CYBERBULLYING AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

This paper examines the situation of cyberbullying among women in universities and students of the University of Okara, Pakistan, and how it is affecting their psychology and performance. By using the mixed-methods approach, 367 single female students of different academic years were surveyed, with 40.1 percent of them having had the experience of being bullied online, most frequently using the social media (61.2 percent) and messaging apps (20.4 percent). Most frequent types of cyberbullying consisted of harassment (19.1%) and defamation (8.2%). The statistical tests, namely, chi-square tests, t-tests, and regression analysis, showed that any cyberbullying was related to a statistically significant deterioration in adverse mental health outcomes, i.e., depression (p = 0.021), anxiety (p = 0.039), social withdrawal (p = 0.016), and low self-esteem (p = 0.008). Academic grades and ability to concentrate also greatly decreased (p = 0.009), as well as missed assignments (p = 0.027) and the contemplation of dropping out (p = 0.002). The study is also a lesson on the underreporting of cases of cyberbullying where 61.2 per cent of the victims did not report because they felt it was trivial or they feared retaliation or they were not aware of where to report. These results highlight the fact that safe use of the internet is crucial when it comes to digital literacy initiatives, more strict implementation of cyberbullying regulations, the ease of accessibility of mental health services, and policies that would promote a secure online experience among students. Approaches such as the inclusion of cyber safety lessons in university curriculums, the enhancement of report systems, and the understanding of the concept of positive digital citizenship to overcome the harmful implications of cyberbullying on students and their performance are suggested.