Prevalence of cyberbullying and associated factors among adolescents in Dubai schools: complex design survey - 2019

Cyberbullying is a recognized public health threat with established links to physical and mental health problems. A 2-stage stratified random cluster analysis of data from a self-administered survey on health-related behaviours including 1,683 adolescents from 28 government and private schools estimated the prevalence of cyberbullying and examined potentially related psychological and behavioural factors. We identified loneliness, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, sadness, lack of parental understanding, tobacco use, school absenteeism, and physical fights as associated factors. However, logistic regression found statistically significant higher odds only for experiencing sadness and loneliness, school absenteeism and physical fights, indicating reduction in these factors as the primary goals of comprehensive cyberbullying prevention programs to protect the health and wellbeing of adolescent.

Automated summary

Cyberbullying is a recognized public health threat with established links to physical and mental health problems. A study found that loneliness, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, sadness, lack of parental understanding, tobacco use, school absenteeism, and physical fights are associated factors. The primary goals of comprehensive cyberbullying prevention programs should be reducing sadness and loneliness, school absenteeism, and physical fights to protect the health and wellbeing of adolescents.