“My Worst Online Experience”: Adolescent Coping Strategies in the Face of Cyberbullying

• In Event: Bullying at School and Online

Abstract

In this paper we discuss results from an inductive and deductive thematic analysis of qualitative online survey data on 233 adolescents’ online behaviors and perceptions. Specifically, the thematic analysis focuses on the nature of and reactions to what adolescents deemed their worst online experiences. Results showed that types of experiences include sexual and racial victimization, rumors/insults, and stalking. Strategies for coping with these experiences include direct problem solving, positive cognitive restructuring, distraction, avoidance and support seeking. Gender differences in coping were most pronounced in the direct problem solving category, with 24.4% of females and 15.7% of males using this strategy. Findings extend recent research that explores the application of offline coping strategies to the online world.

Authors

• Jenna Venker Weidenbenner, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Brendesha M. Tynes, University of Southern California