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Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction

Social media is a website and applications that the users are enabled to

create and to share contents also to participate in social networking. According

to the Pew Research Center 11 (2016) it was documented that the wide variety

of ways of social media are most Americans to seek information and to interact

with others. Social media became a part of our daily system today. It means a

lot of everyone’s life because it increased self-confidence by empowering

introverts to express their ideas. As technologies emerged, impertinent acts

became digital. Behind the ascendancy of the digital world, there’s a

provocative impact that takes the enormous growth of our society and

cyberbullying takes the initiative of it.

According to Shetgiri II (2013) Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior

manifested by the use of force or coercion and to affect others, particularly

when the behavior is habitual and involves an imbalance of power, while Cyber

is characteristic of the culture of computers, information technology, and virtual

reality.
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Cyberbullying is a practice where an individual or groups are using the

internet to ridicule, harass or harm one person. According to the bark team

(2017). It happens in public chat rooms and private messaging platforms and

the victims of this are children and teens. Some earliest cases occurred in

(2007) when 13-year-old Tina Meier committed suicide after neighbor created a

fake myspace profile under the name ‘’Josh Evans’’ to harass her. The

anonymity of the internet has developed a psychological blank in many young

peoples’ minds with regards to a separation between spoken communication

and written communication.

Many young, posting messages on the internet do not feel responsible for

their actions as they might otherwise, they are not immediately confronted with

the consequences of their actions and they don’t fear being punished for that.

The nature of the medium means digital contents can be easily shared and they

can be easily seen by a wide audience, almost instantly and almost impossible

to delete permanently. Many of the young people may not be aware that the

nature of cyberbullying provides permanent effects to the victims that can

impact them in the future. As many as 25%, one in four, of those who had been

cyberbullied went so far as to experience suicidal thoughts as a result. (Dignam,

2015)

According to Sherri G. (2020) Since it's pandemic the only contact that we will

have is through virtual. The most use social media are Tiktok, Face time and

Zoom, although this platform can help us to communicate --- they are not

without risk. Cyberbullying rise during pandemic also shaming and exploitation.
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According to Light (an organization that monitors online harrasment and hate

speech) cyberbullying rise up to 70% in just a matter of month, 40% in online

gaming platforms,900% hate speech about the citizens of china and 200%

traffic hate sites. However this pandemic will make kids feel stress and confuse

that may lead to misunderstanding in their friends through social media.

In Nagpayong High School (NHS), one of the public schools in Pinagbuhatan,

Pasig City, some students are experiencing online bullying whenever their

classmates post hateful things about them on Facebook or other Social media

platforms. Some students who are experiencing cyberbullying attempts to drop

out of school because of the embarrassment that they feel. Other students

prefer to keep quiet because they’re afraid to complain. Therefore, other victims

are committed to join gangs because of embarrassment. For them, joining

gangs will make them look brave but the truth is, it will cause them to harm or

give them bad habits.

Cyberbullying consequences owns a devastating and destructive impact for

many students across the country and the world. The result of cyberbullying

experience, long or short term, could also lead to anxiety, depression, and fear

which can cause decreased school attendance, strained relationship with family

and friends, extreme embarrassment, school relocation, drug use, and it has

even led to suicide Dignam (2020).

There is no cut off point for being a victim of cyberbullying because it always

happens anytime and anywhere. When young people come home from their

school and shut their front door, there are chances that they are victimized by
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cyberbullying, via text messages, internet chat rooms and an indefinable myriad

of constantly evolving social media platforms (National Parents Council, 2019).

The purpose of this study is to know the effects of cyberbullying on the

psychological health of selected senior high school students in Nagpayong High

School. It aims to help our community during the complication of technologies.

Also, it aims to prevent violence and psychological harm to the victims of

cyberbullying especially on students. The researchers also want to extend

awareness to avoid tremendous and impudent consequences in our society.

Theoretical Framework

The following discussions presented theories and models that justified our

research for the purpose of this study:

Anti-Cyber-Bullying Act of 2015

A bill that is filed at the House of Representatives defining and penalizing

“cyber-bullying,” or the act of posting rude, or insulting messages against the

victim on the Internet. Cyberbullying can affect individual dignity, result of

having fear, and also physical and psychological harm according to the law,

which was taken from the author of the bill, Camarines Representative Rolando

Andaya Jr.

Labelling Theory and Mental Illness

This theory of Markowitz F. (2013) explains how the people’s negative

behaviors are deviant only because of the society labelling them, and effects of
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discriminating can result in loss of socioeconomic status, lowered sense of self-

worth.

This theory discussed how the stigma of the people can cause mental

illnesses, as it says at first because of discriminating to a person of their society

or other people around them it will cause changes to a person who

discriminated may be their wellbeing or their self-esteem, social status will be

affected. Furthermore, Howard stated that because of the people’s negative

behaviors and how their society labels them, the victims’ self- esteem becomes

low. This simply means that the label teens are given impact their own and

other’s perception of them, also discussing the people’s stigma associated to

mental illness as a result of discrimination. It is stated in this theory that if a

person is discriminated against or cyberbullied, the negative attitudes that

people give to him may cause mental illness. Their self-esteem will become low

and will become prone to the other psychological illness.

The theories were found to be appropriate for the study because it

emphasized psychological health and cyberbullying. These two theories utterly

mention that cyberbullying can affect one's psychological health which this

study aims to discover and validate.

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Conceptual Framework

The paradigm of the study shown in figure 1. illustrated the conceptual

framework of the study. This study aims to determine cyberbullying and its

effects on the psychological health of selected senior high school students in

Nagpayong High School.

Figure 1. The paradigm of the study showing cyberbullying and its

effects to the psychological health of selected senior high school
students in Nagpayong High School
Figure 1. Shows the conceptual framework of the study. The first box is the

input box. Input box indicates the cyberbullying experiences of the participants,

how does the participants assess of the effects of cyberbullying in terms of

anxiety, depression, self-esteem. Also how do the participants cope up with

cyberbullying. The second box is the process box. The process box shows the
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data gathering technique that the study will use such as survey questionnaire,

online interview.

The process and output in the output box. This indicates Cyberbullying and

its effects on the psychological health of selected senior high school students in

Nagpayong High School and the recommendations.

Statement of the Problem

This study sought to determine the effects of cyberbullying to the

psychological health of selected senior high school students in Nagpayong High

School S.Y. 2020-2021.

Specifically, this study seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the cyberbullying experiences of the participants?

2. What are the effects of cyberbullying to the Psychological Health in terms of:

2.1. Anxiety

2.2. Depression

2.3. Self- esteem

3. How do the participants cope up with cyberbullying?

Scope and limitation

The scope of the study is reflected in the title, cyberbullying and its effects

to the psychological health of selected senior high school students in

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Nagpayong High School. The variables of the study are Cyberbullying, Behavior,

Psychological Health, Depression, and Self-esteem. The study is limited to

selected Grade 12 senior high school students enrolled in the school year 2020-

2021 from the strands: GAS (General Academic Strand), HUMSS (Humanities

and Social Science), ICT (Information and Computer Technology). It is covered

only in Nagpayong High School. The study only focuses on behavior of the

students who experienced cyberbullying and its effect on their psychological

health.

Significance of the study

The researchers aspired to provide an intensive study that discusses the

effects of cyberbullying on psychological health of the students. One of the most

important knowledge we can impart to the world and give to ourselves is the

knowledge of one’s self and also, to understand cyberbullying. The study aims

to provide significance to:

Administrator. Administrator is a person who has the authority to legally

manage and handle cyberbullying issues. This study aims to solve the conflict

between those who are involved and experiencing cyberbullying.

Government Agencies. Government agencies own a huge platform in

conducting seminars and activities to prevent and eradicate cyberbullying

especially among students. This study will serve as an eye-opener to

government agencies, particularly the Department of Education (DepEd) in

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terms of modalities in bullying. The Department of Education can strengthen

school policies and programs to protect the welfare of the students.

Future Researchers. This study will serve as their guide for doing their

study. This study can be their source in finding facts and reliable information

regarding cyberbullying and psychological health. Furthermore, they will

become more aware of the effects of cyberbullying.

Parents. This study will provide parents awareness to protect their child .

Parents must be updated on their children. They also should know how social

media affects their childrens’ behavior and daily lives.

Principal. This study will serve as an apprehension to school administrators

and principals with the help of the facts and information. By implementing

school policies and programs, they can raise consciousness and awareness

regarding the effects of cyberbullying.

Students. The results of the research would provide reasons to

continuously improve themselves and make them more self-aware. This study

will give the students, more importantly those involved in the research, a more

thorough understanding of their own selves and their development, especially to

express their confidence. This study will guide students’ to be more upright and

appropriate in their actions.

Teachers. Teachers own a big role in educating and guiding their students.

This study helps teachers to be more knowledgeable about their students’

situation in the time of digital relevance.

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Definition of terms

The following is a list of terms that will provide meaning in order to

understand the content of this study.

Anti Cyber bullying Act of 2015. A bill defining and penalizing

cyberbullying that was filed and authorized at the House of Representatives

under the Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr

Behavior. Is the range of actions and mannerisms made by individuals,

organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with themselves or their

environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as

the (inanimate) physical environment. It is the computed response of the

system or organism to various stimuli or inputs, whether the way in which one

acts or conducts oneself, especially toward others. It is also the way in which an

animal or person acts in response to a particular situation or stimulus.

Cyberbullying. It is the use of digital technologies with an intent to offend,

humiliate, threaten, harass, or abuse someone.

Depression. A mood or disorder marked by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in

thinking and concentration. It is a significant increase or decrease in appetite

and spending time sleeping, and it is the feelings of a person of hopeless and

sometimes suicidal tendencies.

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Discriminate. Recognize a distinction; differentiate. It is making an unjust

or prejudicial distinction in the treatment of different categories of people or

things, especially on the grounds of race, sex, or age.

Emotion. Is a mental state associated with the nervous system brought on

by chemical changes variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral

responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure.

Harassment. Covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is

commonly understood as behavior that demeans, humiliates, or embarrasses a

person, and it is characteristically identified by its unlikelihood in terms of social

and moral reasonableness.

NHS. Stands for Nagpayong High School. It is a public secondary school

located at Pasig City.

Psychology. It is also known as the "Science of Mind". It pertains to,

dealing with, or affecting the mind. And also, especially it is the function of

awareness, feeling, or motivation. It includes many sub-fields like in human

development, health, social behavior and cognitive processes.

Psychological Health. Pertaining to, dealing with, or affecting the mind,

especially as a function of awareness, feeling, or motivation.

Self-Esteem. Is an individual's subjective evaluation of their own worth.

Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself as well as emotional states,

such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame.

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Social Media. Are interactive computer- mediated technologies that

facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and

other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks.

Social Media Black Mail. It is an act of coercion using the threat of

revealing or publicizing either substantially true or false, and often damaging,

information about a person or people, to the public, family members, or

associates through social media.

Social Self-Esteem. The self-esteem of a person according to societal

basis.

Transactional Models Development Theory. This theory explains how

child development was conceptualized in a linear manner, whereby risk and

protective factors were believed to have a unidirectional influence on a child's

developmental trajectory.
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Chapter 2