Neighbor News
Cyberbullying Linked With Suicidal Thoughts and Attempts in Young Adol
A recent study of more than 10,000 adolescents found that nine percent of young adolescents reported being a target of cyberbullying.
The participants who experienced cyberbullying were more than four times as likely to report thoughts of suicide and attempts as those who didn’t. This association diminished but remained significant when the researchers adjusted for other factors known to affect thoughts of suicide and attempts, including family conflict, racial discrimination, parental monitoring and being supported at school.
“Social gaming and social media in large part replaced in person social contact during the pandemic for children and teens,” said Paul Weigle, MD, associate medical director for ambulatory services, a board certified child & adolescent psychiatrist who cares for youth at Natchaug Hospital’s Joshua Center in Mansfield. He is chair of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry’s Media Committee.
