Differences between Preadolescent Victims and Non-Victims of Cyberbullying in Cyber-Relationship Motives and Coping Strategies for Handling Problems with Peers

While preliminary research supports the association of interpersonal difficulties with cyberbullying victimization in adolescence, it remains unclear how cyber-relationship motives and strategies for coping with stressful peer situations in “real settings” differ between victims and non-victims of cyberbullying. The purpose of this study was to verify whether there are differences between groups of cyberbullying victims (severe, occasional and non-victims) in regards to cyber-relationship motives and coping strategies for handling problems with peers among 1058 preadolescents aged 10–12 years. The results show that cyberbullying victims use the Internet to create new relationships, search for anonymity, escape the real world and to compensate for their lack of social skills to a greater extent than non-victims. Severe victims of cyberbullying also use less effective strategies to handle problems with peers than non-victims and occasional victims. The results of this study represent a new stimulus to thoroughly understand the psychological and behavioral factors associated with cyberbullying victimization and to identify key recommendations to develop more effective interventions and prevent cyberbullying episodes.