Cyberbullying Victimization, Perpetration and Psychosomatic Health Symptoms among Students in a Ghanaian University

Abstract

Cyberbullying as deviant behavior is a growing public health concern and affects cyber victims in many ways. This study sought to examine cyberbullying victimization, perpetration, and psychosomatic health symptoms (PHS) among students in a Ghanaian university. The aim was to explore the extent of cyberbullying among students and the association between demographic factors and cyberbullying victimization, perpetration, and PHS of cyberbully victims. The study was a cross-sectional survey of 420 students in a public university in Ghana. The survey results show that female students were less likely than male students to suffer from cybervictimization. There was no gender difference in cyberbullying perpetration and experiencing PHS. Also, students from intact families were less likely to be victimized than students from single-parent families. Bystanders who tried to intervene in cybervictimization were less inclined to perpetrate cyberbullying but were more likely to experience PHS when cyberbullied. Students who lived alone or with friends were four times more likely to experience PHS after being cyberbullied. These findings point to the far-reaching effects of cyberbullying and the need for educators and other stakeholders to devise policies to mitigate the phenomenon and put in place structures to help cyberbully victims.