The role of traditional bullying and cyberbullying in adolescents’ internalizing problems and well-being
A debate exists in the literature over the extent to which traditional bullying and cyberbullying have different and unique impacts on the quality of students’ psychosocial adaptation. Using a sample of 1,087 secondary school students, this study assesses whether cyberbullying is linked to an increase in internalizing problems and a decrease in well-being beyond the effects associated with traditional bullying. Results from structural equation modelling point to a significant overlap between traditional bullying and cyberbullying, and, once age and gender accounted for, cyberbullying is not associated with increased internalizing problems or decreased well-being.