Bullying is a form of harassment where force is used to force a child or adult to do something they would not normally do or to hurt them. Along with physical bullying, there is a widespread phenomenon of cyberbullying, which includes harassment, shaming and verbal violence through messages, emails, spreading rumours, creating a fake profile that shames the child, threats or the distribution of messages and photos sent without permission. According to a 2020 study, 51% of children experienced bullying in the year before the study or witnessed acts of bullying towards others.
Children with ADHD are at higher risk
The personality characteristics of children with ADHD and learning disabilities make them more exposed and vulnerable to cyberbullying. Children with ADHD, hyperactivity and learning disabilities are in many cases impulsive and have a limited ability to understand social nuances, their self-esteem is low and it is difficult for them to stand up for themselves, which makes them an easy target for bullies both online and outside. The consequences of cyberbullying are severe. Those who suffer from it may feel anxiety, depression and poor self-esteem, leading in extreme cases to the use of addictive substances and even to suicide. Although these symptoms may appear in all those who suffer from online bullying, a study by Dorit Elkin-Shemesh and Sigal Eden from 2014 revealed that there are significant differences between children with ADHD and children without ADHD in regards to the feelings associated with online bullying. Children with ADHD reported more feelings of emotional isolation and lack of confidence in their social abilities. A similar finding also emerged regarding children with ADHD who did not experience cyberbullying, but did witness it. The study also revealed that girls are at a significantly higher risk of online bullying than boys.
Signs of cyberbullying
Not all children who suffer from online bullying are quick to tell their parents about the situation. In some cases, they are not even aware that they are victims of cyberbullying. In other cases, they prefer to try to solve the situation on their own out of fear of the parents’ reaction, thinking that parental involvement will make the situation worse or out of fear that they will be limited or denied screen time altogether. That is why it is important to know the main signs:
- They surf less time on the computer and on the phone.
- They only want to surf in a closed room or only in places where there is privacy.
- Their body language conveys alertness, anxiety and nervousness when they receive a message or email.
- They rush to darken the screen when an adult or parent walks by.
- They seem anxious or angry after spending time online.
- They avoid going to school and other social situations.
- Symptoms such as sleep disturbances, bedwetting at night, stomach aches, headaches and other symptoms of anxiety begin to appear, and in some cases they close in on themselves.
This is how you will help children suffering from online bullying
Parents have a critical role in helping their children deal with cyberbullying. It is important to formulate a clear plan of action and decide with the child – after you have clarified all the details and understood the situation as a whole – what is going to happen and what is the desired result from their point of view. It is important to note that studies show that social association is an effective weapon against bullying. Usually bullies try to isolate their victim in order to be able to hurt him better. Therefore, encourage the child to share with friends and ask for their support. Offer them practical tactics for dealing with the bullying such as printing the disturbing messages as evidence that there is bullying, ignoring the messages, blocking the bullies, disconnecting from the network if they receive disturbing messages, and of course – continue to tell friends and parents. In any case of online bullying against children with or without ADHD, it is recommended to report to hotline 105 – the national headquarters for the protection of children online.