Threats through mobile phones and internet: Psychological profile and emotional consequences

Abstract

In recent years an increase in the use of the mobile phone and Internet with intimidating purposes or just with the aim of threatening the peers within the scholar context has been observed in our country. With the aim of providing data to be helpful for prevention, a survey study has been carried out in which information related to threatens through new communication media, particularly, Internet and the mobile phone, has been gathered. Results indicate that 23.3% of the compulsory secondary education students in state centres in the city of Girona (Catalonia) have received, during the scholar year, some message through the Internet or the mobile phone, which, according to the content, could be considered as threatening for the adolescents' well-being. The emotional consequences and the coping strategies used by these adolescents have also been analysed.