Experiences of Online Bullying and Offline Violence-Related Behaviors Among US Adolescents

A recent study featuring PISC External Advisory Board Member Charles Branas, PhD, evaluates the relationship between online bullying and violence-related experiences. Five cohorts of data from the Youth Risk Behavior survey are included. Data is analyzed using survey-weighted logistic and multinomial models with attention to feeling unsafe, weapon carrying, being threatened or injured, and offline bullying, as well as race, sex, and sexual identity. Results indicate that online bullying has a direct relationship to offline violence-related behaviors. Specifically, male adolescents, adolescents with gay, lesbian, or unsure identity, and adolescents of color are at high risk for carrying a weapon or avoiding schools while suffering from online bullying. The team strongly recommends that the reduction of online bullying “be prioritized as part of a comprehensive school-based violence prevention strategy.”

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