A recent study has highlighted the growing issue of cyberbullying among students in public higher education institutions across Malaysia’s East Coast region, revealing worrying trends in victimisation and its mental health impacts. The study by a group at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) sheds light on the prevalence of online harassment among university students and the effects it has on their emotional well-being. The findings were published in the International Journal of Care Scholars.
355 undergraduate students from various institutions participated in the study, which focused on their experiences with cyberbullying. The findings show that over a third of respondents (36.6%) have been victims of cyberbullying, with nearly 20% reporting that they are harassed almost daily. In contrast, a significant proportion of students (63.4%) claimed to have no experience of cyberbullying.
Noratikah Othman, PhD, an associate professor from the International Islamic University Malaysia, said: “The motivation behind our study was to address the rising prevalence of cyberbullying among university students and its potential psychological effects. With technology becoming an integral part of our daily lives, the shift from traditional face-to-face bullying to online harassment has led to significant issues, particularly affecting mental health.”
The study’s results suggest that while cyberbullying is pervasive, its severity varies. Among those who reported experiencing cyberbullying, 23.3% described the harassment as “not harsh at all”, whereas 11.4% found it to be harsh, and a smaller fraction (2.0%) deemed it “really harsh”. The survey also examined how cyberbullying affects students’ daily lives, with 24.1% stating that they experienced no impact, while 10.5% reported a minor impact and 2.0% claimed it had a huge effect on their day-to-day activities.
According to Othman, this variability in emotional responses was also a focal point of the study. “Interestingly, 24.1% of participants noted no major impact on their daily lives, though others reported varying degrees of emotional distress. While our data did not show a strong connection between cyberbullying and psychological effects like anxiety or depression, it’s clear that emotional responses differ greatly based on individual perspectives.”
Age was a significant factor in determining who was most likely to experience cyberbullying, with students aged 22–23 years old reporting the highest rates of victimisation. Interestingly, the research found no significant differences between male and female students in terms of their vulnerability to cyberbullying. But females were slightly more likely to experience cyberbullying, consistent with trends observed in other regions globally.
The widespread use of mobile phones and social media platforms plays a key role in the prevalence of cyberbullying, with all respondents owning a mobile device and regularly engaging with various digital platforms. The anonymity provided by online environments is thought to contribute to the problem, as perpetrators can easily hide their identities, making it easier to harass others without facing consequences.
Despite the high rates of victimisation, not all students report feeling emotionally affected by their experiences. The study found that the emotional toll of cyberbullying varies significantly among individuals. While some students experience minimal psychological impact, others suffer from more serious conditions, including stress, anxiety, and depression. This finding underscores the need for a more nuanced approach to understanding the mental health effects of cyberbullying, as its impact is not uniform across all victims.
Commenting on the steps forward, Othman added: “For short-term mitigation, we propose launching educational initiatives focused on digital literacy and responsible online behaviour. Universities should provide counselling and create accessible channels for reporting cyberbullying incidents. In the long term, establishing clear institutional policies, coupled with ongoing mental health support, will be key in addressing cyberbullying’s impact.”
The research calls for greater attention to the mental health challenges posed by cyberbullying. University administrators and policymakers are urged to consider implementing targeted interventions to mitigate these harms. By promoting digital literacy and providing support mechanisms, institutions can help reduce the occurrence of cyberbullying and protect vulnerable students from its damaging effects.
Looking ahead, Othman concluded: “Going forward, I see this research as a stepping stone to further explore the impact of digital literacy programmes and advanced AI-powered tools in preventing cyberbullying. We hope that our findings will help universities develop more effective strategies to support students affected by cyberbullying and reduce the long-term mental health consequences associated with it.”
