A new study has claimed that face-to-face bullying is worse than cyber-bullying despite the latter becoming a more prevalent form of harassment.
Involving 156 students, the study asked participants to describe their perceptions of being bullied. Researchers investigated students’ responses to both cyber and face-to-face bullying and asked which was more hurtful.
Led and supervised by Professor Marilyn Campbell from Queensland University of Technology’s Faculty of Education, the study found that as many as 59 per cent of the children participants felt face-to-face bullying was worse for them than being cyber-bullied.
“It clearly indicates the feelings of the children and the very real threat they have of being physically harmed by another child,” said professor Marilyn Campbell of QUT who supervised the study.
Twenty-six per cent reported that both forms of bullying were equally hurtful and the remaining 15 per cent perceived cyber-bullying to be worse.
Campbell said earlier studies found Australian school students reported the highest prevalence of peer aggression among OECD countries.
“Children reported being scared and very worried by the attacks but it was interesting to find a majority of them were embarrassed that others were witnessing their victimisation as it occurred,” Campbell noted.
She said recent Australian studies have reported traditional victimisation prevalence rates of between 16 and 40 per cent among students.
She also said a 2008 survey of about 40 countries found Australian primary schools had the highest reported incidence of bullying in the world.
She also said a review of Australian studies found a conservative prevalence estimate for being cyber-bullied in a 12-month period was approximately 20 per cent of children aged between eight to 17.
“These students specifically referred to the proximity of the bully during the incidents which suggests proximity makes it more emotionally impacting than when it is buffered by the distance that the online setting provides,” Campbell said.
The study was published in the Journal of School Violence.
