Block 61, Lot 28-31 Bristol St. cor Brgy.

North Fairview Quezon City

“The Effects of Cyberbullying to the Academic Performance and Health of the

assessed students of AMA Computer College Fairview.”

< Thesis Title Proposal Chapter 1 >

In Partial Fulfillment of the course Requirement for Research 121 in Information and

Communication Technology – Technical Vocational Livelihood

By:

Rodolfo Jr. K. Roasa

Charles Magbanua

Kata Nabua

Mika Anajao

Whacky Maliwat

Yelson Mosquera

September 2019
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the proposed study is to determine the effects of Cyberbullying to

the assessed student academic development and health in Grade 11-12 TVL Students in

AMA Computer College Fairview. This study also determines the background of the

study, statement of the problem, conceptual and theoretical framework, paradigm of the

study, hypothesis, scope and delimitation, significance of the study and the definition of

terms.

Introduction

Cyber-bullying has more than one definition and can be defined as “when the

Internet, cell phones or other devices are used to send or post text or images intended to

hurt or embarrass another person” or as “a situation when a child or teen is repeatedly

tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by

another child or teenager using text messaging, e-mail, instant messaging or any other

type of digital technology.” Finally, it is referred only to teens or children as bullying

through the internet or cell-phones from adults to adults is referred to as cyber-stalking.

A cyber-bullying situation can be as simple as sending e-mails to someone that

wants no further contact with you but it can also be very serious when it includes threats

or sexual bullying or when a forum is created and that person is ridiculed. Cyber-bullies

may post personal data of their victims at websites or forums or even pretend to be

someone else in order to publish different material to the victim’s name that diminishes
or humiliates the individual himself. The biggest percentage of the bullies use pretty

much the same tactic as they send threatening messages to their victim or call them mean

names.

Young people nowadays are using the internet more than ever. They view the

internet and even more so the mobile phones as positive aspects of our society. The

internet and mobile phones systems are the two biggest systems of communication which

play a crucial role in our daily activities and development of identities. On the other hand,

these same technologies are also often used negatively. Many students are the targets of

bullying via the internet or mobile phones resulting in total confusion on the part of the

“target”. Very often, students are not able to understand that what they are going through

is a form of bullying. As a result, the previously safe environment of the internet is now

becoming a source of confusion and anxiety. The truth is that this question cannot be

answered easily as it is not something so simple. Being already concerned about it and

seeing that more and more cyber-bullies are getting away with it. Cyber-bullying shows

the ugly “face” of the internet. Victims of cyber-bullying can become depressed and in

extreme cases even commit suicide. We can therefore understand that the internet is

dangerous and unknown to most people, capable of “hurting” them if they are not aware

of the internet as a whole.

Cyber-bullying has several negative effects on individuals or groups of people.

Usually, it starts with a confused feeling on the part of the victim, feeling hurt because a

person or a group of people has targeted them and insulted them for no other reason than

simply to be mean. Most would ask why they are the target but perhaps even cyber-
bullies do not know why. They gradually get feelings of fear or of loneliness, fear of

leaving their home or fear of going to school. If the victim is being bullied continuously,

his grades may drop or even show symptoms of paranoia that would make it difficult for

him to communicate with people of his age or make new friends. Depression can be one

of the symptoms of cyber-bullying, and I am calling them symptoms because it seems

that cyber-bullying is now a “disease” for our society. A feeling of helplessness occurs as

the victim does not know where to turn to for help. Learners need to concentrate during

lessons to perform at their best in school, but being bullied makes it hard for them to

concentrate and pay attention in class.

In a study conducted by Hureva (2012), 62% of learners who were victims of

bullying did not pay attention to schoolwork, and 5% said they were always thinking of

the bullies. Hong et al. (2014) confirm that cyberbullied students commonly obtain lower

grades and are at risk of poor academic performance. Shariff (2008), Myburgh and

Poggenpoel (2009) and Hixon (2009) maintain that bullying often leaves victims with

mental anguish and destroys their self-esteem, which leads to a drop in academic

performance.

Absenteeism from school is another consequence of being bullied by learners at

schools globally (Olweus 1993); Rigby (1997) Smith and Sharp (1994) reports that some

victims of bullying stay absent from school to avoid being bullied. In a study conducted

in South Africa by Myburgh and Poggenpoel (2009) it was confirmed that victims of

school bullying hate schooling because of their fear of being bullied.

Furthermore, victims of bullying have few or no friends (Olweus 1993); Rigby (1997)

found that learners who have not been bullied, do not like to be friends with victims of

bullying. Smith and Sharp (1994) also found that some victims of bullying intentionally

isolate themselves by choosing subjects that many learners are not interested in to avoid

the bully. Isolation causes victims to be sad and this may affect their concentration and

ability to learn. Bullying can affect physical and emotional health, both in the short term

and later in life. It can lead to physical injury, social problems, emotional problems, and

even death. Those who are bullied are at increased risk for mental health problems,

headaches, and problems adjusting to school. Bullying also can cause long-term damage

to self-esteem, those who are both bullies and victims of bullying suffer the most serious

effects of bullying and are at greater risk for mental and behavioral problems than those

who are only bullied or who are only bullies.

Background of the Study

The academic performance of a student is correlated and interconnected to

various factors and ideologies, one for instance is the self-confidence and self-esteem of

an individual wherein it stems on how motivated a student will engage in his studies but

there are also various factors that inhibits the development of a student both physically

and mentally. Bullying is one of many factors looming around that can threaten the

progressing development of the individual, nowadays physical forms of bullying is

uncommon around various corners of academic institutions since disciplinary actions are

being used to counteract such threats immediately reprimanding all that are suspected in
its involvement but the individuals that engage in such particular activity now has

discovered and devised a different way to exploit the past victims of reality.

The theorists and researchers focuses on the digital side of things where anything

can happen in mere seconds, the digital connection of the associates of many academic

institutions has their links and connections strengthened and reinforced by various habits

and ideologies that was developed throughout their lives interconnected with the now

common and widespread hold of social networking and many sinister & black-hearted

individuals with suspicious capabilities and specific skillsets can harness the data that an

individual has kept private to be used as leverage to force that individual to dance

accordingly in their palms. Cyberbullying is a widespread form of an aggressive behavior

wherein a harassment is carried out either by an individual or a group using electronic

forms of contact and is used repeatedly over time against the victim who cannot

themselves easily. This can take place in various forms of rumors, threats, sexual

remarks, private information and/or pejorative labels which are designed to leverage the

victim to be controlled by the other party.

A study on cyberbullying in Hong Kong chose 48 out of 7654 students from

elementary school to high school who were classified as potential aggressors related to

cyberbullying. 31 out of 48 students declared they barely participated in cyber-attacks. It

is common among high school students (28 out of 36 students) to participate in social

media platforms. 58% admitted to changing a nickname for others, 56.3% to humiliation,

54.2% to making fun of someone, and 54.2% to spreading rumors. The Hong Kong

Federation of Youth Groups interviewed 1820 teenagers, 17.5% of whom indicated

having experienced cyberbullying. This included insults, abuse, and the publishing of

personal private pictures on social media without permission.

The Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) pilot survey was carried

out in eight post-primary schools across Ireland, including 318 students aged 15–18. 59%

were boys and 41% were girls. Participation in this survey was voluntary for students,

and consent had to be obtained from parents, students and the school itself. This survey

was anonymous and confidential, and took 40 minutes to complete. It asked questions on

traditional forms of bullying as well as cyberbullying, risk behaviors and self-reported

health and life satisfaction. 66% of the students said that they had never been bullied.

14% had been victims of traditional forms of bullying. 10% had been victims of

cyberbullying, and the remaining 10% had been victims of both traditional forms of

bullying and cyberbullying. Boys mostly said they were victims of traditional forms of

bullying, and girls mostly were victims of both traditional forms of bullying and

cyberbullying. 20% of the students in this survey said that they had been cyberbullied,

showing that cyberbullying is on the rise. Arrow DIT claims that 23 percent of 9–16-year

old’s in Ireland have been bullied online or offline, compared to 19 percent in Europe.

Although online bullying in Ireland stands at 4% according to Arrow DIT, this lower than

the European average which stands at 6%, and half that of the UK where 8% reported

being cyberbullied. Traditional forms of bullying in Ireland occur more often than in

Europe. A 2018 study by Dublin City University (DCU)'s National Anti-Bullying

Research and Resource Centre (ABC) found that almost 10% of post-primary teachers

were victims of cyberbullying, and 15% knew of a colleague who had experienced it in
the previous 12 months. 59% of the bullying was by pupils, mainly on social media, with

the rest perpetrated by parents and other school staff. Various effects on bullied teachers

included increased stress and anxiety, "negative impacts on their working environment,

and a reluctance to report the issue and seek help from management".

Research conducted by Barlett, Christopher and Sarah M. Coyne. to try and

determine differences in cyber bullying patterns comparing male to female and ages of

each are relatively inconclusive. There are some factors that lean towards males being

more involved in cyber bullying behaviors due to males tending to have more aggressive

behaviors than females. This is not proven but speculated based on literature reviews of

research indicating that significant data is self-reported. Comparatively, the review of

articles indicates that age differences have some indicators of cyber bullying; increasing

age indicates increasing bullying behaviors. Gender differences have mixed results but

one finding indicated that younger females (10 or 11) and older males (13+) tend to

engage in cyber bullying behaviors.

According to a 2017 Pew Research study on Online Harassment by Duggan,

Maeve, 14% of Americans have been harassed because of their political views. Such

harassment affects men and women differently. 11% of women say they have been

targeted because of gender compared to 5% for men. Men are about twice as likely as

women to have experienced online harassment because of their political views. However,

women politicians are disproportionately more likely to be sexually harassed online.

Women lawmakers are three times more likely than their male counterparts to receive

sexually abusive comments, including threats of rape, beatings, death, or abduction.

 The proponents have noticed this proliferating problem in regards of the dark

times that many students are experiencing before, during and after school hours such as

exclusion and isolation from various social groups due to the factors facing against that

specific students and also to avoid contraction of such relation with the plaguing threat

that is surrounding them. The proponents want to discern what are the students are having

problems during their past private hours and their present situation regarding what has

occurred to them thus helping to relieve some of that burden against their shoulders and

also make the students themselves discern what future is ahead of them so that they

wouldn’t blame either themselves or the very individuals that put them in that situation in

the first place.

Statement of the Problem

This study is aimed to determine the factors affecting the Grade 11 and Grade 12

TVL Students in their correlated academic performance and health with concerns of their

involvement of being either involved or victimized by Cyber-Bullying.

Specifically, it sought answers to the following questions:

1) What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Gender; and

1.2 Age?

2) What are the main influences of Cyber-Bullying to the academic performance

and health of Grade 11 and Grade 12 TVL students?

3) What are the effects of Cyber-Bullying to the correlated academic

performance and health of Grade 11 and Grade 12 TVL Students in regards

to:

3.1 Mental Health;

3.2 Physical Health; and

3.3 Academic Performance?

4) How Cyber-Bullying affects the Grade 11 and Grade 12 TVL Students?

5) Is there a significant relationship between Cyber-Bullying and the academic

performance and health of the Grade 11 and Grade 12 TVL Students?

Objective of the Study

The main objective of this study is to help provide various methods and other

solutions accordingly to the situation that the victim/student has experienced under the

assault of being bullied or cyber-bullied, reprimand those who engage or involve

themselves in such activities, let others know the consequences of being bullied or cyber-

bullied and those who engage upon it and ultimately discern and determine the causes

why cyber-bullying is being actively acted upon by those who has bad intentions either

intentionally or accidentally.

Hypothesis

The researchers have (researched or found) that bullying is only one of many

factors that is looming around that can (threaten or restrict) the victim in many ways such

as both physically and mentally, affecting self-confidence, self-esteem, and so on. Since a

lot of institution have managed to lessen the bullying through violence this is where the

cyberbullying comes in. Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a

person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. As such

Cyberbullying is also one form of bullying but it uses electronic devices to do so. The

researchers expect in their analyzation that if bullying is lessened, the victim will be

boosted and most of his potential to develop will progress more smoothly compared to

than before and soon follow to become a normal confident human being. The researchers

want to make the students to be aware of the consequences of cyber-bullying of either

being engaged or being involved with it, the effects of such acts towards others both

mental and physical health and academic performance.

Theoretical Framework

Constantine, Curry, Diaz, and Huh-Kim (2000) supports that cyber bullying and

bullying could be understand with the Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein and Ajzen,

1975) because of its five construct domains, Beliefs and attitudes, perceived school/home

climates, perceived self-efficacy, behavioral intentions, and behaviors are considered to

be critically related and contributing to student actions, in this case, actions related to

cyber bullying. The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) proposed that a person’s

behavior is determined by their intention to perform the behavior and that this intention

is, in turn, a function of their attitude toward the behavior and subjective norms.

Reasoned Action uses two elements, attitudes and norms or the expectations of other

people, to predict behavioral intent. That is, whenever our attitudes lead us to do one

thing but the relevant norms suggest we should do something else, both factors influence

our behavioral intent. Fishbein and Ajzen also explained that behavior is determined by

three things: their attitude toward the specific behavior, their subjective norms, and their

perceived behavioral control.

In conclusion, the Theory of Reasoned Action is an intricate system of

interplaying facets. This allows for an understanding of the causes of social exclusion

through the interaction of the different levels or risk factors that make up the foundation

of the research. While this theory may have its uses in gaining an understanding of social
exclusion, it has only been used in one empirical study. In a study by Constantine, Curry,

Diaz, and Huh-Kim (2000).

Conceptual Framework

Research indicates that cyber bullying has a major effect on academic

performances of a student. An estimated 160,000 children miss school on any given day

due to fear of bullying by other students. According to a website StopBullying.gov,

bullying can have a serious impact on a student’s educational experience, and not just by

causing him or her to miss school. There is a great deal of evidence to suggest that

bullying has a negative impact on a child’s academic performance.

The researchers will gather the demographic profiles of every respondent and

record them. They will also be sought answers from the questions provided in the

statement of the problem for the comprehensive and factual research. These data will

serve as an input of the research.

For the process, it is all about the procedure and conducting the study. The

researchers will give some survey questionnaires to gather the data that are needed in our

research and they will analyze and interpret it. Then afterwards the proponents would

draw conclusion from the information that is gathered.

The outcome would be is that all AMA students will gain awareness against the

problems caused by cyber bullying and the reasons why people bully that it has

something to do with their past experiences, environmental influences and subjective

norms. Students will be able to have a wide understanding about bullying and its
consequences. And also, to continue people preventing from doing that deed and will

have been subjected with better apprehension of what issues will be brought up by cyber

bullying and be knowledgeable about it. Also, the respondent will be aware and come to

realize the significance and negative effects of such acts towards others physical and

psychological health and academic performances.


Input
Demographic Profile
Answers from the following
questions:
What are the main influences of
Cyber-Bullying to the academic
performance and health of
Grade 11 and Grade 12 TVL
students?
What are the effects of Cyber-
Bullying to the correlated
academic performance and
health of Grade 11 and Grade
12 TVL Students in regards to:
mental health; physical health;
and academic performance?
How Cyber-Bullying affects
the Grade 11 and Grade 12
TVL Students?
Is there a significant
relationship between Cyber-
Bullying and the academic
performance and health of the
Grade 11 and Grade 12 TVL
Students?
Paradigm of the Study
Process Output
Awareness against the
problems caused by cyber
bullying and the reasons why
people bully that it has
something to do with their past
experiences, environmental
influences and subjective
norms.
Administration of Survey
Significant relationship
between cyberbullying and the
Questionnaires
academic achievement and
Analysis and Interpretation of health of students in their
the gathered data studies and well-being.
Draw Conclusion Students will be able to have a
wide understanding about
cyberbullying and its
consequences.
Respondents will become
aware and come to realization
of the significance and negative
effects of such acts towards
others physical and
psychological well-being and
academic performance.
Figure 1.0
Significance of the Study

The study will help students of AMA Computer College and future researchers to

know The Possible Effects of Cyberbullying to the Academic Performance and Health of

the students in AMA CC Fairview. This study will also give the STUDENTS an idea

about Cyberbullying. This will make them realize of the consequences of such acts and

its effects to the students in AMA Computer College Fairview, this study will aware them

of how cyberbullying can affect the academic performance in both physical and mental

health of the students. Also, this study will give precaution towards students who have no

idea on what Cyberbullying really is.

TEACHERS. Teachers would be fully aware of what can be the possible effects

of cyberbullying to the academic performance and health of students.

PARENTS. Parents should be able to lecture their children even at home and also

teach them things about the topic that parents are not yet also aware of.

FUTURE RESEARCHERS. This study can give future researchers an idea for

their future study and this can also serve as their guide.

Scope and Delimitations

The study focuses on the Grade 11 TVL and Grade 12 TVL students of AMA

Computer College Fairview. This is bounded on knowing the impact, significance and

influence of cyberbullying to the correlated academic development and health of students

in their studies and wellbeing. This is also centered in knowing the different opinions of

the varied respondents towards cyberbullying.

The study is limited to all grade 11 and 12 students in AMA CC Fairview who

have been either engaged or involved with it. The researchers will provide surveys that

contains questions about the effects of cyberbullying to the academic performance and

health of students in AMA CC Fairview.

Definition of Terms

Respondents – A person who replies to something, especially one supplying

information for a survey or questionnaire or responding to an advertisement.

Proponents – A person who advocates a theory, proposal, or project.

Theory of Reasoned Action – aims to explain the relationship between attitudes

and behaviors within human action. It is mainly used to predict how individuals will

behave based on their pre-existing attitudes and behavioral intentions. An individual's

decision to engage in a particular behavior is based on the outcomes the individual

expects will come as a result of performing the behavior.

Cyber-Bullying – or cyberharassment is a form of bullying or harassment using

electronic means. Cyberbullying and cyberharassment are also known as online bullying.

is when someone, typically teens, bully or harass others on the internet, particularly on

social media sites. Harmful bullying behavior can include posting rumors, threats, sexual

remarks etc. Thus, victims may experience lower self-esteem, increased suicidal ideation,

and a variety of negative emotional responses, including being scared, frustrated, angry,

and depressed.

Cyberstalking – is a form of online harassment in which the perpetrator uses

electronic communications to stalk a victim. This is considered more dangerous than

other forms of cyberbullying because it generally involves a credible threat to the victim's

safety. Cyberstalkers may send repeated messages intended to threaten or harass. They
may encourage others to do the same, either explicitly or by impersonating their victim

and asking others to contact them.

Trolling – is the act of starting quarrels or upsetting people on the Internet to

distract and sow discord by posting inflammatory and digressive, extraneous, or off-topic

messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with

the intent of provoking readers into displaying emotional responses and normalizing

tangential discussion, whether for amusement or a specific gain.

Pejorative Labels – also known as hate speech, is a statement intended to

demean and brutalize another, or the use of cruel and derogatory language on the basis of

real or alleged membership in a social group. Hate speech is speech that attacks a person

or a group on the basis of protected attributes such as race, religion, ethnic origin,

national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Threat – is a communicated intent to inflict harm or loss on another person.

Impersonator – is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of

another. There are many reasons for impersonating someone either for entertainment,

crime, decoys, sowing discord or for companionship.

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.
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – is the leading national public

health institute of the United States. Its main goal is to protect public health and safety

through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability in the US and

internationally. The CDC focuses national attention on developing and applying disease

control and prevention. It especially focuses its attention on infectious disease, food

borne pathogens, environmental health, occupational safety and health, health promotion,

injury prevention and educational activities designed to improve the health of United

States citizens.