Written by Modenie
It has been found that middle school youth experience cyber victimization at a higher rate than high school youth (Diaz et al., 2021). Cyber victimization is when individuals get harmed and put into a dangerous situation which brings undesirable experience (Apan & Gunguz, 2023). Because this age group has not reached psychological maturity, the event can shape their attitudes for a lifetime. Apan and Gunguz (2023) found that cyber victimization characteristics are derived from the parents because victims who experienced aggressive communication from parents were more likely to be cyberbullying victims. The way parents communicate effectively with their children can help them to be less prone to cyber victimization. Other characteristics of middle schoolers being victims are low social support from their peers and teachers, feeling rejected, having a negative school experience, and feeling unsafe or discriminated against (Diaz et al., 2021). When children don’t feel connected in their environment, they become easy targets of cyber victimization.
During this age group, adolescents do not fully understand what’s logical or not. For example, the perpetrators can spread false information while remain anonymous and the cyber victims may believe any information without tracking the source (Diaz et al., 2021). Their lack of perception can allow middle schoolers to believe rumors as facts. Parents can protect their children from viewing certain content that they may be exposed to, seek help for those who have been negatively affected by cyber bullying, and find related resources in the media to help alleviate this concern (Davis, 2012). Cyber victimization is a global concern since this age group can be connected to peers all over the world. Our children’s safety when online should become a popular issue to address globally.
Apan, F. G. & Gunguz, S. (2023). Determination of cyber victimizations according to perceived parental internet attitudes of middle school students. Participatory Educational Research, 10(4), 90-110. https://doi.10.17275/per.23.61.10.4
Diaz, K. I., Fite, P. J., Abel. M. R., & Doyle, R. L. (2021). Varying experiences of cyber victimization among middle and high school students. Child and Youth Care Forum, 50, 1087-1105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-021-09614-4
Davis, V. (2012). Interconnected but underprotected? Parents’ methods and motivations for information seeking on digital safety issuesLinks to an external site.. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, And Social Networking, 15(12), 669-674. DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2012.017