Analysis of mental health in cyberbullying victims and perpetrators in Spanish and Colombian adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: Due to the advance of information and communication technologies, children may be exposed to the phenomenon known as cyberbullying. The abundant literature and existing research confirm the interest that the consequences of cyberbullying can provoke in the mental health of adolescents. The aims of this work were: (1) To compare the figures of the difficulties in mental health and cyberbullying in adolescents from Spain and Colombia, (2) To analyse the relationship between mental health and being a high degree cyber-perpetrator or cyber-victim owing to mobile phones and Internet, in both countries. Method: A cross-sectional study was employed, in which 1,080 students from Colombia (11 to 17 years old) and 430 students from Spain (12 to 17 years old) participated through the SDQ, CYBVYC and CYBAGRESS questionnaires. T student, correlations, and the Kruskal Wallis test were used. Results: Difficulties in Emotional symptoms, Conduct problems, Hyperactivity, Peer problems, and the Total difficulties scores were higher in Colombia than in Spain. Colombian adolescents scored higher in cyber-victimization (CYBVYC-Internet) and cyber-perpetration (CYBAGRESS) than Spanish adolescents. However, cyber-victimisation (CYBVYC-Mobile) by way of mobile phone was higher in Spain. Moreover, those who had serious victim and serious perpetrator profiles (scores equal to or higher than the 95th percentile in the CYBAGRESS and CYBVYC scales) presented higher difficulties in Emotional symptoms, Conduct problems, Hyperactivity, and Peer problems than those who were not classified as pertaining to those profiles, in both countries. A positive and direct correlation between difficulties in mental health, cyber-victimisation, and cyber-perpetration exist, regardless of Internet or mobile phone use. Conclusions: Results show how cyberbullying has similar effects on the mental health of Spanish and Colombian teenagers. Finally, there exists a relationship between being a cyberbullying victim or perpetrator and obtaining a higher total score in mental health difficulties among adolescents in both countries.