Responses to Cyberbullying: A Descriptive Analysis of the Frequency of and Impact on LGBT and Allied Youth

Abstract

Young people continue to endure school-yard bullying and harassment. In our era of advanced information and communication technologies, however, a new variation has emerged: we now live in the age of cyberbullying. The current study explores the frequency of cyberbullying and its impact on the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered (LGBT), and allied youth. Participants in this national study comprised middle school and high school students between the ages of 11 and 18 years old who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or with a same-sex attraction, or as a LGBT-allied youth. Participants represented 40 of the 50 United States.

KEYWORDS:

• Bullying
• cyberbullying
• harassment
• LGBT youth
• middle school
• secondary education

Notes

1. LGBT-allied youth were included as part of this study because in many instances allied youth must also deal with the repercussions of alliances with LGBT youth.