Cyber-victimization and Its Impact on Victim’s Psychosomatic Status

Abstract

Cyberbullying is an important issue to discuss and investigate. This study is a theoretical and empirical research aimed at proving cyber-victimization’s negative impact on psychosomatic health. A direct relationship between these two phenomena is that poor mood regulation in childhood entails dissatisfaction with surrounding world causing rage against weaker peers, victimization, which affects victims’ psychosomatic status. Methods used are literature analysis for the research and empirical part assessing aggressiveness in children (Buss-Darkey Inventory), their emotional state and psychosomatic health problems caused by victimization (authors’ questionnaire. As a result young victims’ psychosocial problems are seen as having negative consequences in later life. Because of these consequences, bullying becomes a hot topic and causes researchers, parents’, as well as school teachers and school psychologists’ concern. Cyberbullying will continue as long as electronic gadgets and communication devices are plugged in and used which is becoming an increasing problem due to dissemination of information, telecommunication technologies and the involvement of children and adolescents in the widespread digitalization of various spheres of life. In conclusion we recommend teachers and parents to develop understanding of cybervictimization, besides to pay attention to their children’s emotional intelligence development that should help them resist victimization and avoid health problems.

Keywords

• victimization
• bullying
• cyber attack
• violence model
• cyber-bullying model
• motivation