A Longitudinal Examination of Cyberbullying Among Adolescents in the U.S. and India During COVID-19: An Exploratory Cohort Study

Researchers, media outlets, and stakeholders in adolescent well-being have raised concerns that increased reliance on electronic communication during the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to a rise in cyberbullying among youth. This exploratory study examined potential changes in cyberbullying behaviors among adolescents in the U.S. and India using longitudinal survey data collected before and during COVID-19-related shutdowns. This study included 92 participants from the U.S. and 38 from India who took part in a cohort study, reporting on their experiences with cyberbullying perpetration and victimization at two time points. Our preliminary findings suggest that there was no significant increase in cyberbullying involvement in either country following the onset of the pandemic. The findings from our exploratory work offer early insights into adolescent digital engagement during a global crisis and highlight the importance of including youth from diverse contexts in cyberbullying research.