RESEARCH PROJECT

10th Grade
Marta Valle
09/04/2023

Lionel Abraham Landaverde Garcia, Noe Stanis Montejo Navas, Angel Josue Rodriguez
Garcia, Carlos Antonio Ruiz Martinez
 INDEX
Content

Abstract.............................................................................................................................................3
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER I.....................................................................................................................................5
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM..............................................................................................5
1.1 Statement of the problem.......................................................................................................5
1.2 Description of the problem....................................................................................................6
1.3 Objectives................................................................................................................................7
1.3.1 Broad Objective...............................................................................................................7
1.3.2 Specific Objectives...........................................................................................................7
1.4 Justification.......................................................................................................................7
1.5 Scope of the problem........................................................................................................8
CHAPTER II....................................................................................................................................9
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK..................................................................................................9
2.1 Historical Background...........................................................................................................9
2.2 Definition...............................................................................................................................10
2.3 Importance of cyberbullying...............................................................................................10
2.4 Types of cyberbullying.........................................................................................................11
2.4.1 Exclusion........................................................................................................................12
2.4.2 Harassment....................................................................................................................12
2.4.3 Outing.............................................................................................................................12
2.4.4 Web Tracking................................................................................................................12
2.4.5 Framing..........................................................................................................................13
2.4.6 Fake profiles...................................................................................................................13
2.4.7 Trick...............................................................................................................................13
2.4.8 Trolling...........................................................................................................................13
2.5 Causes of cyberbullying.................................................................................................14
2.6 Consequences of cyberbullying......................................................................................15
2.7 Statistics of cyberbullying..............................................................................................16
CHAPTER III................................................................................................................................18
METHODOLOGICAL DESIGN..................................................................................................18
3.1 Hypothesis.............................................................................................................................18
3.2 Sampling Procedure.............................................................................................................18
3.3 Preliminary Phase................................................................................................................19
3.3.1 Approaching the field of study.....................................................................................19
3.3.2 Definition of the problem..............................................................................................19
3.4 Planning Phase.....................................................................................................................20
3.4.1 Literature review...........................................................................................................20
3.4.2 Operationalization of variables....................................................................................21
3.4.3 Data collection instruments..........................................................................................21
3.4.4 Validation of data collection instruments....................................................................22
3.4.5 Validity & Reliability....................................................................................................22
3.4.6 Ethical aspects...............................................................................................................22
3.6 Timetable..............................................................................................................................23
3.7 Budget...................................................................................................................................24
Chapter IV......................................................................................................................................25
Analysis and Interpretation of Data.............................................................................................25
4.1 Written Questionnaire.........................................................................................................25
4.1.1 Closed-ended Questions................................................................................................25
4.1.2. Opened-ended Questions.............................................................................................37
Chapter V.......................................................................................................................................41
Conclusion & Recommendations..................................................................................................41
5.1 Conclusions...........................................................................................................................41
5.2 Recommendations................................................................................................................42
5.2.1 For students...................................................................................................................42
5.2.2 For parents.....................................................................................................................43
REFERENCES LIST.....................................................................................................................45
 Abstract

This research project delves into the psychological repercussions of cyberbullying

among adolescents in grades 7 to 10. With the proliferation of digital communication
platforms, cyberbullying has emerged as a pervasive concern, potentially leaving lasting
emotional and psychological scars on young minds. Through a combination of qualitative
and quantitative methods, including surveys, interviews, and psychological assessments,
this study aims to uncover the intricate ways in which cyberbullying impacts the mental
well-being of teenagers within this academic spectrum.

By examining the prevalence and types of cyberbullying incidents, as well as the

coping mechanisms employed by the affected teenagers, this research seeks to shed light on
the various dimensions of psychological distress caused by online harassment. The study
also intends to identify potential moderators that may amplify or mitigate the psychological
impact of cyberbullying, such as individual resilience, social support, and school
environment.

Ultimately, the findings of this research endeavor to offer valuable insights for
educators, parents, and mental health professionals in developing targeted interventions to
address the psychological toll of cyberbullying. By emphasizing the significance of early
detection and support systems, this study strives to contribute to the creation of safer digital
spaces for adolescents, promoting their overall psychological well-being during these
formative years
 Introduction

In this digital age, the technology and the internet have transformed the way that we
communicate, learn, and socialize. While this technological evolution has brought about
numerous benefits, it has also introduced new challenges, one of the most prominent being
is the cyberbullying. Cyberbullying, a form of aggression or bulling that takes place online,
has gained significant attention in recent years due to its pervasive nature and its potentially
devastating effects on adolescents.

This research project focus to delve into the intricate world of cyberbullying and its
psychological ramifications on teenagers, specifically those in seventh to tenth grade.
Adolescence is a critical developmental stage characterized by significant physical,
emotional, and cognitive changes. During this period, individuals are particularly
vulnerable to external influences, making them more susceptible to the adverse effects of
cyberbullying. The central research question guiding this study is: "How does
cyberbullying affect the psychological well-being of adolescents from seventh to tenth
grade?" To address this question comprehensively, we will investigate various effect of
cyberbullying, including it on psychological way, and the coping strategies employed by
teenagers to solve it. Additionally, we will examine the potential consequences of
cyberbullying on adolescents' mental health, including its impact on self-esteem, anxiety,
depression, and overall emotional well-being.

Understanding the psychological toll of cyberbullying on adolescents is not only

crucial for the well-being of the current generation but also for the development of effective
prevention and intervention strategies for the parents, teachers, and themselves. By
shedding light on the intricate dynamics of cyberbullying and its implications, this research
project focus to contribute to the creation of a safer and more supportive online
environment for adolescents. In the following sections, we will provide an in-depth review
of the literature related to cyberbullying, adolescent development, and psychological well-
being. We will also outline our research methodology, data collection techniques, and
analysis procedures. Ultimately, our findings will provide valuable insights into the
psychological impact of cyberbullying on teenagers.
 CHAPTER I
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

1.1 Statement of the problem

Cyberbullying is the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person
often done anonymously. Using cyberbullying and higher-education as key words in
Google scholar yields only twenty-one articles. In 2009, 2012 and 2013 one article
appeared each year. Since 2014 each year there were few publications. Given their
relationship and access to technology, it is likely that cyberbullying occurs frequently
among undergraduates.

We all know that bullying is a serious problem that has affected our society for a
long time. In this period of time, the bullying has reached another level that it is
cyberbullying. What is cyberbullying? The definition for this word is bullying with the use
of digital technologies. It can take place on social media, messaging platforms, gaming
platforms and mobile phones. It is repeated behavior, aimed at scaring, angering or
shaming those who are targeted1.

So basically, this is a form of bullying that takes place in the digital world, but why
is this type of bullying so important and relevant in this moment? By the time we are
making this research project, the year it is 2022 and the internet and social network is a
fundamental thing of any person around the globe. This part it is an important key to our
project because the majority of time during the day we keep online. This includes the
children and teenagers.

Cyberbullying can take many forms: from the disclosure of intimate data, insults,
photographs, identity theft, among others. Its effects are many: insecurity, loss of interest
in school, isolation, damage to self-esteem and even aggressiveness.

1
(Cyberbullying: What is it and how to stop it - UNICEF, 2022)
1.2 Description of the problem
Cyberbullying is a real problem. You may say there is not such a thing as
cyberbullying, but the statistics say something more. The 97% of the children and teenagers
use social apps. The 45% of these are constantly connected; furthermore, another important
fact is the number of teenagers and children that plays online games, 75% of these people
do. What does this mean? We can see bullying in our daily life. And as a result of the
growth of social medias, we can also see cyberbullying because half of these people has
experience cyberbullying. There is a phrase that backs up all this information. This phrase
was said by Anna Maria Chavez, who is a head of the organization of the Girl Scouts of the
United States of America. She said: “Unless and until our society recognizes cyberbullying
for what it is, the suffering of thousands of silent victims will continue 2. Cyberbullies can
hide behind a mask of anonymity online and do not need direct physical access to their
victims to do unimaginable harm3.”

After all of these, what are the things that the team want to know and find out about
cyberbullying? Well, first of all the team wants to know how cyberbullying affects
teenagers of high school in a psychologically way in the year of 2023. This is what is going
to be search about in a general way, and from this it can take more specific areas to focus,
for example: What consequences can cyberbully cause? What are the causes of cyberbully
to happen? What can be done to stop or decrease this problem?

For this problematic we are going to be making a questionnaire to middle schoolers,

from seventh to ninth with various questions to know how often do teenagers use social
medias, if they have experienced cyberbullying or if they have practiced. If they affirmed,
ask how did they feel. From that we can draw conclusions and understand better how to
react in this situation.

2
(Chavez, AZ Quote, 2013)
3
(Chavez, Brainy Quotes, s.f.)
1.3 Objectives

1.3.1 Broad Objective

● To know how cyberbullying affects middle schoolers psychologically in

ECO Santa Ana in the year of 2023.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

● To identify the way middle schoolers suffer from cyberbullying.

● To determine why is there so much cyberbullying.

● To detect the ways of helping and supporting the middle schoolers that have
suffered from cyberbullying.

1.4 Justification

Social networks are very common nowadays in society. This in addition to

socializing, bonding, and making friends can cause a big problem such as cyber-bullying or
peer bullying. Also, in the world of networks there are many social cases, especially in
young people and even in little ones. Cyberbullying is a problem that affects today's
society. It is linked to the internet and social networks, with adolescents being the most
affected group. This work is presented with the purpose of proposing awareness talks to
young people in seventh, eighth, and ninth grade and also to help middle schoolers that
suffer from cyberbullying and give them solutions. The team is aware of all the middle
schoolers that use social medias and all the online videogame users that are teenagers and
the danger that this can have.

In the future, this research will affect in a good way, making these kids to change
their mind and start dealing with these types of problems and make a good impact in the
society. It is necessary cause we can help kids and they also can avoid problems as suicide,
depression, anxiety and other types of problems.

The objective is to raise awareness and show the degree of knowledge they have
about this social problem, to know if they have been victims, or what they have done when
they have seen in this type of situation. In this way to contribute to young people relating
with respect towards their peers, within social networks, in addition to having a clear
concept of this problem and how to deal with it. Parents and teachers will be involved so
that the training is productive.

The results of this study will be important to physiologists, to parents, and to kids. If
we are not specific, they will be important to all the world because they can know how they
can control that way. If someone is suffering from cyberbullying, they would know who to
contact for help and they can facilitate finish with this problem.

1.5 Scope of the problem

We are going to focus on how this type of bullying is affecting kids psychologically
in middle school also how this is going to affect their scores, and the solutions some people
can bring. After knowing what we want to investigate in more detail, now we have to
determine the subjects that are the ones we are going to base our investigation. To facilitate
this research, the people involved would be the students from seventh to ninth grade from
Escuela Cristiana Oasis, Santa Ana, our current school; these are the teenagers that are
going to be asked about our topic: cyberbullying.

Throughout the school year, the team will be working to be able to do the best
research and not only help the children, but also the adults who can help the next children.
The time is until 2023, which will be the school requirements. We calculate that in all the
research that we are going to carry out in the years 2022 and 2023, we have a total cost
according to the resources that we will use to be able to ask and carry out surveys to the
adolescents mentioned above. So the total cost that we have worked out is above a hundred
dollars.
 CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 Historical Background

As we have read in the previous pages of this research, we have seen many things
related to cyberbullying. And, one of the most important thing is to know what is
cyberbullying, so to discover that we investigate its historical background. This word is
made up by two different words. The first one that we have is cyber. This prefix was
original found in the word kubernētēs from the ancient Greek. The word kubernētēs refers
to a pilot or a steersman. This Greek word is the root of the word cybernetics which was
used in the 1940’s when referring to the study of control systems and communications
between people and machines. After that, in the following decades this prefix has been use
in many other words referring to something from the future of digital world 4. After reading
these definitions, we can draw the conclusion of the meaning of cyberbullying. This
compound word means an aggression or harmful action to another person through digital
network.

This survival instinct, along with a competitive atmosphere, has remained the same
as the human race has evolved. Both of these forces have flowed over into the educational,
social, and economic realms. This competitive hierarchy, though prevalent in most
societies, varies across cultures depending on their ethical systems, traditions, and the type
of control exerted by the government. These bullying tactics may include pressuring others
for answers on assignments to attain higher grades, which leads toward better college
opportunities, or spreading social rumors about fellow students.

Traditional bullying against technology’s progression is often equated with the

advancement of human societies. Though these developments have allowed the human race
to make great strides in many fields, they have also allowed forms of transgression to
become more rampant and widespread. This is evident when considering how traditional
bullying has evolved into the issue today known as cyberbullying.
4
(Cerberus Sentinel, 2021)
2.2 Definition

One of the most important things we need to know first of all, is bullying, the
original problem. Bullying is defined as Bullying is “an ongoing and deliberate misuse of
power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behavior that
intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or
a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feel
unable to stop it from happening. 5” As we can see in these two definitions the words
victimized, negative actions, aggressive, and harming are the most important because we
introduce that bullying has to do with violence. It also can be related to students as we can
see in the first definition. So, bullying is a violent action to a student to harm him. It can be
in different ways.

While bullying and cyberbullying are often similar in terms of form and technique
they also have many differences. Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying allows the
offender to mask his identity behind a computer. The distancing effect that technological
devices have on today’s youth often leads them to say and do crueler things compared to
what is typical in a traditional face-to-face bullying situation.

2.3 Importance of cyberbullying

When talking about cyberbullying, we are not dealing with a minor issue; we are
dealing with a serious problem that our society has been facing over several years. In the
schools, there had been many talks about this topic because bullying is a current problem in
there. We can see this in the definitions that we brought in the section of historical
background that has the word students in it. So, because of this we can see the importance
of this. These recommendations brought to the people are a good way to start the fight
against bullying. In these recent years, the technology has been growing up at huge steps.
Due to the pandemic this trend has multiply. The average time of daily use of social medias

5
(Definition of Bubllying, s.f.)
of teenagers before pandemic was of 55 minutes approximately. During the year of 2020,
the year of the pandemic, the average time of daily use was of 65 minutes. Because of this
growth and the effects that the pandemic has make in different people, the cases of
cyberbullying have grown too. But cyberbullying has not only occurred after the pandemic.
Before this, there was a bullying case in the United States of America, the example is the
one of Rosalie Avila, a 13-year old girl that suffered from cyberbullying. In 2017 due to
this continuous abuse that she was receiving, she committed suicide. In this case, we can
see the huge and terrible results that bullying and cyberbullying can have in the life of a
teenager.6 There are many other examples of this issue. The important thing is to help and
teach our society in a way that we can avoid this problematic and help those in need.

2.4 Types of cyberbullying

New technologies open the doors to a world of new possibilities, we can

communicate instantly with people who are thousands of kilometers away, visit any place
without leaving home, among others. But there are people who have preferred to use these
new technologies to harm or annoy others, starting with these behaviors such as
cyberbullying. School cyberbullying or cyberbullying is a case of bullying between minors
through telematics means such as mobile phones, social networks or online video games.

Cyberbullying is one of the dark sides of the Internet and social networks and
socialization through them. But this technological life increasingly "catch" us sooner,
which has given way to other problems. One of them is virtual harassment, which due to
the increase in hours in front of screens and within social networks can be aggravated. Not
only in the number of cases, but also in the types of cyberbullying that can affect children
and adults, anyone who is a user of the network. Internet, social networks and digital
devices have led to the development of different types of cyberbullying, to help recognize
these practices. We will see each of them below:

6
(Fox 11 LOS ANGELES, 2017)
2.4.1 Exclusion
Exclusion is the intentional act of excluding someone. This type of
cyberbullying is one of the most frequent types, because of the easy way of leaving
someone out of a group, the reason of doing this action are various, but the main
thing is that this can affect in a social way.

2.4.2 Harassment
Harassment is a persistent and intentional form of bullying, including
sending abusive or threatening messages to someone. This is a very dangerous form
of cyberbullying. This can have serious consequences in someone's health. These
messages are often unkind or malicious. They affect their self-esteem and
confidence, making them feel anxious. Constant messaging means cyberbullying
has no respite.

2.4.3 Outing
An outing is a deliberate act designed to embarrass or publicly shame your
child or group by posting sensitive, private or embarrassing information online
without their consent. Outings can happen in a number of ways. The information
disclosed can be serious or trivial. Reading someone’s saved messages on their
phone can also be considered a form of outing. Personal information should not be
shared, and a good way to treat with this type, is to make sure that the victim knows
to report it as cyberbullying to their authorities.

2.4.4 Web Tracking

This form of cyberbullying can extend into a point that can seriously
threatens someone’s physical health or safety. Cyberstalking can also refer to the
practice of adults using the Internet to contact and try to meet young people for
sexual activity. This is a very dangerous form of cyberbullying and can have serious
consequences if steps are not taken to stop it immediately.
2.4.5 Framing
Framing is when someone logs into the victim’s social media accounts and
impersonates the target by posting inappropriate content on their behalf. Fraping is a
very serious crime and many people find it fun and entertaining, but it is not.
Impersonating someone online and damaging their reputation can have serious
consequences.

2.4.6 Fake profiles

A fake profile can be created when someone pretends to be their real identity
with the intent of bullying the victim online. Cyberbullies can also use other email
addresses or cell phones to harass them. This can give the impression that someone
else is threatening. Cyberbullies are afraid of their identities being exposed; so, they
use fake accounts.

2.4.7 Trick
Tricks are the act of gaining the victim’s trust by revealing secret or
embarrassing information, which the cyberbully then shares publicly online.
Cyberbullies "befriend" them and give them a false sense of security before
breaking their trust and sharing their private information with anyone.

2.4.8 Trolling
Charges are made to deliberately provoke a reaction through the use of
insults or profanity on online forums and social networking sites. Trolls will
personally attack and hit a kid. The main goal is to get them angry enough to behave
in the same way. Trolls spend their time finding vulnerable people to take away.
They usually try to make themselves feel good by making others feel bad.
2.5 Causes of cyberbullying

Cyberbullying has been around for a while now, but people have just recently begun
realizing that the problem needs to be addressed. Let us look at some of the causes behind
cyberbullying and how everyone can do their part to prevent it.7

 Maximum development of social networks and the internet.

Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, are the social medias that
causes the most cases of cyberbullying among teenagers, because of its daily and constant
use.

 Access by children and adolescents.

We must say that the access by children and adolescents is another cause of
cyberbullying. These social networks and the Internet are of paramount importance when
they are used by children and young people.

 Lack of education in values.

Obviously, when a child or adolescent has values of respect, tolerance and kindness,
they will not have violent behaviors such as cyberbullying towards friends or
acquaintances.

 Children and adolescents without supervision.

In this space we will tell you that this is one of the most important causes of
cyberbullying because both parents and teachers are the ones who represent the authority of
children and young people. Therefore, it is recommended to have some vigilance regarding
the actions carried out by their children/students on the Internet.

7
(Mitchell, 2022)
 Interpersonal and group factors.

From this approach, aggressiveness between peers would arise in relation to the need
to establish social hierarchies, and associated with the tension between being accepted by
the peer group and at the same time individualize.

2.6 Consequences of cyberbullying

Any type of bullying can have physical and psychological effects on a child. For
example, unlike traditional bullying which is often limited to school and known bullies
cyberbullying can occur at any time, day or night, and be perpetrated by anonymous
sources. For instance, one study found that online pictures and posts were more damaging
than harassment received through text messaging or phone calls. While cyberbullying can
happen in a public digital space, like on social media post, it can also take the form of
private messages leaving some kids managing this secret, and its effect on them, alone.

Here is a list of the consequences of Cyberbulling8:

 Emotional Effects. They bring the following things such as humiliation, insolation,
anger and powerless.

 Mental Effects. The cyberbullying can affect in children, those can be depression,
anxiety, low self-esteem, academic issues, and self-harm.

 Behavioral Effects. This can affect most of the times in school or in their house
like using drugs or alcohol, skipping school, carry a weapon (shotgun, pistols or
knives)

 Physical Effects. Cyberbullying effects in the disordered eating, gastrointestinal

issues, and sleep disturbances.

8
(Gordon, 2022)
 Social Effects. That the children don’t go to social events, preferred to be alone,
and scary of the real world.

2.7 Statistics of cyberbullying

About 37% of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 have been bullied online.
Around 30% have had it happen more than once. They can be in social medias, or in video
games too. More than 70% of teenagers have a cell phone or a computer. 66% of young
people have social media. 85% of teens in our school are online, and the vast majority
access the internet on their mobile device, making it the most common medium for cyber
bullying.

This creates a whole new set of risks for children – and often adults too. The internet
creates not only a threat for teens who could fall victim to cyberbullying – but also the
potential for children to engage in online crimes, trolling, and cyberbullying themselves.
This makes cyberbullying a topic that all parents and guardians need to be aware of. 60
percent of parents with children aged 14 to 18 reported them being bullied in 2019.

Comparitech conducted a survey of over 1,000 parents of children over the age of 5. It
reveals an increasing number of parents have children who have experienced some form of
cyberbullying. Across Europe and the Americas, it also appears more parents are either
becoming aware of their children’s negative experiences with cyberbullying, or their
children are increasingly experiencing such attacks online.

One-fifth of all bullying occurs through social media, although the vast majority of
parents reported bullying in school, 19.2% stated that bullying occurred through social
media sites and apps. Meanwhile, 6.8% reported bullying occurred on non-social media
websites, while 3.3% indicated the bullying occurred through email.

Attitudes regarding the pandemic and lockdowns directly contributed to

cyberbullying, a study written by scholars working at the Universities of Florida and
Denver revealed that the global pandemic had a marked effect on cyberbullying levels on
Twitter. According to that study, the analysis of 454,046 publicly available tweets related to
cyberbullying revealed a direct correlation between the pandemic and cyberbullying
incidents.9

The study also revealed an increase in hate speech among children and teens that
correlated directly with an increase of COVID-19 infections within the populace. Statista
research shows that children spent around 20% more time on social media sites due to the
pandemic.

Most parents respond proactively after their children are cyberbullied. There are a
large number of ways parents can respond to cyberbullying, but it appears the most
common response is to talk to children about online safety. Parents may need to take more
steps to intervene. However, only 43.4% identified adjusting parental controls to block
offenders, only 33% implemented new rules for technology use, and only 40.6% saved the
evidence for investigators. Most teens have now experienced cyberbullying in some way.
Of these, 50% identified politics as the reason behind the incident.10

9
(Cook, 2022)
10
(Dixon, 2022)
 CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGICAL DESIGN

3.1 Hypothesis

Based on the necessity of making conscience of the mental health, the researches
called on seventh to eleventh grade students including one teachers and two psychologist of
Oasis Christian School. The research team implement the convince sampling procedures
taking into account the participants time, accessibility and willingness to participate in the
development of this action research to raise awareness of the consequences of
Cyberbulling.

3.2 Sampling Procedure

The procedure followed to obtain data will be through the administration of the
questionnaires by class group. In this questionnaire the questions cover two modalities:
situations of cyberbullying through the mobile phone and situations in which the Internet is
used. Questions have also been added that refer to the ways in which bullying is exercised,
to the comparison of cyberbullying with traditional abuse, to the feelings that cyberbullying
actions provoke in both victims and aggressors, and to the coping strategies used. We have
described the four items that refer to being a victim or aggressor using a mobile phone or
the Internet. We have also added questions related to participation in social networks, etc.

A small interview will also be carried out with 5 students per grade (7-9 grade) in
which a series of interviews are being carried out almost similar to the questionnaires but
we are going to delve into the subject a little more personally. Participants are assured of
the confidentiality of the data obtained and its exclusive use for research purposes. The
administration of the questionnaires will take around 20 minutes and will take place over a
month.
3.3 Preliminary Phase

People tend to think that cyberbullying is an ordinary thing that happens every day.
However, cyberbullying affects society and mostly teenagers in many aspects of their life
and school. And many investigations said that this affirmation is true, so that team is going
to confirm this hypothesis.

The main problems that affect teenagers have to do with the lack of attention of
their parents and the bad treatment that they receive from their online friends. They do not
pay attention to the reality and they try to ignore how their mental health is being affected.
The reason why we decide to study this type of problem is because we know there is going
to be an effective solution to solve this.

3.3.1 Approaching the field of study

As the team already mentioned in the document, the research topic focuses on
cyberbullying that develops on teenagers. The factor or reason that motivated the research
to carry out the research based on this topic is that cyberbullying has an important role in
the psychological life of teenagers, but over the years the team has noticed the difficulty
that is experienced by teenagers from the abuse suffer through cyberbullying. Something
that called our attention is the change of behavior in the school and with their parents, the
way they communicate with their friends and relatives is affected by this treatment suffered
in the actions of the cyberbullies.

To better understand the most influential factors within the problems that affect
teenagers, the team has decided to investigate students who have suffered cyberbullying
through a series of tools that will help us obtain more information about it. A list of the
tools to be used is going to be… With the results of these tools, it will be possible for us to
understand in a complete way how cyberbullying affects teenagers, and teen students in
several psychological ways.

3.3.2 Definition of the problem

By analyzing the preliminary results, the researchers could define the problem and
at the same time identify the others that form part of the scope of the research. The
preliminary data was useful to identify of often cyberbullying occurs, and what
psychological parts affects the teenagers in some aspects of their live. Some consequences
of cyberbullying have been the following: an increase in conflict and argumentative
behavior, misunderstandings, loneliness, and fewer connections. If there is no
communication of cyberbullying between parents, teachers, and teenagers they will not
know each other. Therefore, they will not develop a level of trust. Consequently, they will
hide things from each other and act like strangers. A way for solving this problem can be
spending more time talking about the things that happen to teenagers when using social
media.

3.4 Planning Phase

Planning is a crucial phase in any research work, as it sets the foundation for the
entire project. It involves defining the research question, identifying the objectives and
scope of the study, selecting appropriate research methods, and designing a feasible
research plan. The planning phase ensures that the research is conducted systematically,
efficiently, and effectively. he planning phase requires careful consideration of various
factors, including the research topic, the research question, the research design, the sample
size, the data collection and analysis methods, and the ethical considerations. It involves
consulting relevant literature, experts, and stakeholders, as well as seeking funding and
approval from the relevant authorities.

Therefore, in this phase, the researcher lays the groundwork for the entire research
project and establishes a roadmap that guides the research process from beginning to end. A
well-executed planning phase can save time, resources, and effort, and ensure that the
research project produces meaningful and impactful results.

3.4.1 Literature review

Cyberbullying is a growing concern among parents, educators, and mental health
professionals. With the rise of technology and social media, children are more vulnerable to
online harassment and abuse. In this literature review, we will explore the effects of
cyberbullying on a child's mental health, academic performance, and social life. We will
also discuss ways to prevent and address cyberbullying in schools and communities.

Cyberbullying can have severe negative effects on a child's mental health and well-
being. Studies have shown that children who are victims of cyberbullying experience
anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. They may also develop suicidal thoughts or
engage in self-harm as a coping mechanism. The anonymity of the internet can make
cyberbullying feel even more isolating and overwhelming for children. It is crucial for
parents and educators to recognize the signs of cyberbullying and provide support and
resources for affected children.

3.4.2 Operationalization of variables

To operationalize the variables, the first step was to breakdown the variables into
indicators. This was useful for the researchers to discard information that would not be
necessary for the development of the work. To gather reliable information, the research
team separated and studied the indicators previously mentioned in the theoretical
framework to analyses and measure the results without any problem. Those indicators were
essential for the development of the work to design the necessary tools for the research. In
this regard, the researchers clearly explained all the indicators so that the information would
not show results that are not relevant for the investigation.

Cyberbullying has become a rampant issue in today's digital world, especially

among children. It refers to the use of technology to harass, intimidate, or embarrass
someone. With the widespread use of social media and other online platforms,
cyberbullying has become a significant concern for parents, educators, and mental health
professionals. This essay will explore the operationalization of variables that explain how
cyberbullying affects kids. Cyberbullying can have severe emotional consequences on
children. They may feel isolated, anxious, depressed, and even suicidal. The emotional
distress caused by cyberbullying can affect their academic performance, social life, and
overall well-being. Studies have shown that children who experience cyberbullying may
suffer from low self-esteem, poor body image, and feelings of worthlessness. Therefore, it
is crucial to identify the emotional impact of cyberbullying on children to develop effective
prevention and intervention strategies.

3.4.3 Data collection instruments

The research group decided to use some of the instruments as questionaries’ and
some interviews to kids and the teachers to gather the best information possible to get the
best results on our research project, questionaries’ will contain as many questions as
possible and the interviews will be from 3-5 minutes each

3.4.4 Validation of data collection instruments

The team has taken special focus and attention when making up the instruments and
tools necessary for the research and investigate the reasons behind cyberbullying among the
students of seventh to tenth grade. To guarantee that the two instruments are well
structured, focused, understandable, and clear the research team validated the data
collection instruments in a phase of validation.

This phase for validation is basically asking and showing the instruments to some
work advisors, in this case being Marta Valle, Gerson Cuellar, and Mario Menendez, they
are going to be checking the clarity, conciseness, and effectiveness of each tool. Also, they
provided some extra information to the instruments that helped the team to improve the
tools for gathering information.

3.4.5 Validity & Reliability

Any research needs to have some fundamentals that support what is investigated. In
the case of the research the team knows the importance of having validity and reliability in
the investigation that the team is developing. For this to happen, first we have the validation
phase, which it is stated in the last point. From that the team has the security of having the
appropriate information and tools that provide us the validity for developing this research.
Another important point is going to be the interrogated people which those are the people
that provide us all the information we need to confirm the things that we have
hypothesized, with the answers the team are able to compare the examples from the
population interrogated with other examples in other sources in which we can see the
reliability of the research.
3.4.6 Ethical aspects
The researchers conducting the investigation are well-known of the issues that the
topic of cyberbullying can generate in the persons interrogated when responding the
instruments. For this the team is going to follow some ethical aspects when conducting and
using personal information from the subjects in the population making the identity of the
interrogated people anonymous. Also the team is going to respect the “non-maleficence
norm” which states the team are not going to harm or damage anybody or anything that the
population provides in the process of investigation.
 3.6 Timetable
2022 2023
Activity /month Responsible

May

May
Mar

Mar
Nov

Nov
Aug

Aug
Dec

Dec
Sep

Sep
Feb

Feb
Apr

Apr
Oct

Oct
Jun

Jun
Jan

Jan
Jul

Jul
Closing the topic Research
team
Approaching the Research
field of study team
Project proposal Research
team
Revision of the Advisor
project proposal
Methodological Research
design team
Revision of the Advisor
methodological
design
Data collection Research
instruments team
Execution of the Research
research project team
Treatment of Research
data team
Writing the final Research
report team
Revision of the Advisor
final report
Oral Research
presentation team
3.7 Budget
Budget
Office Supplies
Expenses Price Quantity Total
Paper package $5.00 1 $5.00
Folders $0.20 8 $1.60
Fasteners $0.05 8 $0.40
Stapler $3.00 1 $3.00
Pen $0.25 1 $0.25
Ink $9.00 4 $36.00
Notebook $1.50 1 $1.50
Subtotal: $47.75
Services
Expenses Price Quantity Total
Photocopies $0.15 300 $45.00
Impressions $0.10 200 $20.00
Anillado $3.00 4 $12.00
Food $30.00 1 $30.00
Subtotal: $107.00
Total: $154.75
 Chapter IV
Analysis and Interpretation of Data

4.1 Written Questionnaire

4.1.1 Closed-ended Questions

General Question 01

Female
Male 45%
55%

Female Male

As the researchers can see in the graph, the total population that participated in the
written questionnaires is mainly male. Out of the sixty-nine participants, thirty-one were
girls; meaning that it represents 45% of the whole sample. Besides, the team can see that
males represents 55% of the sample. The team can conclude that the responses are going to
be more representative of the male population.
 General Question 02
1%
18% 22%

22%

38%

12 13 14 15 16 17

As the researchers can see in the graph, the total population that participated in the
written questionnaires is mainly fifteen years old people. Out of the sixty-nine participants,
zero are twelve years old, seventeen are thirteen years old, seventeen are fourteen years old,
thirty are fifteen years old, fourteen are sixteen years old, and one is seventeen years old:
meaning that it represents 0% of the whole sample the age of twelve years old, the age of
thirteen years old represent 22% of the whole population, the fourteen years old represent
22% of the population, the fifteen years old represent 38% of the population, sixteen years
old represents 18% of the population, and the seventeen years old represent the 1% of the
population. The team can conclude that the responses are going to be more representative
of the fifteen years old population.
 General Question 03

25% 26%

24%
25%

7° 8° 9° 10°

As the researchers can see in the graph, the total population that participated in the
written questionnaires is mainly of seventh grade. Out of the sixty-nine participants,
seventh grade were eighteen people; meaning that it represents 26% of the whole sample,
eight grade were seventeen; meaning that it represents 25% of the whole population, ninth
grade were sixteen people; meaning that it represents 24% of the whole population.
Besides, the team can see that males just represented 25% of the sample. The team can
conclude that the responses are going to be more representative from the seventh graders
population.
 Specific Question 01

100%

Yes No

As the researchers can see in the graph, the whole population that participated in the
written questionnaires has an electronic device. Meaning that a 100% of the student have an
electronic device like cellphones, computers, and tablets. The team can conclude that a
100% of the population can have social media or online video games because all of them
have electronic device.
 Specific Question 02
3%

97%

Yes No

As the researchers can see in the graph, the majority population that participated in
the written questionnaires have any social media. Out of the sixty-nine participants, sixty-
seven persons have a social media; meaning that it represents 97% of the whole sample.
Besides, the team can see that only two people have no social medias, and that is just
represented by a 2% of the sample. The team can conclude that the majority of the
population have a social media, that means that there is more possibility to have a case of
cyberbullying through social medias.
 Specific Question 03

3%

17%

49%

30%

1h-3h 4h-6h +6h No response

As the researchers can see in the graph, the majority of the population that
participated in the written questionnaires spends only 1 hour-3 hours in their social media.
Out of the sixty-nine participants, thirty-four spend 1 hour to 3 hours in their social media;
meaning that it represents 51% of the whole sample. Also, the team can see that twenty-one
people spend 4 hours to 6 hours a day in their social medias, this represents 31% of the
sample. And, the twelve people spend more than 6 hours a day in their social medias,
represents 18% of the entire sample, and two people of the whole population did not
respond, which only represent 3% of the population. These percentages are useful to the
team since there shows how much time the population spends on social networks and in
this way the team can determine how long they are exposed to different risks, such as
cyberbullying in this case.
 Specific Question 04

23%

77%

Yes No

As the researchers can see in the graph, the majority of the population that
participated in the written questionnaires plays online videogames. Out of the sixty-nine
participants, fifty-four people play online videogames; meaning that it represents 77% of
the whole sample. Besides, the team can see that sixteen people play online videogames
that is just represented by a 23% of the sample. These percentages are important and useful,
since the team can know if the population plays video games, since one of the main causes
for cyberbullying is due to the video game platforms since they are exposed to verbal
aggression from other people.
 Specific Question 05
8%

20%

72%

1h-3h 4h-6h +6h

As the researchers can see in the graph, the majority of the population that
participated in the written questionnaires spends 1 hour to 3 hours playing online
videogames. Out of the sixty-nine participants, forty-four people spend 1 hour to 3 hours
playing online videogames; meaning that it represents 72% of the whole sample. Also, the
team can see that twelve people spend 4 hours to 6 hours playing online videogames and
that represents 20% of the sample. And, only five people spend more than 6 hours playing
online videogames. The team can conclude that out of the people that plays video games,
the majority is not going to be more exposed to these situations since they only spend 1
hour to 3 hours.
 Specific Question 06
12%
19%

12%

41%

16%

Photos and videos have been published that bothered you.

They have threatened you.
You have been made fun of because of your physical appearance, your photos, or the way you express yourself.
You have been criticized.
You have been teased continuously and excessively.

As the researchers can see in the graph, the total population that participated in the
written questionnaires has suffer one of these situations, is also important to know that in
this question the students were able to choose more than one answer. Out of the sixty-nine
participants, twenty-eight people have been criticized; meaning that it represents 41% of
the whole sample. Also, the team can see that thirteen people have felt bothered by photos
and videos of then published and that represents 19% of the sample. Also, the team can see
that eleven people have been made fun of because of their physical appearance, photos, or
the way they express themselves and that represents 16% of the sample. And, the team can
see that only eight people have been teased continuously and excessively, and has been
threatened and both of those situations represent 12% of the sample. The team can conclude
that the investigated population is suffering or has suffered cyberbullying in the following
ways such as the publication of photos and videos without their consent, they have been
threatened, they have been mocked because of their physical appearance, because of their
last photos or because of the way they express themselves, they have been continuously and
excessively mocked by all platforms, they have also been continuously harassed.
 Specific Question 07
1%

21%

78%

Yes No A little bit

As the researchers can see in the graph, the majority of the population that
participated in the written questionnaires has not been affected according to the
questionnaire by the situations that were in the previous question. Out of the sixty-nine
participants, fifty-three have not been affected by the situations; meaning that it represents
78% of the whole sample. Also, the team can see that fourteen people have been affected a
little bit by the situations and that represents 21% of the sample. And, only one person has
been affected seriously by the situations presented, and that represents only 1% of the
whole sample. The team can conclude that the majority of the teenagers from 7 th to 10th
grade of ECO Santa Ana, even though a lot of them have suffered the situations from the
previous questions, the majority of them have not been affected by these situations.
 Specific Question 08
11%

89%

Yes No

As the researchers can see in the graph, the majority of the population that
participated in the written questionnaires has not asked for help from any adult about the
previous situations, meaning that they have not been on cyberbullying or they did not
search for help. Out of the sixty-nine participants, fifty-eight have not asked for help;
meaning that it represents 89% of the whole sample. Besides, the team can see that only
seven people have asked for help and that just is represented by 11% of the sample,
meaning that they have been on the situations that are represented on specific question 06.
The team can conclude that the majority of people has not asked for help from any adult
meaning either they do not need help from an adult or that they do not feel like asking for
help.
 Specific Question 09

17%

56%
27%

Yes A little bit No

As the researchers can see in the graph, the majority of the population that
participated in the written questionnaires has not ask for a solution asking for help to an
adult, because they do not have problems with cyberbullying. Out of the sixty-nine
participants, thirty-five have not ask for any solution when asking for help to an adult;
meaning that it represents 56% of the whole sample. Also, the team can see that seventeen
people have seen a little bit of a solution when asking for help and that represents 27% of
the sample, meaning that they just told to someone about the problem and do not ask for a
solution and only eleven people have asked for a solution when asking for help and that
represents 17% of the whole sample, meaning that they find a solution to get out of the
problem.
4.1.2. Opened-ended Questions

Question 01
2%

98%

Social medias No

As the researchers can see in the graph, the vast majority of the population uses a
social media. Out of the fifty-four people who answer, fifty-three people wrote that they use
social medias such as Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, BeReal, WhatsApp,
TikTok, and others. While only one did not respond. So the team can conclude that the
majority of the population uses a great variety of social medias, so the problems of
cyberbullying can be found a lot of social medias.
 Question 02
4%
7%

50%

39%

Social Consequence Mental Consequence No Answer Non Useful

As the researchers can see in the graph, half of the population that responded this
question relate suffering from cyberbullying with having social consequences. Out of the
fifty-four people, twenty-seven wrote about having social consequences which is 50% of
the total population. Another twenty-one people wrote about having mental consequences
related to suffering some cases of cyberbullying which represents 39% of the total
population. And then, a 7% of the population did not answer and another 4% wrote non
useful information. The team can conclude that most of the teenagers relates suffering from
cyberbullying with having any social consequences.
 Question 03
9% 4%

28%

59%

Social Problem Mental Problem No Answer Non useful

As the researchers can see in the graph, more than half of the population that
responded this question did not answer this question since they selected answer choice NO
to the specific question 07. Out of the fifty-four people, thirty-two wrote anything which is
59% of the total population. Another fifteen people wrote about having mental problems
related to suffering some cases of cyberbullying which represents 28% of the total
population. Also, only two people wrote about having a social problem which represents
4% of the total population and five people wrote non useful information which was 9% of
the total population. The team can conclude that most cases where teenagers suffered from
any situation related to cyberbullying they are going to have a mental problem.
 Question 04
2%
9%

9%

44%
7%

28%

Not Important Have not suffered any situation Does not want to talk
Is Useful and Important No Answer Non Useful

As the researchers can see in the graph, almost half of the population that responded
this question related to the specific question 08 thinks that it is not important asking for
help to any adult when facing a problem related to cyberbullying. Out of the fifty-four
people, twenty-four wrote about thinking that is not important asking for help which
represents 45% of the total population. Another fourteen people wrote about not asking for
help to any adult because they have not experienced any type of cyberbullying which
represents 26% of the total population. Another four people wrote about not asking for help
to any adult because they do not want to talk to an adult, either they do not have confidence
doing it, is uncomfortable, or simply they do not want to talk about it and they represent 7%
of the total population. But, there are five people that wrote that is useful and important
asking for help to any adult when facing these situations and they represent 9% of the total
population. Then there are five people that do not wrote an answer that represents 9% of the
total population and one person that wrote non useful information that represents only 2%
of the total population. The team can conclude that a lot of teenagers think that asking for
help is not important either because they think they can handle the situation or they do not
care about the things and that only five teenagers thinks the opposite.
 Chapter V
Conclusion & Recommendations

5.1 Conclusions

In conclusion, this research project delved into the significant and concerning issue
of how cyberbullying affects the psychological well-being of adolescents in the 7th to 10th
grades. The findings of this study have shed light on the adverse effects of cyberbullying on
young individuals, both in terms of emotional and psychological consequences. The
prevalence of cyberbullying in this age group is a cause for concern, as the digital
landscape becomes an increasingly integral part of their lives.

The study revealed that cyberbullying has a profound impact on the mental health of
adolescents. Victims of cyberbullying frequently experience heightened levels of anxiety,
depression, stress, and lowered self-esteem. The anonymity and distance afforded by online
platforms often intensify the negative effects of cyberbullying, making it difficult for
victims to escape from the distressing situation. Furthermore, the results indicated that the
psychological effects of cyberbullying could potentially lead to long-term mental health
challenges if not addressed promptly and effectively.

Moreover, the research explored the relationship between adolescents' use of

electronic devices, social media engagement, and online gaming habits. The data indicated
that a significant portion of the target age group owned electronic devices and were active
on various social media platforms, including YouTube and Twitch. Many respondents also
reported spending a substantial amount of time on video games. The correlation between
increased digital engagement and susceptibility to cyberbullying was noteworthy,
suggesting that a higher degree of online presence might expose adolescents to a greater
risk of cyberbullying incidents.
 In response to the additional questions posed regarding the experiences of
cyberbullying on social media and online gaming platforms, a considerable number of
respondents reported having encountered such situations. This highlights the pervasiveness
of cyberbullying across various online spaces and reinforces the urgency of addressing the
issue comprehensively.

5.2 Recommendations

5.2.1 For students

 Preventive Strategies Evaluation: Investigate the effectiveness of different preventive
measures and educational programs in schools to mitigate the occurrence of
cyberbullying and its impact on students' psychological well-being.
 Digital Literacy and Resilience: Explore how promoting digital literacy skills and
emotional resilience among students can help them cope with cyberbullying incidents
and reduce its psychological toll.
 Parental Involvement Impact: Examine the role of parental involvement in addressing
cyberbullying, including how open communication and parental guidance can influence
students' ability to handle online conflicts.
 Comparative Analysis of Platforms: Compare the psychological impact of
cyberbullying across various online platforms (social media, messaging apps, gaming
communities) to understand the differing effects and reasons behind them.
 Long-term Effects: Conduct a longitudinal study to investigate the long-term
psychological consequences of cyberbullying on individuals as they transition from
middle school (7th grade) to high school (10th grade) and beyond.
 Bystander Interventions: Explore the potential positive impact of bystander
interventions in online bullying scenarios and how intervening peers can contribute to
reducing the psychological harm experienced by victims.
 Cultural and Gender Differences: Investigate how cultural backgrounds and gender
influence the experience and psychological effects of cyberbullying among students in
different grades.
 Counseling and Support Efficacy: Evaluate the effectiveness of school-based
counseling services and online support groups in helping cyberbullying victims cope
with the associated psychological challenges.
 Legal and Ethical Considerations: Examine the legal and ethical implications of
cyberbullying, including the potential consequences for perpetrators, and how legal
measures might contribute to victims' psychological recovery.
 Technology's Role in Intervention: Explore the potential of technology-based
interventions, such as AI-driven tools or mobile apps, in identifying and preventing
cyberbullying instances and supporting affected students.

5.2.2 For parents

 Open Communication: Foster an environment where your child feels comfortable
discussing their online experiences. Encourage them to share any incidents of
cyberbullying without fear of punishment.
 Digital Literacy Education: Teach your child about responsible online behavior, privacy
settings, and how to use social media and digital platforms safely. Help them
understand the consequences of their online actions.
 Set Boundaries: Establish guidelines for screen time, device usage, and social media
engagement. Make sure your child knows when and how to disconnect to maintain a
healthy balance between online and offline activities.
 Monitor Online Activity: Regularly check your child's online profiles and interactions.
Use parental control tools and privacy settings to help protect them from potential
cyberbullying situations.
 Encourage Empathy: Teach your child the importance of treating others with kindness
and respect, both offline and online. Instilling empathy can help them understand the
impact of their words and actions on others.
 Bystander Empowerment: Explain the significance of standing up against cyberbullying
as a bystander. Encourage your child to support friends who might be experiencing
bullying and report any incidents they witness.
 Stay Informed: Keep up to date with the latest social media trends, apps, and online
platforms your child is using. This will allow you to better understand their digital
world and potential risks.
 Create a Supportive Environment: Ensure your child knows they can turn to you for
help if they encounter cyberbullying. Reassure them that you are there to support and
guide them through any challenges they face online.
 Model Healthy Online Behavior: Set a positive example by practicing respectful and
responsible online behavior yourself. Children often learn by observing their parents'
actions.
 Collaborate with Schools: Stay engaged with your child's school to understand their
policies on cyberbullying prevention and intervention. Work together with educators to
create a safe online environment for students.
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