Psychol Violence

Abstract

Objective:Few studies have tested a commonly held assumption that cyber victimization is more harmful than in-person victimization. This study examined differential longitudinal relations between in-person and cyber victimization and outcomes, including problem behaviors and distress symptoms. Possible moderation by gender and grade was also explored.Method:Participants were 1,542 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students (77% African American or Black; 21% Latino/a) who completed surveys in the fall, winter, spring, and summer.Results:The two forms of victimization combined to predict increases in physical and relational aggression, cyberbullying, and delinquency, but victimization did not predict increases in distress or substance use. There were generally no differences in the strength of relations between in-person and cyber victimization for longitudinal outcomes, although there were some cross-sectional differences. Cyber victimization predicted increases in delinquency for boys but not for girls, but there were no other differences in effects across gender or grade.Conclusions:Overall, there was little support for the argument that cyber victimization produces greater harm than in-person victimization. Future research examining outcomes of cyber victimization should focus on longitudinal relations, given the different patterns of outcomes in this study\u2019s cross-sectional and longitudinal findings.R01 HD089994/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United StatesU01 CE001956/CE/NCIPC CDC HHS/United States2021-01-01T00:00:00Z32983587PMC75184528874vault:3603