Cyberbullying doubles risk of self harm in young people

CYBERBULLYING makes young people more than twice as likely to harm themselves or attempt suicide, a study has shown.

The growth of social media has left many young people vulnerable to online bullying.

Around one third of young people claim to have been victims, and the research suggests it can have damaging and deadly consequences.

Researchers at the universities of Oxford, Swansea and Birmingham, led by Prof Ann John from Swansea University, reviewed previous studies that involved more than 150,000 young people under the age of 25 across 30 countries over a 21-year period.

They found that cyberbullying raised the risk of self-harm or suicidal behaviour 2.3 times. The researchers said that young cyberbullying victims should be screened for common mental disorders and self harm. Prof John said: “Suicide prevention and intervention is essential within any comprehensive anti-bullying programme and should incorporate a whole-school approach to include awareness raising and training for staff and pupils”.

The research was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. ♦ Tobias Ellwood, the defence minister, banned his children from using all mobile devices while on holiday, saying he fears we are all “addicted” to our gadgets. Liz Truss, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said she locked up her daughter’s phone to control her use.