Comparison of psychological and social characteristics among traditional, cyber, combined bullies, and non-involved

Abstract

This study analysed the psychological and social characteristics of bullies involved in traditional and cyberbullying. The responses of 11,117 Korean elementary, middle, and high school students were analysed. Results indicate that the rate of traditional bullying was higher than the rate of cyberbullying. The four groups (traditional bullies, cyberbullies, combined bullies, and non-involved) showed significant differences in the degree of aggression, self-control, violence exposure, and social support. Compared to the non-involved group, violence exposure significantly predicted traditional, cyber, and combined bullying. High aggression and low self-control significantly predicted both traditional and combined bullying, while low social support significantly predicted only cyberbullying. © 2017, © The Author(s) 2017.