What is cyberbullying and its typical adolescent impacts?

• A. Bullying conducted via electronic means; associated with anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
• B. Positive online interactions.
• C. Slander only among peers with consent.
• D. Physical bullying in person with no emotional effect.

Answer: (A)

Cyberbullying is bullying conducted through electronic devices and online platforms, such as text messages, social media, or forums. In adolescence, this form of harassment is especially harmful because it can be pervasive, anonymous, and widely shared, making it hard to escape. The typical emotional and psychological impacts for teens include heightened anxiety, depressive symptoms, and lower self-esteem, which can spill over into sleep, school performance, and social relationships. This combination of a digital, ongoing exposure and the vulnerability of developmental peers explains why the electronic, repeated nature of harm is central to cyberbullying and why its effects tend to cluster around mood and self-perception issues.

Positive online interactions aren’t bullying at all. Slander in a context of consent doesn’t fit the pattern of ongoing, targeted online harassment, and bullying is not limited to in-person events nor free of emotional consequences.