Cyberbullying and Mental Health in Online Classrooms

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Rohan Ghosh

Independent Researcher

West Bengal, India

Abstract
Cyberbullying within online classrooms represents a multifaceted challenge at the intersection of educational technology, student psychology, and digital ethics. As remote and hybrid learning models have become integral to modern education, incidents of cyberbullying have migrated from informal social platforms into structured academic spaces, exacerbating stressors for both students and educators. This enhanced abstract provides a comprehensive overview of a mixed‑methods investigation involving 350 secondary students and 20 educators, aiming to articulate the prevalence, typologies, and psychosocial outcomes associated with digital harassment in virtual learning environments. Quantitative findings reveal that 42% of students reported experiencing at least one form of cyberbullying—ranging from exclusionary group‑chat practices to targeted direct messaging—within a six‑month period. Statistical analyses demonstrate significant positive correlations between frequency of victimization and elevated anxiety (r = .52, p < .001) as well as depressive symptomatology (r = .47, p < .001), underscoring the serious mental health sequelae of online peer aggression. Qualitative interview data further illuminate educator experiences, highlighting systemic detection challenges due to anonymized interactions and limited visibility into off‑platform communications, as well as resource constraints in responding to reports. The study synthesizes these insights to propose a multi‑tiered framework comprising proactive digital citizenship instruction, platform‑level moderation tools, educator professional development, peer‑support structures, and integrated mental health resources. Practical recommendations emphasize curriculum redesign to embed interactive empathy‑building modules, deployment of AI‑augmented monitoring to flag harassment in real time, and establishment of clear reporting protocols. By bridging empirical evidence with actionable interventions, this research aims to inform policy and practice for safeguarding student well‑being in ever‑evolving online classrooms.

Keywords
Cyberbullying, Online Classrooms, Mental Health, Remote Learning, Student Well‑Being

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