Volume index - Journal index - Article index - Map ---- Back


Comunicar Journal 62: Learning ecologies in the digital age (Vol. 28 - 2020)

Bullying and cyberbullying in LGBT adolescents: Prevalence and effects on mental health

https://doi.org/10.3916/C62-2020-07

Maite Garaigordobil

Enara Larrain

Abstract

Bullying and cyberbullying have negative consequences on adolescents’ mental health. The study had two objectives: 1) to analyze possible differences in sexual orientation (heterosexual and non-heterosexual) in the percentage of victims and aggressors of bullying/cyberbullying, as well as the amount of aggressive behavior suffered and carried out; 2) to compare the mental health of adolescent heterosexual and non-heterosexual victims, aggressors, cybervictims, and cyberaggressors. Participants included 1,748 adolescents from the Basque Country, aged between 13 and 17 years (52.6% girls, 47.4% boys), 12.5% non-heterosexuals, 87.5% heterosexuals, who completed 4 assessment instruments. A descriptive and comparative cross-sectional methodology was used. The results confirm that: 1) the percentage of victims and cybervictims was significantly higher in non-heterosexuals, but the percentage of heterosexual and non-heterosexual aggressors and cyberaggressors was similar; 2) non-heterosexual victims and cybervictims had suffered significantly more aggressive bullying/cyberbullying; 3) non-heterosexual victims and aggressors of bullying exhibited significantly more depression, social anxiety, and psychopathological symptoms (somatization, obsession-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity…) than heterosexuals; 4) non-heterosexual cybervictims and cyberaggressors displayed more depression and more psychopathological symptoms, but no differences were found in social anxiety. The importance of intervening from the family, school, and society to reduce bullying/cyberbullying and enhance respect for sexual diversity is discussed.

Keywords

Bullying, cyberbullying, LGBT-phobia, sexual orientation, prevalence, mental health, homophobia, school violence

PDF file in Spanish

PDF file in English

References

Abreu, R.L., & Kenny, M.C. (2018). Cyberbullying and LGBTQ youth: A systematic literature review and recommendations for prevention and intervention. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 11(1), 81-97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-017-0175-7

Baiocco, R., Pistella, J., Salvati, M., Salvatore, I., & Lucidi, F. (2018). Sports as risk environment: Homophobia and bullying in a simple of gay and heterosexual men. Journal of Gai & Lesbian Mental Health, 22(4), 385-411. https://doi.org/10.1080/19359705.2018.1489325

Beck, A.T., Steer, R.A., & Brown, G.K. (1996). BDI-II. Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition Manual. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.

Birkett, M., & Espelage, D.L. (2015). Homophobic name-calling, peer-groups, and masculinity: The socialization of homophobic behavior in adolescents. Social Development, 24(1), 184-205. https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12085

Birkett, M., Newcomb, M.E., & Mustanski, B. (2015). Does it get better? A longitudinal analysis of psychological distress and victimization in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 56(3), 280-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.10.275

Bouris, A., Everett, B.G., Heath, R.D., Elsaesser, C.E., & Neilands, T.B. (2016). Effects of victimization and violence on suicidal ideation and behaviors among sexual minority and heterosexual adolescents. LGBT Health, 3(2), 153-161. https://doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.2015.0037

Camodeca, M., Baiocco, R., & Posa, O. (2018). Homophobic bullying and victimization among adolescents: The role of prejudice, moral disengagement, and sexual orientation. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 16(5), 503-521. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2018.1466699

COGAM (Ed.) (2016). Ciberbullying LGBT-fóbico. Nuevas formas de intolerancia. Madrid: FELGTB, Colectivo de Lesbianas, Gays, Transexuales y Bisexuales de Madrid.

Collier, K.L., Bos, H.M., & Sandfort, T.G. (2013). Homophobic name-calling among secondary school students and its implications for mental health. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 42(3), 363-375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9823-2

Cooper, R.M., & Blumenfeld, W.J. (2012). Responses to cyberbullying: A descriptive analysis of the frequency of and impact on LGBT and allied youth. Journal of LGBT Youth, 9(2), 153-177. https://doi.org/10.1080/19361653.2011.649616

Derogatis, L.R. (2002). SCL-90-R. Cuestionario de 90 síntomas revisado. Madrid: TEA.

Duong, J., & Bradshaw, C. (2014). Associations between bullying and engaging in aggressive and suicidal behaviors among sexual minority youth: The moderating role of connectedness. Journal of School Health, 84(10), 636-645. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12196

Earnshaw, V.A., Reisner, S.L., Menino, D., Poteat, V.P. Bogart, L.M., Barnes, T.N., & Schuste, M.A. (2018). Stigma-based bullying interventions: A systematic review. Developmental Review, 48, 178-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2018.02.001

Elipe, P., De-la-Oliva Muñoz, M., & Del-Rey, R. (2017). Homophobic bullying and cyberbullying: Study of a silenced problem. Journal of Homosexuality, 65(5), 672-686. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2017.1333809

Espelage, D.L., Hong, J.S., Merrin, G.J., Davis, J.P., Rose, C.A., & Little, T.D. (2017). A longitudinal examination of homophobic name-calling in middle school: Bullying, traditional masculinity, and sexual harassment as predictors. Psychology of Violence, 8(1), 57-66. https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000083

Ferlatte, O., Dulai, J., Hottes, T.S., Trussler, T., & Marchand, R. (2015). Suicide related ideation and behavior among Canadian gay and bisexual men: A syndemic analysis. BMC Public Health, 15:597. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1961-5

Garaigordobil, M. (2013). Cyberbullying. Screening de acoso entre iguales. Screening del acoso escolar presencial (bullying) y tecnológico (cyberbullying). Madrid: TEA.

Garaigordobil, M. (2017). Psychometric properties of the cyberbullying test, a screening instrument to measure cybervictimization, cyberaggression, and cyberobservation. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 32(23), 3556-3576. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260515600165

Garaigordobil, M. (2018). Bullying y cyberbullying: Estrategias de evaluación, prevención e intervención. Barcelona: Oberta UOC Publishing.

Garaigordobil, M., & Martínez-Valderrey, V. (2014). Cyberprogram 2.0. Un programa de intervención para prevenir y reducir el ciberbullying. Madrid: Pirámide.

Garaigordobil, M., & Martínez-Valderrey, V. (2015). Cyberprogram 2.0: Effects of the intervention on ‘face-to-face’ bullying, cyberbullying, and empathy. Psicothema, 27, 45-51. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2014.78

Garaigordobil, M., & Martínez-Valderrey, V. (2018). Technological resources to prevent cyberbullying during adolescence: The cyberprogram 2.0 program and the cooperative cybereduca 2.0 videogame. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 745. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00745

Gegenfurtner, A., & Gebhardt, M. (2017). Sexuality education including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues in schools. Educational Research Review, 22, 215-222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2017.10.002

Generelo, J., Garchitorena, M., Montero, P., & Hidalgo, P. (2012). Acoso escolar homofóbico y riesgo de suicidio en adolescentes y jóvenes LGB. Madrid: FELGTB.

Kosciw, J.G., Greytak, E.A., Giga, N.M., Villenas, C., & Danischewski, D.J. (2016). The 2015 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth in our nation’s schools. New York: GLSEN.

La-Greca, A.M., & Stone, W.L. (1993). Social anxiety scale for children-revised: Factor structure and concurrent validity. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 22, 17-27. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15374424jccp2201_2

Luong, C.T., Rew, L., & Banner, M. (2018). Suicidality in young men who have sex with men: A systematic review of the literature. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 39(1), 37-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2017.1390020

Martxueta, A., & Etxeberria, J. (2014). Análisis diferencial retrospectivo de las variables de salud mental en lesbianas, gais y bisexuales (LGB) víctimas de bullying homofóbico en la escuela. Revista de Psicopatología y Psicología Clínica, 19(1), 23-35. https://doi.org/10.5944/rppc.vol.19.num.1.2014.12980

Olivares, J., Ruiz, J., Hidalgo, M.D., García-López, L.J., Rosa, A.I., & Piqueras, J.A. (2005). Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A): Psychometric properties in a Spanish-speaking population. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 5(1), 85-97. http://www.redalyc.org/html/337/33701005/

Pichardo, J.I., Molinuelo, B., Rodríguez, P.O., Martín, N., & Romero, M. (2007). Actitudes ante la diversidad sexual de la población adolescente de Coslada (Madrid) y San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Gran Canaria). Madrid: FELGTB.

Poteat, V.P., & Espelage, D.L. (2005). Exploring the relation between bullying and homophobic verbal content: The Homophobic Content Agent Target (HCAT) Scale. Violence and Victims, 20(5), 513-528. https://doi.org/10.1891/0886-6708.2005.20.5.513

Quintanilla, R., Sánchez-Loyo, L.M., Correa-Márquez, P., & Luna-Flores, F. (2015). Proceso de adaptación de la homosexualidad y la homofobia asociados a la conducta suicida en varones homosexuales. Masculinities and Social Change, 4(1), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.4471/mcs.2015.58

Sanz, J., García-Vera, M.P., Espinosa, R., Fortún, M., & Vázquez, C. (2005). Adaptación española del Inventario para la Depresión de Beck-II (BDI-II): 3. Propiedades psicométricas en pacientes con trastornos psicológicos. Clínica y Salud, 16(2), 121-142. https://bit.ly/2LqIlzt

Save the Children (Ed.) (2016). Yo a eso no juego. Bullying y ciberbullying en la infancia. Madrid: Save the Children España.

Shields, J.P., Whitaker, K., Glassman, J., Franks, H.M., & Howard, K. (2012). Impact of victimization on risk of suicide among lesbian, gay, and bisexual high school students in San Francisco. Journal of Adolescent Health, 50(4), 418-420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.07.009

Toomey, R.B., & Russell, S.T. (2016). The role of sexual orientation in school-based victimization: A meta-analysis. Youth & Society, 48(2), 176-201. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X13483778

Wang, C.C., Lin, H.C., Chen, M.H., Ko, N.Y., Chang, Y.P., Lin, I.M., & Yen, C. F. (2018). Effects of traditional and cyber homophobic bullying in childhood on depression, anxiety, and physical pain in emerging adulthood and the moderating effects of social support among gay and bisexual men in Taiwan. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 14, 1309-1317. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S164579

Ybarra, M.L., Mitchell, K.J., Kosciw, J.G., & Korchmaros, J.D. (2014). Understanding linkages between bullying and suicidal ideation in a national sample of LGB and heterosexual youth in the United States. Prevention Science, 16(3), 451-462. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-014-0510-2