Victims of online abuse in early adolescence are more likely to report suicidal thoughts and attempts.
Researchers in the US and Israel looked at the records of more than 10,000 US children aged 10-13.
They defined online bullying as that of texts or group texts, or on social media like Instagram or Snapchat. Dr Ran Barzilay, at the Children’s Hospital of
Philadelphia’s Lifespan Brain Institute said researchers found cyberbullying for a victim was generally not in tandem with offline bullying.
He said: “For policymakers wishing to optimise youth suicide prevention efforts, this study should further encourage interventions for those who are being bullied online.”
He said schools and parents should also note “the substantial stress of cyberbullying”.
The study was published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
