The contextualized rapid resolution cycle intervention model for cyberbullying

The increasing global issue of cyberbullying is affecting the social, emotional, and cognitive development of students both within and outside school boundaries. On the local level, stakeholders (children, parents, educators) are struggling to respond without negating the many positive opportunities technology affords youth. The deck is stacked against them-because of fast-changing technologies, its increasing availability, changes in adolescent culture, and the growing adult-teen digital divide. The purposes of this study are to understand how gender affects cyber-bullying among middle school students, and formulate a contextualized rapid resolution cycle intervention model at the local school level. Cyberbully data were collected online from 229 students (109 boys, 120 girls) at a middle school in a predominantly white, suburban area of the southwest United States. Results indicated that both girls and boys commonly viewed cyberbullying as a problem, agreed on the most widespread forms of cyberbullying, and were equally likely to be a cyberbully/cybervictim. Observational and statistical differences were found in the type of tools used by each gender to cyberbully others, and reasons for intimidation. In high frequency categories, boys were more predominant cyberbullies/cybervictims than girls. Both genders equally expressed indications that adults do not understand cyberbully issues. The study concludes that a local school polling-based model is needed to quickly provide data for school administrators to formulate specific interventions in a team approach with all stakeholders. Poll feedback to the school and community should identify considerations for changes in teaching practices and policies. This model provides a strategy for empowering students, detecting needs for school reform, and bridging the communication gap between adolescents and adults