Social Media Cyberbullying Linked to Teen Depression

Victims tend to suffer in silence, making it difficult for parents to identify and address the
problem

Cyberbullying on social media is linked to depression in teenagers, according to new

research that analyzed multiple studies of the online phenomenon.

Victimization of young people online has received an increasing level of scrutiny,

particularly after a series of high-profile suicides of teenagers who were reportedly
bullied on various social networks. In 2013, for example, a spate of suicides was linked
to the social network Ask.fm, where users can ask each other questions anonymously.
The deaths of teens who had been subject to abuse on the site prompted Ask.fm (which
was acquired by Ask.com in 2014) to launch new safety efforts. Twitter, likewise,
announced plans in April to filter out abusive tweets and suspend bullying users.

Social media use is hugely common among teenagers, said Michele Hamm, a
researcher in pediatrics at the University of Alberta, but the health effects of
cyberbullying on social media sites is largely unknown. Regular, face-to-face bullying
during the teen years may double the risk of depression in adulthood, and bullying's
effects can be as bad or worse than child abuse, studies show.

A depressing effect

In the new review, Hamm and her colleagues combed through studies on cyberbullying
and social media, finding 36 that investigated the effects of cyberbullying on health in
teens ages 12 to 18. Although the studies examined different health outcomes and
sometimes defined cyberbullying differently, one finding stood out.

"There were consistent associations between exposure to cyberbullying and increased

likelihood of depression," Hamm told Live Science. [8 Tips for Parents of Teens with
Depression]

The studies covered a variety of social sites, but Facebook was the most common—
between 89 percent and 97.5 percent of the teens who used social media had a
Facebook account. Seventeen of the 36 studies analyzed looked at how common
cyberbullying was, and the researchers found that a median of 23 percent of teens
reporting being targeted. About 15 percent reported bullying someone online
themselves.

Two studies examined the prevalence of so-called "bully-victims," meaning teens who
both bully others and are bullied. Research on offline bullying shows these kids to be
most at-risk for mental health problems. One study found that 5.4 percent of teens were
bully-victims, while the other reported a prevalence of 11.2 percent.

Safe social media

Despite the well-publicized suicide cases linked to cyberbullying in news reports, Hamm
and her colleagues did not find consistent links between being bullied and self-harm
across the studies. Nor did they see a consistent link between cyberbullying and
anxiety. Some studies found evidence for these links, and others did not.

However, Hamm cautioned, the findings don't mean these links don't exist. The 36
studies used a variety of definitions and health outcomes, and not enough work has
been done to confirm or rule out connections between cyberbullying and anxiety or self-
harm.

But cyberbullying and depression went hand-in-hand, the researchers report today

(June 22) in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. Ten studies examined the link between social
media victimization and depression, and all of them found a connection.

Alone, these studies can't prove that the bullying caused the depression — it's possible
that depressed teens are more likely to become targets of bullying than their healthier
peers. However, Hamm said, one of the 10 studies did follow the teens over time and
found that the cyberbullying preceded the teens' depression, hinting at a causal
relationship. The research also found that the more cyberbullying a teen experienced,
the more severe his or her symptoms of depression.
Alarmingly, teens typically suffered cyberbullying in silence. "Kids really are hesitant to
tell anyone when cyberbullying occurs," Hamm said. "There seems to be a common
fear that if they tell their parents, for example, they'll lose their Internet access."

Therefore, it's important for parents to respond carefully if their kids are being bullied
online, and to teach teens safe Internet use rather than cutting off permission to use the
Web, she said.

"Parents need to address that this is happening and that the Internet and social media is
here," Hamm said. "It's an important part of their kids' lives. But it needs to be a whole
team approach."

Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/social-media-cyber-bullying-
linked-to-teen-depression
 The article, “Social Media Cyberbullying Linked to Teen Depression”, by Stephanie
Pappas seeks to address high-profile suicides of teenagers who were reportedly bullied
on various social networks and teens typically suffered cyberbullying in silence and
whether the teens should tell their parents whenever cyberbullying occurs or tend to
face it by themselves. The research problem being addressed is whether the teens or
kids should tell their parents whenever cyberbullying occurs or not.

It is clear from the abstract that this is no simple issue.In fact,the article really caught
my attention. It is fairly confusing in the first couple of paragraphs but as time goes by, I
already understand its purpose or the main idea. The author starts saying how the
cyberbullying affects to teenagers that can lead to depression. However, a conflict
emerges as the deaths of teens linked to social network. So,Twitter announces to filter
out abusive tweets and suspend bullying users hoping that it could help solve the
problem,which is to decrease the numbers of suicide because of cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Electronic

technology includes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and
tablets as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages,
chat, and websites. Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails,
rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures,
videos, websites, or fake profiles. Cell phones and computers themselves are not to
blame for cyberbullying. Social media sites can be used for positive activities, like
connecting kids with friends and family, helping students with school, and for
entertainment. But these tools can also be used to hurt other people. Whether done in
person or through technology, the effects of bullying are similar. The purpose of this
article is to give awareness to teens who are facing the same situation and to the
parents who doesn’t know how to communicate with their kids. The parents should
know the signs that their child may be a victim of cyberbullying and what they can do to
help the situation. It’s time to give importance and attention to the signs and symptoms
of cyberbullying, because this is some serious case. If not being taken care of, it may
lead to self-harm, anxiety, and depression. These emotions can lead to suicide and
other causes of death.

The main idea (the main argument) that the article is communicating is that there is a
certain connection between social media victimization and depression. The study finds
that the more cyberbullying a teen experienced, the more severe his or her symptoms of
depression.

The argument is convincing, yet it is predictable. Yes, there are many reasons why a
child is depressed, but it’s not shocking to say that cyberbullying is one of the reasons,
because of the fact that we all know what cyberbullying can do to a person especially
for a teen or a kid. But this argument is quite alarming. It is a topic that many parents
wouldn’t notice to their kids. Especially now that we have learned that these people
typically suffers cyberbullying in silence. This article is very useful and applicable when
it comes to relaying the message to the parents and to the kids who face the same
situation. It is communicating to the parents that they need to address that this is
happening and that the Internet and social media is here. It's an important part of their
kids' lives. But it needs to be a whole team approach.

The article does help a lot of people in the society, because based on my
understanding a lot of teens and kids have been facing depression, most likely are
afraid of telling their parents and tend to face it by themselves. Social media is already a
part of their lives, and to think that it doesn’t just bring negativities, but also it brings
advantages which includes the help for their projects and or it helps them to reach out
for their friends and people whom they call family. So we can’t deny the fact that we
can’t just say to these kids to stop using social media. So parents need to address their
kids that this is happening and therefore, it's important for parents to respond carefully if
their kids are being bullied online, and to teach teens safe Internet use rather than
cutting off permission to use the Web. The issues it raises are cyberbullying on social
media is linked to depression in teenagers, the victimization of young people online has
received an increasing level of scrutiny, particularly after a series of high-profile suicides
of teenagers who were reportedly bullied on various social networks and teens typically
suffered cyberbullying in silence.