New Study Explores Bullying Impact on Young Adults

A new study published in Cogent Psychology has examined how bullying and cyberbullying experiences affect young people’s wellbeing. The research, part of the ‘Project on Young People and Bullying’, was led by Jessica Hemberg PhD, associate professor, with Miia Hästbacka as first author.

Study Design and Participants

The study explored the experiences of 35 young adults aged between 17 and 28, all from a Swedish-speaking region of Finland. All participants had personal experience of bullying, cyberbullying, or both. Researchers used in-depth interviews as their primary data collection method.

Forms of Cyberbullying Documented

Cyberbullying forms reported by participants included hurtful messages, sharing of private images without consent, and being deliberately excluded from online groups.

Bullying Beyond School Years

Several participants described being targeted during leisure activities or later in life at work, not only during school years—highlighting that bullying experiences extend well into adulthood.

Gender Differences in Bullying Experiences

The research identified distinct patterns by gender. Female participants tended to describe more relational forms of bullying such as being frozen out of friendship groups. Male participants more often reported physical aggression as the form of bullying experienced.

Source: Psychreg