PREVALENCE OF VICTIMIZATION IN THE CYBER WORLD: AN ANALYSIS OF THE PSYCHO-SOCIAL IMPACT OF BULLYING ON YOUTH

Abstract

Cyberbullying has become a widespread issue among youth, having a significant impact on their general well-being, social connections, and mental health in the digital age. This study explored the psychological and social impacts of cyberbullying on youth in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan, using Urie Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory as its theoretical framework. The research highlighted the interplay between victim experiences and their immediate and broader social milieu. The objectives include investigating the relationship between cyberbullying and increased melancholy, depression, and social isolation, as well as its association with retaliatory or criminal tendencies among victims. Hypotheses posit that cyberbullying leads to heightened anxiety, social isolation, and a propensity for revengeful behaviors. Convenience sampling was employed to gather data from 150 university students aged 20 to 27 via an online survey. Seventy-seven of these respondents were found to have been direct victims of cyberbullying. An online questionnaire was designed to collect data, and descriptive statistics were used for quantitative analysis. Important discoveries showed that the culprits were often unknown individuals, friends, or close acquaintances. Forms of cyberbullying included hostile remarks, ID hacking, and blackmailing, eventually led to significant mental wellbeing challenges such as anxiety, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), along with social repercussions like aggression, academic decline, strained interpersonal relation, and  revengeful behavior. The study recommended the critical need for interventions at multiple levels, including awareness campaigns, enhancing trust between parents and children, and improving law enforcement responses. Social media platforms must implement stricter measures to address abusive behaviors