberbullying andcyberstalking in the academic context during COVID-19 to submitted to InternationalReview of Victimology in July 2022 (under review).METHODOLOGYFull searches were conducted in February 2021 on PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus, inaccordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (Bussu et al., forthcoming).A meta-analysis was conducted on the articles providing empirical data.7269 articles, following removal of 249 duplicates, these were screened via title,abstract and full text. A total of 176 were eligible for full text, of these articles 61were deemed eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis Of the 61 articles 48 examinedcyberbullying, 10 examined cyberstalking and 3 articles examined both cyberbullyingand cyberstalkingDATA ANALYSIS• ANALYSES WERE CONDUCTED WITH REVIEW MANAGER 5.4 • FREE SOFTWARE  • COCHRANE'S SOFTWARE FOR WRITING COCHRANE REVIEWSN = 61N = 11N = 50Victims’ focusNo comparable dataNot enough dataQualitative data   MAIN FINDINGS • 5 PREDICTORS EMERGED • GENDER DIFFERENCES – MEN (10 STUDIES) • PERSONALITY TRAITS/ DISORDERS –ANTISOCIAL/ PSYCHOPATHIC (8 STUDIES) • MENTAL HEALTH - DEPRESSION (3 STUDIES) • MENTAL HEALTH – ANXIETY (2 STUDIES) • LACK OF CONTACT WITH REALITY (2 STUDIES) POTENTIALS RISK FACTORS ?! • AGE - YOUNGER • BYSTANDERS/ WITNESS & PREVIOUS VICTIMISATION• NORMALIZATION? REVENGE? • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA• ALCOHOL/ DRUGS AND OTHER ADDICTIONS • USE OF TECHNOLOGY/ ADDICTION• LACK OF COMPARABLE DATA – LACK OF DATA• MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED  IMPLICATIONS  WE ONLY HAVE FRACTIONAL RESULTS  STUDIES MOSTLY ON NON-OFFENDING POPULATIONS LIMITED NUMBER OF STUDIES  NEED RESEARCH THAT FOCUS ON THE POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS IN THE GENERAL POPULATION  EDUCATION – BENEFICIAL – LOWER LEVEL ?!  INCREASE AWARENESS – BOTH PERPETRATORS AND VICTIMS  GUIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMMES  BEFORE THE FACT – PREVENT THE ESCALATION CYBER STALKING/ BULLYING  PRIORITISED IN INTERVENTION STRATEGIES/ PROGRAMMES  TREATMENT TARGETS  AETIOLOGICAL FACTORS, PERSONALITY STRUCTURES AND EXTERNAL CORRELATES Downstream & Upstream CONCLUSIONS FUTURE INTERVENTIONS ADDRESSING CYBERBULLYING AND CYBERSTALKING VICTIMISATION PREVENTION AT THE MACRO-LEVEL.  BEST PRACTICES: TRAINING FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF TO DEVELOP SELF-AWARENESS ABOUT THEIR COMMUNICATION STYLE.  FURTHER RESEARCH: 1)TO DETERMINE WHICH PANDEMIC-RELATED STRESSORS LEAD TO CYBERBULLYING AND CYBERSTALKING, AND HOW TO MITIGATE THEIR EFFECTS; 2) KEY MODERATORS NEED FURTHER RESEARCH TO IMPROVE THE IMPACT OF ANTI-BULLYING/STALKING PROGRAMMES 3) TO EXPLORE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS AND SUBSEQUENT BEHAVIOUR DURING AND AFTER PANDEMIC 4) RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS.   ROBUST POLICIES AND REPORTING STRATEGIES REGARDING BEHAVIOUR IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION CONTEXT.  CLEAR GUIDELINES TO SUPPORT STAFF AND STUDENTS WHO MAY BE ASSAULTED THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS MAY PROTECT AND DISCOURAGE AN ESCALATION OF VICTIMISATION..  THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! QUESTIONS? DR NICHOLAS LONGPRÉSENIOR LECTURER - PROGRAMME LEADER SCHOOL OF LAW, CRIMINOLOGY & POLICING LONGPREN@EDGEHILL.AC.UKDR ANNA BUSSU SENIOR LECTURER - PROGRAMME LEADER SCHOOL OF LAW, CRIMINOLOGY & POLICING ANNA.BUSSU@EDGEHILL.AC.UKREFERENCESAbaido G (2020) Cyberbullying on social media platforms among university students in the United Arab.Emirates. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth 25(1): 407-420.Alexy, E., Burgess, A., Baker, T., & Smoyak, S. (2005). Perceptions of Cyberstalking Among College Students. BriefTreatment and Crisis Intervention, 5(3), 279-289.Barlett CP, Simmers MM, Roth B and Gentile D (2021) Comparing cyberbullying prevalence and process beforeand during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Journal of Social Psychology 161(4): 408-418.Bussu, A., Molloy E., Mangiarulo M., Pulina & Ashton, S. Cyberbullying and Cyberstalking in Higher education: anarrative systematic review submitted to Cyberpsychology, 2nd review)Bussu A., Ashton S., Pulina M. & Mangiarulo M. A Qualitative study of cyberbullying and cyberstalking in theacademic context during COVID-19 (International Review of Victimology, under review).Elledge LC, Williford A, Boulton AJ, DePaolis K J, Little TD and Salmivalli C (2013) Individual and contextualpredictors of cyberbullying: The influence of children’s provictim attitudes and teacher’s ability to intervene. Journalof Youth Adolescence 42(5): 698–710.REFERENCESKamali A (2015) Assessing cyber-bullying in higher education. Information Systems Education Journal 13(6): 43-53Kraft, E. & Wang, J. (2010). An Exploratory Study of the Cyberbullying and Cyberstalking Experiences and FactorsRelated to Victimization of Students at a Public Liberal Arts College. International Journal of Technoethics, 1(4), 1-18.Longpré, N., Stefanska, E., White, E., & Tachmetzidi Papoutsi, M. (2022). A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: TaxometricEvidence of the Dimensional Structure of Stalking. Journal of Criminal Psychology.Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do. Cambridge: Blackwell.Patchin, J. W., & Hinduja. S. (2006). Bullies move beyond the schoolyard: A preliminary look at cyberbullying. Youthviolence and juvenile justice, 4(2), 148-169Stefanska, E.B., Longpré, N., & Harriman, R.S. (Online first, 2021). The wheel of change moves on: Assessing theseverity of stalking behaviour. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, p.1-23.Stevens F, Nurse JRC and Arief B (2021) Cyber Stalking, Cyber Harassment, and Adult Mental Health: A SystematicReview. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 24(6): 367-376.

A meta-analysis of Cyberstalking and Cyberbullying victimization in Higher Education

https://research.edgehill.ac.uk/files/55613964/Bussu_Longpr_Eurocrim_23_09_2022.pdf

A meta-analysis of Cyberstalking and Cyberbullying victimization in Higher Education

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