Gender and Grade Differences in How High School Students Experience and Perceive Cyberbullying

Jeremy D. Doucette, The University of Western Ontario

Abstract

Gender and grade differences in how high school students experience and perceive cyberbullying was examined through a survey and focus groups with youth in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Survey findings revealed that boys reported cyberbullying more often than girls on most items while girls reported experiencing cyberbullying more often than boys on most items. Grade alone did not account for significant differences, but interactions with gender were sometimes found. The focus groups revealed that most students believe that girls cyberbully more than boys, but that boys are more likely than girls to view cyberbullying as a form of joking, and to perpetrate cyberbullying behaviours within intimate relationships. Participants also suggested that juniors cyberbully more than seniors, but cyberbullying becomes more serious in the senior years. How focus group results provided insights into survey findings are discussed, and next steps in future research are recommended.