title: Prevalence, Motivations, and Social, Mental Health and Health Consequences of Cyberbullying Among School-Aged Children and Youth: Protocol of a Longitudinal and Multi-Perspective Mixed Method Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While the online environment may promote important developmental and social benefits, it also enables the serious and rapidly growing issue of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying constitutes an increasing public health problem - victimized children and youth experience a range of health and mental health concerns, including emotional and psychosomatic problems, maladaptive behaviors, and increased suicidality. Perpetrators demonstrate a lack of empathy, and may also struggle with health and mental health issues.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes the protocols applied in a longitudinal and multi-perspective mixed-methods study with five objectives: (1) to explore children/youth's experiences, and children/youth's, parents', and teachers' conceptions, definitions, and understanding of cyberbullying; (2) to explore how children/youth view the underlying motivations for cyberbullying; (3) to document the shifting prevalence rates of cyberbullying victimization, witnessing, and perpetration; (4) to identify risk and protective factors for cyberbullying involvement; and (5) to explore social, mental health, and health consequences of cyberbullying.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative survey data were collected over three years (2012-2014) from a stratified random baseline sample of fourth (n=160), seventh (n=243), and tenth (n=267) grade children/youth, their parents (n=246), and their teachers (n=103). Quantitative data were collected from students and teachers during in-person school visits, and from parents via mail-in surveys. Student, parent, and teacher surveys included questions regarding: student experiences with bullying/cyberbullying; student health, mental health, and social and behavioral issues; socio-demographics; and information and communication technology use. In-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted twice with a sub-sample of students (n=57), purposively selected based on socio-demographics and cyberbullying experience, twice with their parents (n=50), and once with their teachers (n=30).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data collection for this study is complete. Planned analyses include transition probabilities and repeated measures analyses to determine involvement in cyberbullying. Repeated measures analyses, including between-subject factors (eg, socio-demographics), will be utilized to determine factors that protect or increase risk of involvement in cyberbullying. Qualitative analysis utilizing grounded theory is planned, to permit rich understanding of participant experiences and perspectives. Results will be reported in 2016 and 2017.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study will offer insight into the contemporary phenomenon of cyberbullying while also informing interventions to curb cyberbullying and address its pervasive social, mental health, and health consequences. Knowledge mobilization strategies and implications for research and practice are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, Toronto, ON, Canada. f.mishna@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Faye
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2538-826X
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mishna
authors.forename: Lauren B
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5426-5782
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: McInroy
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0682-8549
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lacombe-Duncan
authors.forename: Payal
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1783-4955
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhole
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1750-8885
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Wert
authors.forename: Kaitlin
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1941-2596
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwan
authors.forename: Arija
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1988-8383
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Birze
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0118-5126
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daciuk
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0312-3658
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beran
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4717-6105
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Debra J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2505-289X
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pepler
authors.forename: Judith
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8263-1655
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiener
authors.forename: Mona
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5664-7549
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khoury-Kassabri
authors.forename: David
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7332-3455
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Johnston
keywords: ICT; children; cyberbullying; longitudinal; mental health; mixed methods; parents; teachers; victimization; youth