Definitions: Another Perspective and a Proposal for Beginning with Cyberaggression

As a relatively new field of scientific inquiry, cyberbullying research has the opportunity to build a substantive body of work that will provide an empirical basis for prevention and intervention program development and evaluation. Because the definition of cyberbullying is the foundation upon which research into the behavior rests, it is essential that consensus be reached on a precise definition. Without agreement, different studies cannot be compared or evidence accumulated in a meaningful way. Without a widely accepted definition, measures of the construct cannot be developed. And, without a definition and reliable and valid measures, research in this field will not advance.