Along with advances in technology, internet usage and social networking increasingly widespread among the public. Many families have used the internet subscription service, so that in the home, family members can easily access it. So also with the presence of a cellular phone that allows one to access the virtual world at anytime and from anywhere.
But as the two sides of the coin, the Internet can provide positive benefits, but also can have a negative impact. A child who uses the Internet often be the target of those who intend evil as well as pornography. One other concern is the occurrence of cyberbullying, ie acts of violence or oppression to children in cyberspace.
Recent research shows that the prevalence, impact and consequences of cyberbullying as well as some emotional and physical characteristics of the victims. Perpetrators or victims proved equally experienced a number of physical and mental problems in the future. This research was published in the July edition of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.
Cyberbullying includes a relatively new phenomenon following the growing trend of modern communications media. Cyberbullying is defined as "a deliberate act of aggression carried out by groups or individuals by using technological means of communication and electronic media repeatedly and over time for victims who can not easily defend himself."
Increasing cases of cyberbullying is the negative impact of increasing use of computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices by children. Unlike traditional bullying, which largely depends on the physical threats, rumors, and rejection, cyberbullying can reach a wider victims through social media and technology anywhere, so the victim is difficult to escape from the bullies are.
In fact, the perpetrator of bullying also can do so relatively anonymously or not known to exist. This new study involving approximately 2215 Finnish adolescents aged 13 to 16 years. Overall, as much as 4.8 percent of them claimed to be victims of cyberbullying, 7.4 percent of the perpetrators of cyberbullying, and 5.4 percent of whom are actors as well as victims.
The study shows the majority of cyberbullying is done through instant messages on computers via social networking and group discussions in a forum. Type cyberbullies usually in the form of harassment by peers at the same age. Approximately 16 percent of adolescent girls surveyed said they were intimidated by the teenage boys, while only 5 percent of teenage boys have admitted through the virtual world of violence by teenage girls.
Cyberbullying victims reported experiencing behavioral, emotional, erratic, difficult concentration, and the issue of hanging out with friends after a cyberbullying incident. The victim also admitted more often suffer from headaches, recurrent abdominal pain, and difficulty sleeping. In fact, one in four people feel unsafe at school.
Moreover, adolescents who are victims of cyberbullying rarely living with both biological parents. They also tend to be hyperactive, abuse of alcohol, and smoking. Both perpetrators and victims teen cyberbullying report all physical and mental health problems such.
"Policy makers such as educators, parents, and youth themselves must be aware of potentially harmful effects of cyberbullying," said the researchers led by Andre Sourander MD, PhD, a child psychiatrist at the University of Turku, Finland. "Future research is needed to formulate relevant policies and anti-bullying guidelines for the use of mobile phones and internet which are effective for reducing cyberbullying," added the study's conclusions.
Parry Aftab, executive director of an online wiredsafety.org site security guards, as well as educational sites that are parent groups for a charity called stopcyberbullying.org based in Fort Lee, New Jersey, United States give comments. He admitted that he worried about the security of virtual worlds for children.
"Cyberbullying is when a technology can become a weapon to hurt others," he said.
Cyberbullying activities could occur in various forms such as stealing passwords or account other children take the points in a game online. Or it could be digitally alter a photograph of a child so as to appear without clothes, and then distribute them to the internet network.
"There are millions of different ways to (cyberbullying). It is only limited by the bandwidth of the Internet and the creativity of the kids, "Aftab added. Cyberbullying such as changing the map of the playground or social structures typical of the ordinary happened at school. "This brings all the children of various types and social backgrounds is a problem," he said.
"Children who are victims of cyberbullies can also be a bully online because this problem does not depend on the type and nature of the child. In fact, I found the kids quiet, rigid, considered to be strange, having retardation and antisocial actually involved, but usually they are intimidated, "he continued.
According to Aftab, there is no safe place to escape from cyberbullying. If a child is being bullied at school for example, confirmed the house is often a safe place. However, today's teens are always connected with the technology anywhere and anytime as long as 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "Cyberbullying has damaging consequences for children and parents should understand that most of the children had been cyberbullied at least once in their life," he explained.
The next question is what should be done to victims of cyberbullying. "Stop, block, and immediately talked about this incident," said Aftab. "Do not retaliate. Just set aside a message and tell a trusted adult, "he said. Another tip is to use a password that is not easy to guess and change them every time off the computer to prevent hackers.
Parents of children who are victims of cyberbullying should be calm before overreact and make things worse. Child psychoanalyst Leon Hoffman, MD, who also served as Executive Director of the Bernard L. Pacella Parent Child Center in New York City, United States, agrees with the suggestion Aftab.
"This study emphasizes the importance of making a strict policy that parents should be eager to enforce the rules to their children," he said.
source : http://lifestyle.okezone.com
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