Cyberbullying:features, role structure, parent-child relationships and coping strategies
Background. The research data indicate the magnitude and significance of the problem of cyberbullying (CB) that cannot be ignored, since a large enough number of children are aggressively targeted online and are often at significant risk if both school bullying and CB take place simultaneously. The novelty of the research consists in an integrated approach to the CB analysis, as one of the cyber aggression types, taking into account its differences from real-life bullying, based on large-scale foreign national and intercultural studies, which can be compared both at the theoretical and methodological level and on the basis of empirical data. Objective. The analysis of the existing theoretical and practical studies of the CB features and mechanisms in the child-adolescent environment has been carried out within the framework of developmental psychology and social psychology over the recent two decades. Design. The paper analyzes the features and transformations of the CB role structure in comparison with the bullying in real life, personal characteristics and behavioural strategies of participants (the aggressor, the victim, the chameleon, the observer/witness), considers child-parent relationship in the CB situation and coping strategy with CB. Findings. The results presented in this review can be used as a basis for further theoretical and empirical research, and also for developing practical programs aimed at supporting victims of CB, reducing the probability of such situations, for timely prevention of CBs, for diagnosing risk groups, and to prepare recommendations for psychologists, teachers and parents in schools and other educational institutions. Conclusion The CB research topic is acute in connection with the constant development of information and communication technologies (ICT) and requires further study in terms of process in terms of dynamics and development. In order to develop effective prevention and intervention programs it is necessary to develop a common theoretical and methodological framework that will support terminological consensus among researchers and international research. This will allow for reliable comparisons and systematization of empirical data, as well as the development of online risk management and safe use of ICTs.