Online aggressor/targets, aggressors and targets: A comparison of associated youth characteristics

Cita bibliográfica: Ybarra, M. L. & Mitchell, J. K. (2004) Online aggressor/targets, aggressors and targets: A comparison of associated youth characteristics. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45, 1308-1316.

Internet access and use continues to increase among American youth (National Public Radio/ Kaiser Family Foundation/Kennedy School of Government, 2000; UCLA Center for Communication Policy, 2001). Many young users view the Internet as a powerful tool that increases connectivity and communication with others (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2001), as well as provides access to valuable information such as somatic and mental health advice (Borzekowski & Rickert, 2001). While most youth report positive experiences and activities online (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2001; Borzekowski & Rickert, 2001; Finkelhor, Mitchell, & Wolak, 2000b), the need to identify subpopulations potentially vulnerable to negative Internet experiences is necessary for effective intervention and prevention programs. Internet harassment is one such experience that may have deleterious consequences for
youth.
 

Internet harassment
 

Internet harassment is an overt, intentional act of aggression towards another person online. Actions can take the form of purposeful harassment or embarrassment of someone else, or making rude or nasty comments towards someone else while online. For example, youth describe instances where they were threatened with physical harm: ‘Someone was threatening to kill me and my girlfriend,’ while other examples focus on embarrassing and humiliating the youth: ‘They were mad at me and they made a hate page about me. (Finkelhor, Mitchell, & Wolak, 2000a).

Internet aggression is sparsely documented, although research indicates an estimated 4% of youth have been the target of email harassment (British Broadcasting Corporation, 2002) and 6% have been the target of more general Internet harassment (Finkelhor et al., 2000b). Fifteen percent of young people have been an online aggressor (Ybarra & Mitchell, in press) at least once in the previous year. While the majority of youth targets of aggression report being relatively unaffected, a notable one-third of youth harassed online indicate feeling very or extremely upset, and one-third feel at least one symptom of stress following the incident (Finkelhor et al., 2000b).

Página Web consultada: http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/jvq/CV75.pdf