Abstract
Purpose
Despite increased media and scholarly attention to digital forms of aggression directed
toward adolescents by their peers (e.g., cyberbullying), very little research has
explored digital aggression directed toward oneself. “Digital self-harm” is the anonymous
online posting, sending, or otherwise sharing of hurtful content about oneself. The
current study examined the extent of digital self-harm among adolescents.
Methods
Survey data were obtained in 2016 from a nationally representative sample of 5,593
American middle and high school students (12–17 years old). Logistic regression analysis
was used to identify correlates of participation in digital self-harm. Qualitative
responses were also reviewed to better understand motivations for digital self-harm.
Results
About 6% of students have anonymously posted something online about themselves that
was mean. Males were significantly more likely to report participation (7.1% compared
to 5.3%). Several statistically significant correlates of involvement in digital self-harm
were identified, including sexual orientation, experience with school bullying and
cyberbullying, drug use, participation in various forms of adolescent deviance, and
depressive symptoms.
Conclusions
Digital self-harm is a new problem that demands additional scholarly attention. A
deeper inquiry as to the motivations behind this behavior, and how it correlates to
offline self-harm and suicidal ideation, can help direct mental health professionals
toward informed prevention approaches.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 18, 2017
Accepted:
June 15,
2017
Received:
February 24,
2017
Footnotes
Author Biographies: Justin W. Patchin is a Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He received his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University. Since 2002, he has been exploring the intersection of teens and technology, with particular focus on cyberbullying, social networking, and sexting. Sameer Hinduja is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida Atlantic University. He received his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University. His research seeks to understand the causes and consequences of various forms of online victimization and to identify best practices in prevention and response.
Identification
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© 2017 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.
