Cyberbullying in university students in Peru: prevalence and factors

Abstract

Cyberbullying is a problem with a high prevalence and can cause a wide variety of issues (anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, loneliness, academic failure, among others). Given the scarcity of research in Peru, this study aims to explore the prevalence and the ways in which cyberbullying manifests itself in university students. The methodology was survey-based, adapting a reduced version (in Spanish) of the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (ECIP-Q), applied to a non-probabilistic sample of 1,258 students. The analysis integrated descriptive statistics and an evaluation of the psychometric properties of the instrument. The results reveal a high prevalence of cyberbullying and a strong relationship between being both a victim and a perpetrator. The negative impact it has on students underscores the need for universities to be aware of and intervene in this issue.