Cyberbullying in Middle School: Perceptions of Students in Special Education and General Education

Cyberbullying is defined as the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, which is intended to harm others. This is a problem in educational settings due to the impact of cyberbullying on students; learning, mental health, and social development. This study examined middle school students; perceptions of cyberbullying. Participants included three general education students and three special education students. Results indicated that students feel parents cannot help prevent or intervene with cyberbullying. Respondents receiving special education services were less likely to know about cyberbullying. Furthermore, general education students perceived their special education counterparts as more vulnerable to cyberbullying. School psychologists can be key personal in working in school environments and school communities to prevent and address cyberbullying