Características psicológicas dos perpetradores de cyberbullying : uma revisão sistemática da literatura

Abstract

Background: Literature and scientific research on cyberbullying are mostly targeted at victims, neglecting the offender component, and there is a debate in the literature whether cyberbullying is an extension of bullying or a different type of crime. On the other hand, studies with cyberbullies focus essentially on demographic and/or social characteristics, neglecting the psychological characterization component of these offenders. Objective: To obtain a detailed description of studies and literature on the profile/psychological characterization of cyberbullying offenders. Method: Systematic review using PRISMA-P guidelines. Eligibility criteria were elaborated, with inclusion and exclusion criteria. The search was carried out in seven electronic databases and the data collection and analysis process was carried out by two independent researchers. Results: 13 publications were included, all of a quantitative nature, transversal and retrospective design. Most studies appear in the last decade, mainly in Europe and Asia. The most studied psychological variables are self-esteem, personality and antisocial traits, self-control and moral reasoning. At the level of psychological indicators, a tendency towards variability of results is identified as a function of the samples used. Conclusion: Cyberbullies seem to have psychological characteristics that differentiate them from non-aggressors, but there are no differences in the psychological characterization between cyberbullies and bullies. Thus, studies seem to indicate that the psychological profile of cyberbullies does not differ from bullies, which may contribute to the controversy regarding the conceptualization of cyberbullying as a subtype of bullying or as a differentiated typology. Implications for future research are discussed.

Date of Award	2022
Original language	Portuguese
Supervisor	Ana Rita Conde Dias (Supervisor)