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Gender and Cyberbullying: Evaluating the Experience of Facebook Users Among Female Public Secondary School Students in Awka South, Anambra State.

Chibuike Julius Nwosu PhD, Adaobi Olivia Okeke PhD, Chinwe Rebecca Okoyeocha PhD, Njoku, Chinwe Celine PhD

Abstract

The study investigated the topic: "Gender and cyberbullying: Evaluating the experience of Facebook users among female public secondary school students in Awka South, Anambra State” The research design was survey, and a sample size of 300 respondents was chosen based on the sample size determining formula, as worked out by Comrey and Lee. Structured questionnaire was the instrument for data collection, while analysis of data was descriptively completed. The researchers found out that significant proportion of female public secondary school students in Awka South are largely bullied on the Facebook. They also discovered that majority of these students are seriously bothered when bullied online. The study also revealed that majority of the female students were regularly traumatized as a result of the online bullying, and that this seriously affected not only their social life, but academic performance in school. Finally, the study showed the different forms of cyberbullying which female public secondary school students face online to include: trolling, harassment, cyber-stalking, and some others which are similar to the ones already mentioned. Based on the foregoing, the researchers recommend among others, that the school authorities and government should as much as possible, work hard to address the issue of cyberbullying among students. This the researchers suggest, could be done by organising seminars, talks and other educative programmes that will help inform these students on how to avoid being bullied online.

Keywords

Awka SouthCyberbullyingFacebookFemale Public Secondary Schools.

References

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