title: Cybervictimization and somatic and psychological symptoms among Italian middle school students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Existing literature clearly documents the association between cybervictimization and psychological symptoms; less clear is the association between cybervictimization and somatic symptoms. This study aims to verify the association between cybervictimization and both psychological and somatic symptoms on a representative sample of Italian early adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used data from 24 099 students aged 13 years participating in the 2009/2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Survey. Self-completed questionnaires, devised by the HBSC international group, were administered in classrooms. Multilevel models of logistic regression (controlling for traditional bullying victimization, computer use and demographics) were used to investigate the association between cybervictimization and psychological and somatic symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 3.1% of the students reported having been bullied frequently electronically and 8.7% occasionally (compared, respectively, to 4.0 and 9.2% victims of traditional forms of bullying). Overall, prevalence of students reporting psychological and somatic symptoms was 32.5 and 12.0%, respectively. Being victims of cyberbullying was positively associated to students' psychological and somatic symptoms, after controlling for traditional bullying victimization and computer use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cybervictimization has similar psychological and somatic consequences for boys and girls, thus suggesting that intervention and prevention efforts should focus on both gender groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy alessio.vieno@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vieno
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gini
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lenzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pozzoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Natale
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Canale
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santinello
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D058445:Bullying / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires