Literature Review - original draft

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Running head: BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 1 Bullying and Cyberbullying leads to Teen Suicide Michael Edgette Orientation to Graduate Learning in Psychology/PSYC500 February 18, 2018

BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 2 Abstract Bullying

BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 3 A phenomenon that has been around throughout our life time, and possibly since man walked the earth. The phenomenon is bullying, and more recently, because of social media, the world is now experiencing cyberbullying. This has led many teenagers to react to the bullying in one of two ways. The two ways are to either to commit acts of violence or to end their own lives. These events have pressed school leaders, parents, and law enforcement into a situation of wanting to understand what makes a bully and how to change the course events that are leading teens to end their own lives. Extensive research has been conducted into how bullying/cyberbullying has pushed teens towards suicide. This literature review peeks into the world of bullying/cyberbullying, and how risky behaviors and suicide is the reactions from the events. In addition to the actions of bullying and suicide, what preventative measures are used, and what future research must be done to help with this phenomenon. Suicide rates have been watch statistically for many years, and bullying has been identified as one of the reasons why teens are dying. To be more accurate, suicide among teens is the third largest category of teen death (Bauman, Toomey, & Walker, 2013). In the statistics, suicide saw a decrease of 28% during the time between 1990 and 2004; however, an increase of suicide was noticed for people between the ages of 10 and 19 (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010). Furthermore, with the rates of suicide rising, there is suicidal ideation (thoughts), planning, and attempts not included in any statistics. Researchers have taken to the task to find more information surrounding suicidal behaviors, when they are from students who are bullies, victims, or bully-victims. Bullying has remained the same type of act for many years, effecting many generations of children; however, cyberbullying is a new phenomenon, revolving and changing as social media has become a popular way to socially interact with other people. As with many

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BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 4 generations, and currently today, traditional bullying is done through face to face interactions with another person. Traditional bullying is aggressive acts between two individuals, resulting in an imbalance of power between the two. However, physical aggression is not the only part of traditional bullying. There is the misrepresentation of the weaker of the two, through lies and rumors (Kowalski & Limber, 2013). This does not mean a person is either a bully or victim, the victim can also be bullying others, while they are being bullied. Occurring primarily during a teen’s middle school years, but can begin prior and after their middle school years. Cyberbullying is similar to bullying, but it is done using email, social media, blogs, and instant messaging (Kowalski & Limber, 2013). Cyberbullying is occurring later in a teenager’s life. Normally the years from a senior in high school and into adulthood, when the term cyberbullying changes to harassment. Because of the unique nature of cyberbullying, it is possible for any person, at any age to be cyberbullied, cyberbully, or cyberbully-cyberbullied. Another unique thing about cyberbullying is how it can be completely anonymous. For example, many news websites have message feedback forums, allowing for users to leave messages about the article, or respond to another person’s remarks made about the article. All the occurrences of bullying, the victim and the bully know each other. On the other hand, the possibilities of not knowing who the bully is when it is perpetrated through a social media website or through some other digital source, is quite possible. The majority of users on the internet use avatars, keeping their name a secret from other users. Research using generic questions place cyberbullying having occurred to 21% of the 930 respondents; whereas, when asked more specific questions about being bullied found only 8% of the respondents were bullied three or more times in the past couple of months (Kowalski & Limber, 2013). Furthermore,

BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 5 bullying and cyberbullying does have different effects on the individuals who are bullying, victims, and victim-bullies. Bullying, victim, and victim/bullying effects are different than cyberbullying, cyber- victim, and cyber-victim/bullying. Males have the most negative reactions when they cyber- victim/bullying has occurred, showing an increase in negative physical, psychological, and academic reactions (Kowalski & Limber, 2013). However, males who bully have the same depression and anxiety as the males who are not involved with any type of bullying. Girls on the other hand, will internalize feelings more than males, making them more susceptible to becoming depressed or suffer from anxiety when they are cyberbullying, than their counterparts, who are not involved in bullying or cyberbullying (Kowalski & Limber, 2013). Cyberbullying is normally started at an older age; therefore, most adolescents do not become victims of cyberbullying until they enter college, and at that point most incidents are then considered harassment. Individuals who are victims of bullying sometimes will have been sexually abused or have other forms of mental disorders. A history of sexual abuse or other mental health indicators can be a sign that an individual will be more apt to be bullied (Hebert, Cenat, Blais, Lavoie, & Guerrier, 2016). Females do show a larger variance between being traditionally bullied and cyberbullied. Furthermore, females show more depressive outcomes when they are cyberbullied, resulting in suicide attempts and suicide. From this finding, females tend to internalize emotional distress when bullied, while males tend to externalize emotional distress (Hebert, Cenat, Blais, Lavoie, & Guerrier, 2016). It is possible, with social media, there is other social influences pressuring adolescents into using this medium to perpetrate the act of bullying, while being bullied.

BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 6 Risky behaviors are another variable associated with bullying and cyberbullying. Unsafe sexual behavior, substance use, and violent behaviors are all associated with bullying and suicidal behaviors. A study focused on bullying and cyberbully, and how they start to contribute to violent behavior, substance use, unsafe sexual behavior, ultimately ending with suicide ideation, planning, attempts, and finally death (Litwiller & Brausch, 2013). This provides indicators showing that an adolescent is starting to go down the path of taking their own life. Although, it still has to be considered, an increase in violent behaviors, substance use, or unsafe sexual behaviors, will not lead to suicidal behaviors. The behaviors should be indicators to friends and family that the teen must be evaluated for the possibility of suicidal behaviors. Among the numerous articles produced through research focused on cyberbullying, the results found are quite astounding. Depending on the article, youth who had claimed they were cyberbullied during the previous year, ranged from 6% to 70%; however, on average, most of the studies estimated the number of youth who had been cyberbullied, ranged from 6% to 30% (Hinduja & Patchin, 2013). There are a large number of youth having to experience the humiliation and embarrassment of being bullied on a larger stage brought on by cyberbullying. Furthermore, cyberbullying has consequences similar to bullying, causing victims to act out towards many innocent people not effected by them being bullied. Bullying and Cyberbullying occur anywhere, and any place. As in the news today of the nineteen-year-old killing seventeen students in Florida. The occurrence happened in an urban location, within a highly populated county. Although it will take some time to learn more information about his background, it is relevant to culture being a larger factor. It has been stated the alleged shooter is Hispanic, and this can result in him being a victim of being bullied, with underlying mental disorders. This is significant for this article, because one article focused on

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BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 7 students who lived in a multiethnic, urban community. Setting the stage for the possibilities of racial or ethnic cultures playing a role in who is bullied, a victim, or a bully-victim (Hepburn, Azrael, Molnar, & Miller, 2012). The stressors are higher for these teens, as they are trying to assimilate to a new culture. The new culture makes the teens more apt to become a victim of bullying. Bullying and cyberbullying is not just occurring in schools throughout the United States, it is a phenomenon occurring in almost every country in the world. Research in European countries found Spain to have the least amount of bullying, with Italy in the middle, and students in England are the most victimized teens (Messias, Kindrick, & Castro, 2014). Therefore, it is possible for a legal or illegal immigrant to be bullied in a U.S. school, after being bullied in a school from the country they came from. Although much of this report has been more focused on cyberbullying, traditional bullying still remains an important side to bullying. Cyberbullying is just the new way of perpetrating the activities of traditional bullying, but with the ability to use technology to further expand the bullies reach. Furthermore, cyberbullying is considered an extension of bullying; however, research on the matter of bullying and cyberbullying places more emphasis on cyberbullying than bullying. Social media allows teens from any nation to bully a teen from any other nation. Increasing the size of the humiliation and embarrassment the victim will have. In addition to the humiliation, teens will become depressed, engage in risky behaviors, like using alcohol, illegal drugs, or sexual behaviors, become aggressive or violent towards others, or have suicidal ideation to the final act of suicide. Bullying and cyberbullying is an event that occurs throughout a person’s life; however, the terminology is changed when they become adults. Since the terminology used changes when

BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 8 an adolescent change to adult, there is less research done one individuals who are older than nineteen. The most frequent time a victim is bullied is when they are of middle school age, although bullying can start during a child’s elementary school years. Therefore, research is focused primarily on middle school aged children, with some research going through high school. It is known males risk of becoming victims decreases as they go through school, while females threat of being cyberbullied increases, along with an increase in depression, and the trend among girls does not see any change during all of school (Messias, Kindrick, & Castro, 2014). Bullying and cyberbullying are two reasons for an increased risk in teenage suicide. Suicidal ideation, better known as suicidal thoughts, are the results many teens have when they have been bullies, victims of bullying, or are victim-perpetrators. Research has found the estimated lifecycle of suicide ideation is 12%, planning is 4%, and attempts are 4% (Messias, Kindrick, & Castro, 2014). Teens have access to computers, smart phones, and tablets are at an all-time high. Furthermore, to be a teen is to be on social media, chat rooms, blogs, text messaging, and many more technology based social interaction tools. This has led to an increase in interactions with friends, family, and other people who might have similar interests. However, the reality of teen life is much different than an adult, or child’s life. Of the ten studies reviewed for this article, three of them, were mainly focused on suicide ideation, planning, and attempts. The two articles did use the reason for suicide ideation as the result of being bullied, either traditional bullying or cyberbullying. Furthermore, one study focused only on two questions, “I think about killing myself,” and “I deliberately try to hurt or kill myself” (Espelage & Holt, 2013). In the second, used four variables, “depressed in the previous year, consider suicide, made a suicide plan, and attempted suicide at least one (Bauman, Toomey, & Walker, 2013).” Finally, the third of the ten articles with strong statistical

BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 9 information about suicide, was the most comprehensive, and had the largest student sample size, of the three studies. Having the best information about suicide ideation, planning, and attempts, the three studies provide information professionals can use to create prevention and treatment plans. The most straight forward study of the three, asked straight forward questions through a questionnaire, along with information about being a bully, victim, bully-victim, or not involved, followed by the types of bullying, physical or verbal. Research used 661, fifth to eighth grade students, from a rural Midwestern town (Espelage & Holt, 2013). The results of the research found the group with the highest opportunity for adverse outcomes, are those students who fall in the category of bully-victims, compared to students who are not involved in any category of bullying (Espelage & Holt, 2013). Furthermore, female students have a higher risk for suicidal ideation and behavior (Espelage & Holt, 2013). However, delinquent and depressed students who are uninvolved with any bullying category are extremely less likely than those who have been involved in a bullying category, to experience suicidal behaviors (Espelage & Holt, 2013). This leads to adding more variables to the scenario of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts. The next study examined the concern of youth suicide. A larger study than the previous study. This study also focused on depression, suicidal behaviors, and bullying. 1491 participants were given questionnaires to complete, and the results were broken down by gender, race, and ethnicity, while removing small groups with poor representation were removed (Bauman, Toomey, & Walker, 2013). The students represented in the study were from Arizona, and were from the ninth to twelfth grades (Bauman, Toomey, & Walker, 2013). Confirming the previous study reviewed, girls are 1.73 times more likely to have suicidal behaviors, and cyberbullying increased the behaviors even more, when associated with depression (Bauman, Toomey, &

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BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 10 Walker, 2013). However, more predictors were revealed in traditional bullying than in cyberbullying, with cyberbullying perpetration in males, lead to their highest concern for suicidal behaviors (Bauman, Toomey, & Walker, 2013). Furthermore, the research did confirm the rates of bullying decrease as a student moves them further away from middle school aged students. In the end, males are more likely to be considered traditional bullies; however, they are more likely to be bully-victims. The final and most comprehensive study, providing a great look into suicidal behaviors among youth involved in verbal and social bullying. The research followed 130,908 students in Minnesota (Borowsky, Taliaferro, & McMorris, 2013). Surveys were presented every three years, being given in the sixth, ninth, and twelfth grades. The research had 32 independent variables, presented in their questionnaire, with the findings, resulting in a comprehensive overview of the students’ lives. The most noticeable outcome, for those students lead to suicidal ideation and attempt, where the students who have a history of self-injury, such as cutting or burning themselves (Borowsky, Taliaferro, & McMorris, 2013). Although, many studies concur with the results about delinquent behaviors, depression and other mental disorders, and a high level of risky sexual behaviors, as being other indicators youth are part of the bullying cycle. It is important for parents, medical providers, school officials, and law makers to understand there is going to be open to children who are more likely be a victim, bully, or victim-bully. Teens give signals of what is happening to them, mentally and physically. However, today’s society has strayed away from the nuclear family. These support systems allow for interactions with youth about bullying behaviors. Maternal support, friends, and nonparental adults can be the key to having a protective factor. For example, in the sexually abused child, who is bullied, the non-offending parent of the sexual abuse can play a critical role in how to

BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 11 deal with a bully, later in their lives (Hebert, Cenat, Blais, Lavoie, & Guerrier, 2016). The maternal support minimizes the mental health distress, lowering mental health problems, fostering an atmosphere to help in recovery of sexual abuse, limiting the possibility of future bullying (Hebert, Cenat, Blais, Lavoie, & Guerrier, 2016). Additional support can come from other places and people as well. Single parent families, divorced parents, both parents working, and a child in foster care has affected the traditional nuclear family value. Children are limited to parental supervision as many had just a couple generations ago. Because of the limited supervision, parents have given into allowing their children to have digital technology, opening the door for interactions on social media, texting, and many more mediums associated with digital technology. Next, is the limited exposure to see the signs a child is struggling within their world view. At this moment, teens are more likely to turn to their friends, who can either be a great supporter to them, or they might be in the same situation, allowing for both of them to become bullies, victims, or bully- victims. Finally, society has put a larger burden on schools to be responsible for children who come from a non-traditional nuclear family. Teachers, school psychologists, and counselors have taken on the added responsibilities to see the signs of bullying, in any form. Research in the area of bullying and cyberbullying, pushing teens to suicidal ideation, planning, or attempts, is a topic that remains a national crisis. With a large number of variables that have been examined with research. Prevention and support, has also been examined in some research, proving how important new and continuing support and prevention is necessary. The best approach is to look at prevention and support separately. Research into preventative measures, attributing to the reduction in teen suicide, due to being a bully, victim, or victim-bully. Granted this literature review has been focused on bullying

BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 12 attributing to suicide ideation, planning and attempts. Only a couple mentioned maternal and peer support, along with prevention, has helped some individuals moving towards suicidal behavior. Furthermore, special service messages were used to bring bullying to national attention. However, additional preventative measures must to be in place prior to students entering the age of bullying. Future research is a way to see if early preventative measures are working to a reduction bullying and cyberbullying, ultimately reducing suicide ideation related to bullying. Future research should also be conducted into the effects of parental and peer support. Previous research has indicated how parental and peer support help reduce bullying. Furthermore, parental support has allowed for less revictimization when a child had endured sexual abuse by one of the parents. Also mentioned is the reduction of bulling from peer support; however, some teens fall prey to a mob mentality pattern, when they are a member of a group that bullies others, or think it is the in thing. In the end, research mainly focused on the variables of peer and parental support, including if a group mentality brings them towards being a bully or moving them further away from being a bully, is happening. Sexual abuse, delinquency, and depression are three of the most researched variables when the research is about bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide. However, there are many mental disorders a child might have, prior to being bullied. Bullying is primarily based on one person exerting power over another. It is also obvious to see people bully others who have mental or physical disabilities. Cyberbullying takes on a different aspect, as it still uses power of one person over another, but the bullying is done on a medium to make the damage larger. The bully wants to exhibit how much power they have over the victim, on a platform where many people can see the bullying.

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BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 13 The key to reducing teen suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts, and suicide, is to reduce the reason teens turn to the behavior. In a basic sense, eliminate the cause, the effect will then be eliminated. Hazing, harassment, and abuse are all similar actions as bullying and cyberbullying. Cyberbullying could almost be eliminated if social media was removed from the equation. Research done on how individuals of any age, feel about social media, will explain how there is a lot of negativity generated on those platforms. It would be harder to eliminate texting, instant messaging, and emailing, as those platforms are used for multiple reasons, like keeping in touch with family and friends, or for professionals doing their work. It is obvious, bullying and cyberbullying, acting in the role of being the bully, victim, or victim-bully, is destroying many lives and families. One father invited the bullies who eventually led his daughter to commit suicide, to come witness the devastation they cause, by attending her funeral (Tamplin, 2018). It is an epidemic that can be reduced by more research, and prevention methods coming from the research. However, the mindset of many parents and officials, if it is not happening in my family, it is not an issue. The problem with a mindset like that, is bullying might be happening to their child right now. Furthermore, schools have to admit there is a problem in them. If it takes an alcoholic to admit they have a problem, before they can actually get or help themselves out of alcoholism, schools have to do the same. If they acknowledge bullying is occurring in their schools, they can then address the problem respectfully. In addition to schools admitting there is problems, lawmakers and parents need to admit there is a failure to how the traditional nuclear family does not exist anymore. Single parent, and duel working parents do not always know what their children are doing. It does not stop at that point either, traditional nuclear families also do not know what their children are always doing. It is the parent’s responsibility to become active in their child’s life. This is seen with a reduction

BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE 14 of substance use and unsafe sexual habits, of those parents actively involved in almost every aspect of their teen’s life. The small sample of literature reviewed for this article, has found teen suicide is contributed by bullying, being bullied, and bullied-bullying (victim-bully). Granted this is one of many reasons teens have suicidal behaviors; however, suicide only follows accidental death, as the leading cause of teenage death. If bullying and cyberbullying can only be slowed down, suicide behaviors will also slow down. The cause and effect of this phenomenon must remain a hot topic, starting as early as a child enters elementary school.

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