Adolescents cyberbullying and its consequences on self-esteem and suicidal thoughts at Minia Governate, Egypt

Background: Cyberbullying is a severe issue that has recently come to light. In addition to endangering the lives of adolescents and frequently driving them to isolation and self-loathing, cyberbullying also lowers victims' self-esteem and increases their risk of suicide. Aim: To examine cyberbullying and its consequences on self-esteem and suicidal thoughts among adolescents at Minia Governorate, Egypt. Method: A descriptive (cross sectional) community-based study design was used in this study. Setting: The study was conducting at six governmental public secondary schools in three districts in Minia governorate. Sample: A multistage random sample consisted of 391 students that was calculated using the statistical software EPI-INFO V7.2.5. Tools: Four tools were used to gather data. Tool 1: A Structured interview questionnaire was divided into two parts: part (1) socio-demographic characteristics and part (2) life style data. Tool 2: Cyber-Victimization Scale (CYBVICS). Tool 3: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Tool 4: The Suicidal Ideation Scale (SIS). Results: It was found that 24.8% of Adolescents students were socially isolated 29.4% of them were cyberbullying victims and 20.2% of them were using social media platforms for more than 6 hours daily, moreover, 37.3% of them had low self-esteem, 17.1% of them had suicidal ideations. Furthermore, there was a highly statistically significant relationship between all demographic data and suicidal ideation. Conclusion: There was a negative correlation between adolescents’ cyber-victimization and their self-esteem. Also, there was a weak positive correlation between the participant’s cyber-victimization and the presence of suicidal thoughts. Recommendations: An urgent need to develop educational programs targeting the primary prevention of cyberbullying and its related consequences, as well as raise public awareness of the harmful effects of cyberbullying in all places, whether in rural or urban communities.