The Perspective of School-Age Adolescents on Cyberbullying in Türkiye: A Qualitative Study

Cyberbullying has become a global threat among adolescents. The aim of the present study, based on a qualitative methodology, is to investigate the perspective of adolescents on cyberbullying in Türkiye. A qualitative research method was employed in the study’s design. Individual interviews were conducted with fifteen participants based on inclusion criteria, including being a high school student and spending at least two hours per day on the internet. The research team prepared a semi-structured interview form for data collection. Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) was used for data analysis. The perception of adolescents on cyberbullying was categorized into five main categories based on the QCA. Emerged categories were the meaning of cyberbullying, reasons for cyberbullying (perpetrators and victims), preventive strategies, dealing with cyberbullying, and suggestions for educational strategies. The study findings draw attention to cultural differences in cyberbullying and the importance of digital interventions in awareness, preventing, and coping with cyberbullying behaviors. Moreover, the findings highlighted the need for educational actions (i.e., prevention and intervention strategies) on awareness, preventing, and coping with cyberbullying. Different methods and techniques can be used to deal with cyberbullying instead of traditional methods like informative seminars.