Abstract

Cyberbullying has been conceived as harassments where an electronic medium is used to threaten or harm and to
inflict humiliation and fear. Many aspects of cyberbullying are similar to those of IRL bullying, although there are
some important differences. Victims of cyberbullying are never left alone since harassments can reach them almost
everywhere. Unlike IRL bullying, cyberbullying does not have to be repeated since a single episode can be
reposted and forwarded. Electronic communication also allows bullies to remain anonymous and, because of
absence of direct reactions from the victim, there is risk of increased cruelty. Cyberbullying has been linked to
multiple maladaptive emotional, psychological, and behavioural outcomes; hence, this paper reflected on the impact
of cyberbullying on students’ mental health. The effects of cyberbullying vary depending on the individual, but its
consequences include low self-esteem, anxiety, feeling sad, being scared, embarrassed, depression, anger, truancy,
decreased academic achievement, an increased tendency to violate others, school violence and even suicide. As well
as impacting on students’ wellbeing, cyberbullying has also been found to impact on their mental health. This
study reviewed the prevalence of cyberbullying, including the educational implication of this act, on students’
mental health.