Prevalence of Cyberbullying in Patients Presenting to the Pediatric Emergency Department

Abstract

Objectives: Mental health (MH) complaints are increasingly responsible for visits to pediatric emergency departments (PEDs). Bullying is associated with MH problems. Most adolescents use social media and many experience problems with cyberbullying (CB). This study determines prevalence of CB in MH and non-MH adolescents in a PED, describes technology use in these groups, and measures influence of CB on presentation to the PED and on thoughts/acts of self-harm.

Methods: A prospective survey was administered to a convenience sample of 149 patients aged 11 to 17 years in a PED. Data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistical methods.

Results: Cyberbullying was significantly more common in MH than in the non-MH patients (17% vs 3%, P = 0.007). More MH patients reported that bullying led to the current PED visit than that in the non-MH group (25% vs 10%, P = 0.02), and they were significantly more likely to report that CB led to self-harm (22% vs 4%, P = 0.003). Mental health participants who spent more than 3 hours on the Internet report higher levels of bullying than non-MH patients (38% vs 6%, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Prevalence of bullying in MH patients presenting to a PED is significantly greater than controls, and CB caused more MH patients to have acts or thoughts of self-harm. Bullying is a risk factor for self-harm and suicide in patients with MH problems. Future studies should evaluate CB as part of suicide screening tools for emergency MH patients.