Differential analysis by gender of cyberbullying, problematic internet use, and social media violence in adolescence

The impact of information and communication technologies on personal and social development in our society has considerably transformed social interactions and the academic and work world. However, despite the multiple benefits, the widespread and increasingly early use of mobile phones, computers, social networks, etc. among children and adolescents has led to the analysis of new problematic situations for minors, such as problematic internet use and cyberbullying, among others. The negative consequences associated with these problems in the younger population are numerous and alarming. Recent research has focused on analyzing the relationship between different cyberbullying behaviors, the personal, social, and academic impact of problematic internet use, as well as parental style, family communication, and social support for at-risk minors. This symposium focuses on the analysis of different studies conducted with adolescents as users of social networks and the internet. Specifically, the gender differences in problematic internet and social media use will be analyzed, distinguishing how gender-based violence behaviors differ on social networks between boys and girls, and finally, reflecting on how cyberbullying roles manifest considering gender. The research design used was longitudinal, although this symposium presents the results of the first round of tests conducted in May 2023, consisting of a large sample of secondary school students.