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Children’s Online Safety: Predictive Factors of Cyberbullying and Online Grooming Involvement

Author

Listed:
  • Antonio Tintori

    (Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council of Italy, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Giulia Ciancimino

    (Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council of Italy, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Ilaria Bombelli

    (Department of Statistical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Daniele De Rocchi

    (Department of Statistical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Loredana Cerbara

    (Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council of Italy, 00185 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

The increase in the use of the Internet, strongly boosted by the spread of COVID-19, has amplified the risk of involvement in cyberbullying and online grooming among minors. To date, most research on these phenomena has focused on middle and high school students, with fewer studies on younger children. The present study aims to fill this knowledge gap by measuring the spread of cyberbullying and online grooming in a sample of 410 primary school students in the city of Rome and by identifying the main individual and environmental predictors associated with the involvement of children in these phenomena using factor analysis. Results indicate that both cyberbullying and online grooming are widespread among respondents, showing common traits within the four latent dimensions identified. Screen time is among the main predictors of children’s involvement, together with parental supervision, phubbing behaviours, prosocial tendencies and family socio-economic background. These findings highlight the need for further studies on representative samples of this age group, as well as for a greater cooperative effort among schools, parents and caregivers to keep children safe in the virtual world.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonio Tintori & Giulia Ciancimino & Ilaria Bombelli & Daniele De Rocchi & Loredana Cerbara, 2023. "Children’s Online Safety: Predictive Factors of Cyberbullying and Online Grooming Involvement," Societies, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:13:y:2023:i:2:p:47-:d:1072097
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sandro Serpa & Maria José Sá, 2024. "Education and Digital Societies for a Sustainable World," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-7, April.

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