A Canadian study observed the consequences of online harassment on the mental health of young adolescents.
- Cyberbullying mainly affects young girls aged on average 13 years old.
- Adolescent victims and perpetrators of online harassment may be at greater risk of developing eating and psychological disorders.
- In detail, cyberbullying has been associated with anorexia nervosa and binge eating disorder.
Nearly 20% of children have already been confronted with a situation of cyberbullying, according to a study by the Caisse d’Épargne and the e-Enfance Associationpublished in October 2021. According to the results, cases of online harassment mainly concern young girls aged on average 13 years old.
A correlation between cyberbullying and eating disorders
As part of a study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, Researchers from the University of Toronto (Canada) examined the link between cyberbullying and the risk of eating disorders among young adolescents aged 10 to 14.
For the purposes of this research, the scientific team examined data from a study, called “Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD)”, focusing on the development of the brain of adolescents. Nearly 11,875 children aged 10 to 14 took part in the work. The latter answered questions about cyberbullying, in particular whether they had been victims or perpetrators, and whether they had subsequently presented symptoms of eating disorders.
Fear of gaining weight, overeating… The consequences of cyber-bullying on the mental health of adolescents
The findings of the study are alarming. The results revealed that victims, but also those responsible for cyberbullying, would be more at risk of suffering from eating and psychological disorders. Cyberbullying has notably been associated with:
- fear of gaining weight;
- self-esteem linked solely to weight;
- inappropriate compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain (eating few calories, making yourself vomit, ingesting laxatives, etc.);
- anorexia nervosa;
- Binge eating disorder, an eating disorder (EDB), which consists of ingesting food in large quantities over a short period of time without being able to stop.
“This study highlights the need for further research into the links between cyberbullying and the mental well-being of young adolescents (…) In particular, future research should focus on the existence of associations between online bullying and specific eating disorders in young adolescents”noted Kyle T. Ganson, co-author of the study and assistant professor in the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto.