Cyberbullying and Cyberbullicide Ideation Among Jordanian College Students

The present study investigated the impact of cyberbullying on youth cyberbullicide ideation. It examined the effects of cyberbullying variables, namely cyberbullying victimization, cyberbullying perpetrator, and low self-control on cyberbullicide ideation. Descriptive statistical analyses and logistic regression analyses were conducted using a sample of 1000 Jordanian students representing all 12 Jordanian governorates, randomly selected from various courses, colleges and levels. Of these, 454 (45.4%) were males, and 546 (54.6%) were females. The sample comprised of 496 students (49.6%) from science colleges and 504 students (50.4%) from other colleges. The study measured cyberbullying victimization using a variety of scales, including a general bullying scale, a cyberbullying victimization scale, a cyberbullying perpetration scale, a self-report cyberbullying scale, and a vicarious cyberbullying scale. The study also measured exposure to family violence, exposure to any violence, and participation in violence. Using a 12-month response rating and a suicide scale, cyberbullicide ideation was assessed. Data was collected electronically by a questionnaire sent to students. Descriptive findings revealed that all students experienced cyberbullying of different nature. Approximately 26% of the sample experienced cyberbullying in general, 73% knew cyberbullying victims, and 64% knew cyberbullying perpetrators. Nearly one-tenth of the sample (9.3%) knew about cyberbullying, 9% were aware of victims on the university campus, 35.8% reported its existence off-campus, and 13.5% reported knowing cyberbullying perpetrators. Results showed that cyberbullying variables could explain a 100% change in cyberbullicide ideation. This study supported the hypothesis that students' cyberbullying victimization could lead to cyberbullicide and in the least scenario to cyberbullicide ideation.