If there aren’t already enough negative headlines about teens and social media, consider a new study that says the number of kids between 13 and 17 who have cyberbullied themselves has jumped 88% since 2016.
According to the study published in the Journal of School Violence, 12% of kids in that age group practice what’s known known as “digital self-harm,” in which they post hurtful comments about themselves, sometimes anonymously.
The survey shows that young girls and those in the LGBT community were more likely to do this, making it appear to the outside that they are being cyberbullied by others.
Further, those who had actually been cyberbullied by others were 5% to 7% more likely to cyberbully themselves, the report noted.
Dr. Sameer Hinduja, a Florida Atlantic University professor and co-author of the study, calls digital self-harm “a significant public health issue,” explaining it “has been linked with major issues such as bullying, depression, eating disorders, physical harm, sleep disturbances and even suicidal tendencies.”
He suggests more research is needed to combat it.