Showing papers by "Michelle F. Wright published in 2016"

Cyber Victimization on College Campuses: Longitudinal Associations With Suicidal Ideation, Depression, and Anxiety

Abstract: Although much is known about the cross-sectional associations between cyber victimization and the negative socioemotional outcomes associated with this experience, not much is known about the longi...

Cybervictimization and Substance Use Among Adolescents: The Moderation of Perceived Social Support

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the buffering effect of perceived social support from parents, teachers, and close friends on the associations among cybervictimization and alcohol use, marijuana use, cigarette smoking, and nonmarijuana illicit drug use over 3 years. Participants were 867 8th graders from the Midwestern United States (13–15 years old; 51% female). The findings revealed positive associations between cybervictimization and alcohol abuse as well as nonmarijuana drug use, with high and low levels of social support moderating these relationships. Implications for social workers and prevention and intervention efforts are also discussed.

The buffering effect of parental mediation in the relationship between adolescents' cyberbullying victimisation and adjustment difficulties

Abstract: As cyberbullying research advances, many researchers have focused on identifying factors that might reduce the negative consequences associated with cyberbullying victimisation. One prominent factor receiving attention is the role of parental mediation in digital technology use, and how such mediation reduces the risk of cybervictimisation. Parents utilise different mediation strategies (i.e. restrictive, co-viewing, instructive), which could potentially contribute to differential patterns in the relationships between cyberbullying victimisation and the associated psychosocial adjustment difficulties (i.e. depression, loneliness, anxiety). The present study investigated this proposal among 568 US (53% female) adolescents in the eighth grade (age ranging from 13–15 years), utilising a longitudinal design. Cyberbullying victimisation was related positively to restrictive mediation and Time 2 depression, anxiety and loneliness, while such associations were negative for co-viewing mediation and instructive mediation. High levels of co-viewing mediation and instructive mediation made the relationship of cyberbullying victimisation to Time 2 (1 year later) depression more negative. The results of this study are discussed in terms of the supportive role of parents in adolescents' digital technology use. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. ‘Identifying factors that might reduce the negative consequences associated with cyberbullying victimisation’ Key Practitioner Messages Cyberbullying victimisation is linked positively to depression, anxiety and loneliness as well as restrictive mediation. Cyberbullying victimisation is related negatively to co-viewing mediation and instructive mediation. Co-viewing mediation and instructive mediation buffer against adolescents' depression and anxiety resulting from cyberbullying victimisation. ‘Co-viewing mediation and instructive mediation buffer against adolescents' depression and anxiety resulting from cyberbullying victimisation’

Cybervictims' emotional responses, attributions, and coping strategies for cyber victimization: A qualitative approach

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand cybervictims’ attributions, emotional responses, and coping strategies for cyberbullying incidents that they actually experienced. Design/methodology/approach There were 76 cybervictims (51 percent girls) between the ages of 12 and 14 included in this study. Adolescents participated in one-on-one interviews to provide comprehensive information about their attributions, emotional responses, and coping strategies for their actual experiences of cyberbullying. Findings Findings from the study revealed that cybervictims felt insecure and paranoid after experiencing cyber victimization. Cybervictims attributed to their experience of cyberbullying to drama or a fight between themselves and the perpetrators as well as being targeted by an ex-significant other or ex-friend seeking revenge against them for relationship dissolution. They also used adaptive (e.g. social support) and maladaptive (e.g. revenge) coping strategies to deal with cyber victimization, sometimes utilizing a combination of these strategies. Originality/value The findings of this study could help with the design of intervention and prevention programs designed to reduce or prevent the negative effects of cyberbullying.

Bullying among adolescents in residential programs and in public school: the role of individual and contextual predictors

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare rates of bullying and victimization between 50 adolescents in residential programs and 50 control adolescents in regular public schools. Individual (i.e. peer attachment) and contextual predictors (i.e. parenting styles, school belongingness) were also examined, and investigated in relation to bullying involvement. Design/methodology/approach – Participants were matched based on ethnicity, gender (all male), and parents’ income. They completed questionnaires on their bullying involvement, peer attachment, perceived parenting styles of their parents, and school belongingness. Findings – The findings revealed that adolescents from residential programs had higher rates of bullying and victimization, experienced more permissive parenting styles, had lower peer attachment, and poorer school belongingness when compared to control adolescents. The positive relationship between permissive parenting and bullying was stronger for boys from residential programs. In a...

Cyber victimization and psychological adjustment difficulties among adolescents: The role of technology mediation and social support from school resource officers

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the buffering effect of the mediation of technology use and social support from school resource officers on the associations between cyber victimization and psychosocial adjustment difficulties (i.e. depression, anxiety, loneliness) over three years (wave-one=sixth grade; wave-two=seventh grade; wave-three=eighth grade). Design/methodology/approach Participants were 867 eighth graders from the Midwestern USA (ages range from 13 to 15 years old; 51 percent female). Findings The findings revealed that high levels of wave-two perceived social support from school resource officers and the mediation of technology use made the relationship between wave-one cyber victimization and wave-three depression more negative, while lower levels of this support and less mediation of technology use made the association more positive. These patterns were not found for anxiety and loneliness. Originality/value Implications for prevention and intervention programs and the role of school resource officers in such programs are also discussed.

Differences in Coping Strategies for Public and Private Face-to-Face and Cyber Victimization among Adolescents in Six Countries

Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the role of publicity (private versus public) and medium (face-to-face versus cyber) in adolescents’ coping strategies for hypothetical victimization, while also considering culture. Participants were adolescents from China, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, India, Japan, and the United States. The study also controlled for adolescents’ gender, individualism, and collectivism. Adolescents completed questionnaires on the hypothetical coping strategies that they would use for four scenarios, including public face-to-face victimization, public cyber victimization, private face-to-face victimization, and private cyber victimization. Overall, the findings revealed that adolescents relied more on avoidance, social support, retaliation, helplessness, and ignoring for public and face-to-face forms of victimization than for private and cyber forms of victimization. Cross-cultural differences in coping strategies are discussed.

The roles of bullying involvement and parental warmth in non-suicidal self-harm and suicidal ideation among adolescents from residential program

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the association of bullying perpetration and victimization to non-suicidal self-harm and suicidal ideation among 93 boys from residential programs. Parental warmth was also examined as a moderator in these associations. Design/methodology/approach Participants completed questionnaires on their bullying involvement, parental warmth, non-suicidal self-harm, and suicidal ideation. Findings The findings revealed that bullying perpetration and victimization were both associated positively with non-suicidal self-harm and suicidal ideation, while parental warmth was related negatively to non-suicidal self-harm and suicidal ideation. In addition, the association between victimization and non-suicidal self-harm was stronger at lower levels of parental warmth, while these patterns were weaker at higher levels of parental warmth. Similar patterns were found for victimization and suicidal ideation. Originality/value The results indicate the significance of examining non-suicidal self-harm and suicidal ideation in relation to bullying involvement among adolescents from residential programs as well as the important role of parents in mitigating the negative effects associated with bullying perpetration and victimization.

School Bullying and Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract: School bullying research began in the 1970s through seminal research conducted on these experiences among Norwegian boys. From this initial research, multiple studies have been conducted over the past forty years, revealing the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of school bullying. More recent investigations have also focused on cyberbullying, bullying using information and communication technologies (e.g., cell phones). Little attention has been given to school bullying involvement among students with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual disabilities. These studies suggest that these students experience internalizing (e.g., depression, anxiety, loneliness) and externalizing (e.g., aggression, antisocial behaviors) difficulties associated with their involvement in school bullying. The aim of this chapter is to review multidisciplinary research concerning school bullying among students with intellectual disabilities and to make recommendations for public policy and prevention programs as well as future research

The Roles of Age, Gender, and Ethnicity in Cyberbullying

Abstract: Children and adolescents have become active users of electronic technologies, with many of them blogging, watching videos, and chatting via instant messenger and social networking sites Many of these activities have become a typical part of their lives Electronic technologies have brought many conveniences to the lives of children and adolescents Along with the opportunities associated with these technologies, children and adolescents are also susceptible to risks, including cyberbullying Therefore, many researchers have become concerned with identifying which factors might predict children’s and adolescents’ involvement in these behaviors Some predictors that researchers have focused on include age, gender, and ethnicity, but the findings were mixed This chapter draws on research to review studies on the relationship of age, gender, and ethnicity to children’s and adolescents’ cyberbullying involvement and concludes with solutions and recommendations as well as future directions for research focused on these predictors and cyberbullying

School Violence among Children and Adolescents in Rural Communities

Abstract: School violence gained increased attention after highly publicized school shootings occurred in a variety of different school districts across the United States. Some of these school shootings occurred in nonurban communities, suggesting that such violence can occur in all areas, even those originally thought to be immune to such violence. As a result of these incidences, more research was conducted on school violence in nonurban communities and it quickly became clear that children and adolescents from rural school districts were often exposed to school violence at similar levels as those children and adolescents from urban areas. The aim of this chapter was to review research concerning school violence among children and adolescents in rural school districts, and to make recommendations for policy and school violence reduction programs as well as future research.