The researchers in Gävle have followed student responses in surveys from 2016 to 2024 and see that cyberbullying has increased sharply during these years.
Cyberbullying is increasing
They see that the bullying often takes place via social media and that the increase has a clear connection with the impact of Snapchat and TikTok.
– Exclusion is common, groups are formed where some are not allowed to join, and in Snapchat you can see who is with whom via the map function, and it becomes easy to think “why can’t I join”, says Davoud Masoumi, associate professor in didactics at the University of Gävle, and the main author of the study.
The results of the study show the importance of cooperation between school staff, students and parents in order to counter cyberbullying (see more in the fact box at the bottom).
Suicide as the worst consequence
How school staff handle cyberbullying is crucial, says lead author Davoud Masoumi.
– There are cases where the vulnerable child raised the alarm without the teacher listening, and where it ended in suicide. Teachers have a central role in children’s development, says Davoud Masoumi.
The research group suggests seven points that the school can work on to reduce cyberbullying. But how do they know the methods work?
Lots of research on the subject
Silvia Edling, who has also participated in the study, highlights that bullying is a subject that has been extensively researched, both nationally and internationally.
– Study after study shows that a positive school environment promotes security. By positive school environment, I mean strong relationships between both teachers and students, and in the student group. That the school works a lot with soft values, while there are clear structures, says Silvia Edling.
Do the same strategies against cyberbullying work as against bullying at school?
– We don’t know for sure. More research is needed there. But there is no sharp dividing line between them. Cyberbullying is also people interacting with each other in a room. The classroom is a room, the corridor is a room, the school yard is a room and Tiktok is a room.
1. Systematic school surveys to map bullying patterns. One example is the Gävlemodellen, a survey run by Gävle municipality, the schools in Gävleborg county, and the University of Gävle and which is conducted twice a year in the county’s schools.
2. Strengthen relationships between students and school staff. Creating close relationships between teachers and children is an important factor. Teachers have a decisive role in children’s development and if the relationship is strong, bullying decreases.
3. Team building activities which promotes inclusion in student groups.
4. Increased cooperation with parents to raise awareness of children’s digital behaviour.
5. Using the expertise of the school health team to identify and prevent bullying.
6. Training for school staff in digital competence and identification of cyberbullying.
7. Designing specific interventions for girls who are often subjected to more subtle bullying.
Source: The study School staff strategies for identifying dealing with and preventing cyberbullying among Swedish primary school pupils, which was made by Davoud Masoumi, Maryam Bourbour, Silvia Edling, Peter Gill and Guadalupe Francia, at the University of Gävle.
About the study: 25 school employees at three primary schools in an unnamed municipality were interviewed: teachers, principals and school health care staff.
Another task on the teachers’ desk? Hear researcher Silvia Edling about the role of teachers in reducing cyberbullying.