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. 2024 Mar 5;14(3):e081016.
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081016.

Cyberbullying and cyber-victimisation among higher secondary school adolescents in an urban city of Nepal: a cross-sectional study

Surakshya Kunwar  1 , Sudim Sharma  2 , Sabina Marasini  3 , Anjali Joshi  3 , Ashish Adhikari  4 , Anushka Ranjit  5 , Ishwori Byanju Shrestha  3 , Archana Shrestha  3 , Akina Koju Shrestha  3 , Biraj Man Karmacharya  3
Affiliations

Cyberbullying and cyber-victimisation among higher secondary school adolescents in an urban city of Nepal: a cross-sectional study

Surakshya Kunwar et al. BMJ Open. .

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence and factors associated with cyberbullying and cyber-victimisation among high school adolescents of Pokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting: Pokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal.

Participants: We used convenient sampling to enrol 450 adolescents aged 16-19 years from four distinct higher secondary schools in Pokhara Metropolitan City.

Outcome measures: We administered the Cyberbullying and an Online Aggression Survey to determine the prevalence of cyberbullying and cyber-victimisation. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the ORs and 95% CIs. Data were analysed using STATA V.13.

Results: The 30-day prevalence of cyberbullying and cyber-victimisation was 14.4% and 19.8%, and the over-the-lifetime prevalence was 24.2% and 42.2%, respectively. Posting mean or hurtful comments online was the most common form of both cyberbullying and cyber-victimisation. Compared with females, males were more likely to be involved in cyberbullying (adjusted OR (AOR)=13.52; 95% CI: 6.04 to 30.25; p value <0.001) and cyber-victimised (AOR=2.22; 95% CI: 1.33 to 3.73; p value <0.05). Using the internet almost every day was associated with cyberbullying (AOR=9.44; 95% CI: 1.17 to 75.79; p value <0.05) and cyber-victimisation (AOR=4.96; 95% CI: 1.06 to 23.18; p value <0.05). Students from urban place of residence were associated with both cyberbullying (AOR=2.45; 95% CI: 1.23 to 4.88; p value <0.05) and cyber-victimisation (AOR=1.77; 95% CI: 1.02 to 3.05; p value <0.05).

Conclusion: The study recommends the implementation of cyber-safety educational programmes, and counselling services including the rational use of internet and periodic screening for cyberbullying in educational institutions. The enforcement of strong anti-bullying policies and regulations could be helpful to combat the health-related consequences of cyberbullying.

Keywords: Adolescent; Cyber-Victimization; Cyberbullying; Internet; Nepal; Social Media.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of Nepal showing the study site.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Flow diagram of study participant recruitment.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forms of cyberbullying and cyber-victimisation in the past 30 days (n=450).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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