Factors affecting cyber bullying experience among intermediate school students in Baghdad, Iraq

Abstract

Objectives: To identify prevalence and associated factors to control and prevent this increasingly prevalent health problem. 

Methods: A cross-sectional study has been conducted on a sample of 442 eligible middle school students, with a range of age from 14 – 15 years. The sample was selected by multistage stratified random sampling. The data collected by pre tested questionnaire which gathered the socio-demographic characteristics of the students and questions about their feelings toward themselves, family, and their schools and questions about cyber bullying.

Results: Prevalence of cyber bullying was 19.7%, and it has a significant association with private school (P<0.04), higher grade (P<0.03), students have more than two siblings, increase birth order, students have unemployed mothers, high level of parent education, their mothers have no history of injuries or complications during pregnancy and their delivery, family not displaced, not losing any member of the family during the sectarian conflict, and family conflict (P<0.001), students with bad feeling about themselves, their family and  school,  access to internet in and outside home(P<0.001).

Conclusion: High percent of cyber bullying experience among intermediate school students. Cyber bullying victimization is more in private school, higher grade, high level of parent's education, family conflict and bad feeling about themselves, their family, and school, having computers linked to internet at home and access to internet outside home. Cyber bullying perpetration is higher among students who their mothers educational level was high, family conflict, and bad feeling about themselves, their family, and school, access to internet outside home.