Examining characteristics and associated distress related to Internet harassment: Findings from the second youth Internet safety survey

Ybarra, Michele & Mitchell, Kimberly (2006, August).  Examining Characteristics and Associated Distress Related to Internet Harassment: Findings from the Second Youth Internet Safety Survey. Presented at the American Psychological Association 114th Convention, New Orleans, LA.

Summary:

This presentations uses findings from the Youth Internet Safety Survey (YISS and YISS2) to examine characteristics and associated distress related to internet harassment. Specifically discussed is a definition of internet harassment, prevalence rates of online harassment, characteristics of targets, and distressing harassment experiences.

Findings:

- The majority of young Internet users not harassed and of those who are, the majority are not upset by it.

- However, a 50% increase in reports of online harassment over the past 5 years (6% to 9%) were noted.

- Online harassment can be a serious event (chronic, aggressive offline contact, adult involvement).

- About 2 in 5 are distressed.

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