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COVID-19, School Closures and (Cyber)Bullying in Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Rahlff, Helen

    (University of Hagen)

  • Rinne, Ulf

    (IZA)

  • Sonnabend, Hendrik

    (Fern Universität Hagen)

Abstract

We analyze the prevalence of bullying in Germany during COVID-19, both as a real-life phenomenon (in-person bullying, or in our context: school bullying) and via social media and electronic communication tools (cyberbullying). Using Google Trends data from 2013 to 2022 and exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic as a natural experiment when schools switched to distance learning, we document stark changes in the prevalence of (cyber)bullying in Germany: Our results indicate that during school years affected by COVID-19, online searches for school bullying decreased by about 25 percent, while online searches for cyberbullying increased by about 48 percent during the same periods.

Suggested Citation

  • Rahlff, Helen & Rinne, Ulf & Sonnabend, Hendrik, 2023. "COVID-19, School Closures and (Cyber)Bullying in Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 16650, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16650
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    school bullying; cyberbullying; Google Trends;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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