title: Adolescent online cyberbullying in Greece: the impact of parental online security practices, bonding, and online impulsiveness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The introduction of new technological media worldwide has had a number of unfortunate side effects for some adolescents, including cases of bullying others through the new media (cyberbullying) and over-involvement to the point of addiction. We examine the epidemiology of cyberbullying in a Greek setting, compare it with earlier data, determine the impact of any related psychosocial factors, and propose measures to combat the phenomenon.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of the entire adolescent high-school student population of the island of Kos examined the relationship between their experiences of Internet cyberbullying and respective parental characteristics, including aspects of psychological bonding and online security measures. The sample consisted of 2017 students (51.8% boys, 48.2% girls). Comparisons are made with results obtained from an earlier survey in the same setting, 2 years earlier.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant rise in reported experiences of Internet cyberbullying over the 2-year period. Security practices exercised by parents had a protective role with regards to whether a child had been cyberbullied, yet failed to prevent the perpetration of online victimization. A regression model indicated that impulsive use of the Internet and related online activities were predictive of whether an adolescent victimized others online.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cyberbullying frequency with regards to both victims and victimizers was high and associated with online impulsiveness, pointing to the possible existence of some commonalities. Further research is necessary to ascertain common underlying psychological factors and neurobiology.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Psychiatry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 196 Langada Str., 564 29 Thessaloniki, Greece. georgefloros@gmail.com
authors.forename: Georgios D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Floros
authors.forename: Konstantinos E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Siomos
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fisoun
authors.forename: Evaggelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dafouli
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Geroukalis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology*; D016494:Computer Security; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors