Badgrlz? Exploring Sex Differences in Cyberbullying Behaviors

• Author: Natalie M. Schell-Busey,Pamela Negro,Allison N. Pearce,Nadine M. Connell
• Published date: 01 July 2014
• Date: 01 July 2014
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/1541204013503889
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Badgrlz? Exploring

Sex Differences in

Cyberbullying Behaviors

Nadine M. Connell

1

, Natalie M. Schell-Busey

2

,

Allison N. Pearce

2

, and Pamela Negro

2

Abstract

Research on bullying suggests that traditional bullying is gendered such that males participate in

physical acts while females engage in relational attacks, but the nature of the relationship between

gender and cyberbullying is less defined. Because the Internet is an ideal environment for the

relational forms of bullying favored by females, we hypothesize that females engage in more

cyberbullying than males. We also hypothesize that there are gender differences in predictors of

cyberbullying and cybervictimization. In order to better understand these gender dynamics, we

examine self-reported bullying and victimization experiences in a sample of 3,867 middle school

students in a northeastern state. Contrary to recent findings, our results show support for the

gendered nature of cyberbullying and suggest that females engage in more cyberbullying than males.

We also find gender variation in predictors of cybervictimization. We discuss the implication of

these findings, especially in light of prevention and intervention needs.

Keywords

sex differences, gender, bullying, cyberbullying, schools

Introduction

Cyberbullying has received increased public attention recently due to prominent stories in the media

about victims who committed suicide as a result of bullying. The cases covered in the media, like

those of Megan Meier, Tyler Clementi, Alexis Pilkington, Phoebe Prince, and Kenneth Weishuhn,

highlight the most extreme and disastrous consequences of cyberteasing. For example, Phoebe

Prince, aged 15, hung herself after enduring months of cyberbullying (Kennedy, 2010). After briefly

dating a classmate’s ex-boyfriend, the jealous classmate and her friends began a bullying campaign

against Phoebe that included threatening text messages and posts to her Facebook page. The

1

The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA

2

Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA

Corresponding Author:

Nadine M. Connell, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, GR 31, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.

Email: nadine.connell@utdallas.edu

Youth Violence and JuvenileJustice

2014, Vol. 12(3) 209-228

ªThe Author(s) 2013

Reprints and permission:

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DOI: 10.1177/1541204013503889

yvj.sagepub.com

investigation revealed ‘‘relentless activity directed toward Phoebe designed to humiliate her’’

(Kennedy, 2010, p. 1). On January 14, 2010, Phoebe returned from school and hung herself in a

stairwell in her home. Tragic incidents such as these have brought national attention to the growing

problem of cyberbullying.

Recent research supports a link between cyberbullying and suicide among adolescents

(Bonanno & Hymel, 2013; Hinduja & Patchin, 2010; Schneider, O’Donnell, Stueve, & Coulter,

2012). In a survey of 1,913 middle school students, Hinduja and Patchin (2010) found that victims

of cyberbullying were 1.9 times more likely and perpetrators of cyberbullying were 1.5 times more

likely to have attempted suicide compared to other students in the study. However, other serious con-

sequences of cyberbullying are often ignored by the coverage of high-profile cases. Despite the fact

that cyberbullying occurs in the virtual world, the emotional and behavioral consequences, such as

anger, sadness, frustration, fear, low school commitment, substance use, and delinquency, affect stu-

dents in a very real way (Beran & Li, 2005; Burgess-Proctor, Patchin, & Hinduja, 2010; Dehue, Bol-

man, & Vollink, 2008; Raskauskas & Stolz, 2007).

For example, Patchin and Hinduja (2006) discovered that the youth in their sample (384 Internet

users under the age of 18) reported high levels of emotional distress: 42.5%felt frustrated, 40%felt

angry, and 27%felt sad. Additionally, 32%of the sample reported that being victims of cyberbully-

ing affected them at school and 26.5%reported that being a victim of cyberbullying affected them at

home. Studies have also shown that exposure to cyberbullying increases the risk of delinquent beha-

vior. Hay, Meldrum, and Mann (2010) reported that cybervictimization may actually be more

strongly associated with delinquency than is victimization through traditional bullying. In particular,

victims of cyberbullying were more likely to indicate that in the last 12 months they had stolen

something, damaged, or destroyed property that did not belong to them, and hit, kicked, or struck

someone with the idea of seriously hurting them.

There are various explanations for understanding why cyberbullying may have a larger impact on

adolescent experiences than do traditional forms of bullying. Unlike with traditional bullying, phys-

ical separation from the offender may not stop the behavior. Students can retreat from traditional

schoolyard bullying but cyberbullying continues in virtual space long after the school day is over

and regardless of the proximity to the offender. The consequences of cyberbullying also have the

potential to last much longer; something posted online can remain for long periods of time and

be disseminated quickly to other students. Furthermore, the aggressor’s inhibition can be lower due

to the anonymity of the act, escalating the incident beyond what would be expected in a face-to-face

confrontation. And finally, in a virtual situation, there are no adult authority figures, such as parents

or teachers, who can step in to quickly end a confrontation.

While both researchers and the public have begun to recognize the seriousness of this issue, there

is still much we do not know about cyberbullying. Because cyberbullying is a relatively new phe-

nomenon, we are uncertain of the role that gender plays in predicting participation in, and victimiza-

tion by, cyberbullying. The uncertainty of this knowledge hinders bullying prevention programs

from adequately addressing gender roles in cyberbullying and cybervictimization. Thus, it is impor-

tant to determine whether cyberbullying is as gendered an activity as are traditional types of

bullying.

Early research in the area of traditional bullying focused mainly on physical forms of aggres-

sion, such as hitting, kicking, and pushing (Olweus, 1994); this literature reveals a fairly consistent

and expected pattern with regard to gender. Bullies were more likely to be boys, but both boys and

girls were victims of bullying (Espelage, Mebane, & Swearer, 2004; Nansel et al., 2001; Olweus,

1994; Scheithauer, Hayer, Petermann, & Jugert, 2006). More recent research, however, has shown

that even as boys may engage in more traditional bullying overall, there are important gender dif-

ferences to consider when examining the different forms of traditional bullying (Crick & Nelson,

2002; Olweus, 1994; Smith, Cowie, Olafsson, & Liefooghe, 2002). While girls do not engage in

210 Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice 12(3)