Investigating the social and psychological effects of cyberbullying among adolescent girls: a case study of an all-girls high school in Durban.

Abstract

Cyberbullying has become a topical issue among school learners in South Africa. Due to modern technological innovations, aggressive behaviours have expanded into cyberspace, creating a new matter of public concern: cyberbullying. Antisocial and aggressive behaviours, including bullying, are characteristic of children and adolescents. This study begins by offering a broad overview of cyberbullying and its effects on students, schools, and education. It does so through a comparative approach, examining the prevalence of this issue both globally and specifically within South Africa. This problem impacts both pupils and educational institutions, as an increasing number of children and adolescents engage with smartphones and are present online. The study aims to examine the concept of cyberbullying and how it is perceived by the adolescents involved, identify common terminology associated with cyberbullying among adolescents, and analyse its social and psychological impact. The challenge with cyberbullying is that it lies in the fact that information can be disseminated to anyone with access to technology, allowing it to be viewed multiple times and even shared further by others. Given the availability of the internet, many young people resort to this method of bullying, as they are consistently connected to their electronic devices. A qualitative study was conducted in an all-girls High School in Durban, which aimed at investigating cyberbullying among adolescent girls. The study sample is made up of 10 participants, three perpetrators and seven victims, purposive sampling was used to identify the participants within the school. Data generation involved individual focus interviews, and data was analysed using thematic analysis. The study used social learning theory to understand adolescent experiences of cyberbullying and how cyberbullying is perpetrated. The findings indicate that cyberbullying is a serious problem at the school and has a negative impact on the wellbeing of children, and these adolescents lack understanding of the phenomenon. Children emerged as social actors who were able to provide insight into the kinds of bullying they experienced and how they constructed ‘cyberbullying’ as a phenomenon. The study was able to capture the reality of the adolescent’s experiences of the complex power-laden spaces and places of cyberbullying in the school.