Cyberbullying and suicidal ideation among adolescents in Hong Kong

Social media significantly impacts our lives and often brings with its harmful and intentionally adverse consequences such as cyberbullying. Cyberbullying consists of sending harassing or threatening messages, posting humiliating comments, or threatening someone on the Internet. Cyberbullying can be more severe than physical or verbal bullying because of the wider audiences it reaches through the Internet, and where the materials can be stored and reused, resulting in the repeated denigration of the victims. Perpetrators can hide behind anonymity, making them less concerned about the detection, disapproval, or punishment of their behaviour. Accumulative research suggests that the victims of cyberbullying are more likely to report suicidal ideation than those who experience physical or verbal bullying. The current research is based on a sample of adolescents collected from the Youth Sexuality Study of the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong. The prevalence of cyberbullying and its relationship with suicidal ideation among adolescents in Hong Kong, China, were explored.