A Short-Term Longitudinal Examination of Willingness to Confide in a Friend about Being Cyber Victimized

Abstract

Research consistently documents negative consequences for children who are cyber victims, underscoring the need to examine effective management. Disclosure to friends about cyber victimization is advocated; however, research is limited. The present research examined willingness to disclose to friends about being cyber victimized for fourth graders and evaluated the subsequent frequency of cyber victimization when in grade 5 (N = 207). Three groups in Grade 4 were identified: No Victimization, Victimization/No Tell, and Victimization/Tell. Children in the Victimization/Tell group reported a significantly lower frequency of cyber victimization a year later. The Victimization/No Tell group of children did not report a statistically reduced frequency of cyber victimization. The number of classroom mutual friends was ruled out as an explanation. This research supports the use of a strategy for children confiding with friends to reduce subsequent cyber victimization.

Keywords:

• Cyber victimization
• friendships
• children

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Alec Sisco

Alec D. Sisco is a graduate student at the University of Memphis, a clinical research associate at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, and a research assistant in collaboration with the University of Tennessee Knoxville. His research interests include child and family studies, where he focuses on issues related to cyberbullying and traditional bullying; disproportionality and LGBTQ + intersectionality; friendships and antipathies; and assessment equity.

Robert Cohen

Robert Cohen is a developmental psychologist and Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis. His research interests focus on elementary school-aged children’s peer social relations. Specific topics include traditional and cyber, aggression and victimization; friendships and antipathies; peer group liking and popularity; the association of loneliness, peer optimism, and respect for peer social competence.