Use and Abuse of the Internet: Parental Knowledge of Cyber Bullying in Middle School

Abstract

The current literature has emphasized the impact of cyber bullying on the lives of children and adolescents. However there are gaps in the literature in terms of when and how, parents and school officials should intervene and prevent future occurrences. The purpose of this study was to provide a foundational basis for research associated with middle school children‘s use and abuse of the Internet, specifically online aggression and violence, termed as cyber bullying. Parental knowledge of student‘s Internet use and the prevalence of cyber bullying were investigated. Caregivers with students enrolled in 6th, 7th and 8th grade in a suburban school of culturally diverse and varied socioeconomic status were studied. This research identified key elements to address the possible need for prevention strategies targeting students, parents and educators. Results demonstrated that parental perceptions of children‘s Internet experience and children‘s actual Internet use are in some cases shown to be different.