The changing world of bullying: students' opinions about how to intervene with cyberbullying

Abstract

This study intended to bridge the gap in research on cyberbullying intervention strategies by examining the personal experiences of survivors in order to identify effective coping strategies. This study used a grounded theory methodology to allow data to fully emerge from participants’ perspectives. When analyzing the data, the researcher found that individuals activated coping strategies in response to the negative feelings and thoughts that cyberbullying caused. This main theme, survival strategies, was augmented by three supporting themes: internal characteristics, external influences on internal feelings, and environmental factors. These supporting themes either positively or negatively influenced adolescents’ survival strategies. As a result of this survival process, individuals ultimately became stronger as a result of their inner resilience. The findings of this study have highlighted effective coping strategies that may help to inform future counselling practices.