Future Research Questions in Cyberbullying

In the last decade, research on cyberbullying has provided much needed knowledge about this relatively new form of bullying. Earlier studies documented prevalence and developmental patterns (e.g., age and gender) of cyberbullying among children (Kowalski & Limber, 2007; Williams & Guerra, 2007; Ybarra & Mitchell, 2004). Research findings also identified a number of correlates of cybervictimization, including depression (Patchin & Hinduja, 2006; Perren, Dooley, Shaw, & Cross, 2010), anxiety (Dempsey, Sulkowski, & Nichols, 2009), and suicidal ideation (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010). Along with cyberbullying cases that have been widely publicized by the popular media, these studies have alerted us to the significance of hostile, aggressive behaviors using communication technology among children and adolescents. As the field pushes this research area forward, researchers must address the many challenges in studying cyberbullying, as have been outlined throughout the other chapters of this book. This chapter explores possible research questions that would stimulate future research efforts and thus contribute to ongoing theory building and intervention/prevention efforts against cyberbullying.