CYBERBULLYING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: AN INTEGRATED ANALYSIS OF PREVALENCE, PLATFORM DYNAMICS, PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES, AND INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE

Maham Kamran Mirza; Syeda Fatima Faisal; Mahneen Kamran Mirza; Javeria Noor; Dr. Muhammad Arfan Lodhi

Authors

Maham Kamran Mirza
Syeda Fatima Faisal
Mahneen Kamran Mirza
Javeria Noor
Dr. Muhammad Arfan Lodhi

Abstract

Cyberbullying has become a problem that has surfaced in university life because students have started relying on social media and messaging applications for communication and learning purposes. While cyberbullying has been recognized as an issue worldwide and its effects on victims have been extensively studied, empirical data regarding its occurrence and prevalence in Pakistani universities is scarce. This research paper aims to investigate the frequency of cyberbullying among university students, its types, platforms, emotional impacts, and awareness of university-based support mechanisms. A structured questionnaire was distributed among 54 respondents who were studying at Air University Multan Campus. The questions covered five major aspects, including cyberbullying victimization, perpetration, and emotions involved, coping strategies, and knowledge of university-based resources. All results were analyzed based on the students' experiences, platforms, and other demographic variables. According to the findings, cyberbullying affects most of the respondents in the selected sample. Instagram and WhatsApp proved to be the primary platforms associated with cyberbullying, and verbal abuse, spreading rumors, and ostracizing were the most common types of cyberbullying behaviors observed by the participants. In addition, most respondents expressed emotional distress due to cyberbullying, and many did not seem aware of university-based resources to report their experiences.