Description
Children and teenagers who are cyberbullied are twice as likely to self-harm or commit suicide.
Twenty-five percent of today?۪s students are cyberbullied daily, according to one study of 15,000
middle school and high school students across the United States. Researchers found that
victimized students are less likely to report cyberbullying than traditional bullying. Current
research suggests that suicide ideation and attempts among adolescents have nearly doubled
since 2008. Children and adolescents will often not report cyberbullying for fear parents will
take away their cell phones, computers and tablets, which are their connection to the outside
world. Therapists and youth leaders often have the opportunity to address the subject even
before kids consider sharing with their parents. Clinicians and youth pastors need to
understand the activity in the cyber-world, its place in the social life of many young people, and
how to help kids and their parents handle this topic with their families. To encourage our youth
to ???rise up? against cyberbullying, they need to be educated and empowered. Along with
Christian assertiveness training and cognitive restructuring, Scripture holds a gold mine of
strategies that will fortify children and teenagers against bullying. Prevention and proactivity
are great tools to dismantle cyberbullying. Christ rose up against bullies, and until the day He
went to the cross for us, He never allowed bullies to victimize Him or those in His care. We can
do the same and help those in our care.
Presented by: Susan Boyd, M.S.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Analyze the most current data on the subject of cyberbullying
- List the newest types of cyberbullying
- Identify specific strategy applications for communication, prevention, and empowerment in handling cyberbullying
