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The COVID-19 Pandemic Disrupted Both School Bullying and Cyberbullying

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  • Andrew Bacher-Hicks
  • Joshua Goodman
  • Jennifer G. Green
  • Melissa Holt

Abstract

One-fifth of U.S. high school students report being bullied each year. We use internet search data for real-time tracking of bullying patterns as COVID-19 disrupted in-person schooling. We first show that, prepandemic, internet searches contain useful information about actual bullying behavior. We then show that searches for school bullying and cyberbullying dropped 30-35 percent as schools shifted to remote learning in spring 2020. The gradual return to in-person instruction starting in fall 2020 partially returns bullying searches to pre-pandemic levels. This rare positive effect may partly explain recent mixed evidence on the pandemic’s impact on students’ mental health and well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Bacher-Hicks & Joshua Goodman & Jennifer G. Green & Melissa Holt, 2021. "The COVID-19 Pandemic Disrupted Both School Bullying and Cyberbullying," NBER Working Papers 29590, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:29590
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stephens-Davidowitz, Seth, 2014. "The cost of racial animus on a black candidate: Evidence using Google search data," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 26-40.
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    3. Werner, Katharina & Woessmann, Ludger, 2021. "The Legacy of COVID-19 in Education," IZA Discussion Papers 14796, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Per Engzell & Arun Frey & Mark D. Verhagen, 2021. "Learning loss due to school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 118(17), pages 2022376118-, April.
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    7. Bacher-Hicks, Andrew & Goodman, Joshua & Mulhern, Christine, 2021. "Inequality in household adaptation to schooling shocks: Covid-induced online learning engagement in real time," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    8. Nikolaou, Dimitrios, 2017. "Does cyberbullying impact youth suicidal behaviors?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 30-46.
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    Cited by:

    1. David R. Agrawal & Aline Bütikofer, 2022. "Public finance in the era of the COVID-19 crisis," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(6), pages 1349-1372, December.
    2. Karla Dhungana Sainju & Huda Zaidi & Niti Mishra & Akosua Kuffour, 2022. "Xenophobic Bullying and COVID-19: An Exploration Using Big Data and Qualitative Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-19, April.
    3. INOUE Atsushi & TANAKA Ryuichi, 2023. "The Rank of Socioeconomic Status within a Class and the Incidence of School Bullying and School Absence," Discussion papers 23003, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    4. Alvin Christian & Brian Jacob & John D. Singleton, 2022. "Assessing School District Decision-Making: Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic," NBER Working Papers 30520, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. 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).
    6. Benjamin Hansen & Joseph J. Sabia & Jessamyn Schaller, 2022. "In-Person Schooling and Youth Suicide: Evidence from School Calendars and Pandemic School Closures," NBER Working Papers 30795, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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