Date Approved

8-2015

Graduate Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Nursing (D.N.P.)

Degree Program

College of Nursing

First Advisor

Dr. Andrea Bostrom

Second Advisor

Dr. Patricia Schafer

Third Advisor

Dr. Shawn Bultsma

Fourth Advisor

Sarah O'Brien

Abstract

Cyberbullying is a fairly new phenomenon that most adolescents will experience or be exposed to during their lifetime. It produces devastating outcomes on those who are victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying. There is a limited amount of research regarding the prevention of cyberbullying. The evidence that is available is mostly exploratory in nature. Currently, the literature recommends conducting a needs assessment to validate the problem, raise awareness, and identify potential solutions that are specific to a population and/or setting. Therefore, the purpose of this scholarly project was to administer a cyberbullying needs assessment at a local west Michigan middle school. Two conceptual frameworks were used to guide this project: the model for evidence-based practice change and the social cognitive theory.

The sample included 296 seventh and eighth grade students from a local west Michigan middle school. The Cyberbullying and Online Aggression Instrument created by Hinduja and Patchin (2014) was used. Three qualitative questions were asked. These pertained to how teachers, peers and parents could prevent cyberbullying. Descriptive statistics were used to report the data and categories were identified from the qualitative data.

Findings included that most students at this middle school have been exposed to cyberbullying. Differences were observed in cyberbullying methods between the seventh and eighth grade students. Differences were also observed in cyberbullying frequency between male and female students. Based on the findings, recommendations related to future prevention efforts are made for this west Michigan middle school.

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