Prevalence and factors associated with cyberbullying among adolescents (15-19 years) in Gurugram District - A community based cross-sectional study

Background: Digitalization in the form of increased Internet use through screen media has also shown its ramification like cyberbullying. They are aggressive acts with the intention or motivation to harm another person through technology. The aim is to study the prevalence of cyberbullying and its association with mental illness in the adolescent age group (15-19 years). Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was rolled out among adolescents aged 15-19 years. A total of 387 were given a semistructured interviewer-administered questionnaire consisting of general details, cyberbullying victimization, and offending questions, PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Results: The mean (SD) age was 16.8 (1.3) years. More than half (53.2%) were males, and nearly three-fourths (74.4%) were school-going. Around 28.2% reported being cyberbullied at least once in their lifetime. About 7.0% of adolescents were cyberbullied more than once, and 0.8% more than five times in the past 30 days. The most common ways were posting a mean or hurtful picture (31.9%) and the concerned person's comments (24.2%) online. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found that adolescents attending colleges (AOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.4), using tobacco (AOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.4 to 4.5), and depressed (of any severity, AOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1 to 4.3) were at significantly increased risk of being cyberbullied (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of cyberbullying among adolescents aged 15-19 is notable, with significant associations found between cyberbullying and attending college, tobacco use, and depression. Understanding the correlates of cyberbullying can inform targeted interventions to support mental health and well-being among adolescents.