One in five U.S. adolescents experience online bullying. Victims show 2.5 times higher odds of anxiety symptoms than non victims. Meta analyses also link cyberbullying to 1.65 to 1.80 times higher odds of suicidal ideation.
Key Takeaways
- Students who reported poor academic performance had higher cyberbullying rates (statistical association reported in CDC YRBS analyses)
- Cyberbullying effects on mental health were stronger among adolescents with higher baseline depression scores (longitudinal evidence)
- Students with ADHD symptoms had higher cyberbullying victimization odds (OR 1.60)
- 1 in 5 U.S. adolescents experience online bullying (prevalence figure commonly cited as 20%)
- 45% of students who were bullied online reported being upset (survey finding)
- A study found 62% of cyberbullying victims reported feeling emotionally affected within days (survey finding)
- 48% of cyberbullying victims reported rumination about the event after it happened (survey finding)
- Cyberbullying victimization was associated with higher perceived social exclusion (standardized coefficient β=0.22)
- A report found 68% of teens said they would report online harassment to a friend or adult (behavioral support measure)
- 62% of surveyed parents said they had discussed cyberbullying with their children (behavior measure)
- A meta-analysis found school-based interventions reduce cyberbullying perpetration by a small-to-moderate effect (Hedges g≈-0.20)
- Cybervictims had 2.5 times higher odds of anxiety symptoms than non-victims (meta-analysis)
- A 2018 systematic review found that cyberbullying victimization is associated with increased risk of suicidal ideation (pooled evidence)
- A meta-analysis reported that cyberbullying involvement is associated with suicidal ideation with a pooled odds ratio of 1.80
- 24% of U.S. teens reported experiencing at least one form of cyberbullying in the past year (2021).
Cyberbullying affects mental health widely, linking online harassment to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts.
Related reading
01 · Category
Subgroup Disparities4 stats
01
Students who reported poor academic performance had higher cyberbullying rates (statistical association reported in CDC YRBS analyses)https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm
02
Cyberbullying effects on mental health were stronger among adolescents with higher baseline depression scores (longitudinal evidence)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.08.005
03
Students with ADHD symptoms had higher cyberbullying victimization odds (OR 1.60)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2019.03.012
04
Cyberbullying was associated with higher rates of depressive symptoms among those with autism spectrum traits (OR 1.35)https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2511
Interpretation
Subgroup Disparities Interpretation
Within subgroup disparities, cyberbullying’s mental health impact appears amplified for vulnerable groups, with odds rising to 1.60 for students with ADHD symptoms and 1.35 for those with autism spectrum traits, and effects also being stronger for adolescents who already had higher depression scores.
02 · Category
Prevalence Rates2 stats
01
1 in 5 U.S. adolescents experience online bullying (prevalence figure commonly cited as 20%)https://www.unicef.org/globalinsight/media/2301/file/UNICEF_Online%20Safety%20Brief.pdf
02
45% of students who were bullied online reported being upset (survey finding)https://www.ditchthelabel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/The_Second_Era_of_Hate_Around_the_World.pdf
Interpretation
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
For the prevalence rates of cyberbullying, the data show that about 1 in 5 U.S. adolescents are experiencing online bullying, and among the affected students 45% report feeling upset.
03 · Category
Mechanisms And Pathways13 stats
01
A study found 62% of cyberbullying victims reported feeling emotionally affected within days (survey finding)https://www.unicef.org/media/87911/file/Child%20Online%20Victimization%20Report.pdf
02
48% of cyberbullying victims reported rumination about the event after it happened (survey finding)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.10.018
03
Cyberbullying victimization was associated with higher perceived social exclusion (standardized coefficient β=0.22)https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000292
04
Perceived injustice mediated 28% of the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and depressive symptoms (mediation model)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.109918
05
Online disinhibition was found to be associated with higher victimization frequency (IRR 1.18)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.02.009
06
A longitudinal mediation study estimated that cyberbullying→rumination→depression explained 34% of total effecthttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.04.012
07
A study estimated that social rejection accounted for 25% of the association between cybervictimization and anxiety symptomshttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.08.016
08
Rumination mediated 31% of cyberbullying victimization to suicidal ideation (mediation analysis)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.042
09
Group targeting (multiple perpetrators) increased severity of emotional outcomes with an effect size d=0.45https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.10.004
10
Witness exposure increased emotional impact: victims reported higher distress when posts were liked or shared (difference 1.1 SD units)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.11.018
11
Reduced school belonging accounted for 30% of the total effect on depressive symptoms in a mediation modelhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.08.005
12
Cognitive appraisals of threat mediated 27% of cyberbullying→anxiety (mediation result)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106970
13
A study found that perceived online controllability reduced anxiety by 0.18 SD units (protective factor)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2018.09.005
Interpretation
Mechanisms And Pathways Interpretation
Across the mechanisms and pathways, the evidence suggests that cyberbullying’s mental health impact can unfold quickly and through internal and social processes, with 62% of victims reporting emotional effects within days, 48% showing rumination, and mediation showing that perceived injustice accounts for 28% of the link to depressive symptoms while the cyberbullying to rumination to depression pathway explains 34% of the total effect.
04 · Category
Intervention Outcomes4 stats
01
A report found 68% of teens said they would report online harassment to a friend or adult (behavioral support measure)https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/09/13/teens-social-media-and-technology-2018/
02
62% of surveyed parents said they had discussed cyberbullying with their children (behavior measure)https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/250399/Children-and-parents-media-use-and-attitudes-report.pdf
03
A meta-analysis found school-based interventions reduce cyberbullying perpetration by a small-to-moderate effect (Hedges g≈-0.20)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104285
04
A school program reduced depressive symptom scores by 1.5 points on a depression scale among affected students (evaluation result)https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21879
Interpretation
Intervention Outcomes Interpretation
Within intervention outcomes, the evidence suggests support and school programs can make a measurable difference, with 68% of teens willing to report harassment and parents more than half at 62% discussing cyberbullying while meta-analyzed school interventions show a small to moderate reduction in perpetration and one program lowered depressive symptoms by 1.5 points for affected students.
05 · Category
Mental Health Impact12 stats
01
Cybervictims had 2.5 times higher odds of anxiety symptoms than non-victims (meta-analysis)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.12.025
02
A 2018 systematic review found that cyberbullying victimization is associated with increased risk of suicidal ideation (pooled evidence)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.08.005
03
A meta-analysis reported that cyberbullying involvement is associated with suicidal ideation with a pooled odds ratio of 1.80https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.10.007
04
Cyberbullying victimization is associated with increased suicidal ideation (pooled OR 1.65 in a meta-analysis)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105086
05
Cyberbullying victimization showed increased likelihood of self-harm in a meta-analysis (pooled OR 1.90)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2018.02.001
06
Victims of cyberbullying had significantly higher levels of loneliness (mean difference 0.34 SD units in a meta-analysis)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.10.020
07
Cyberbullying victimization was associated with stress symptoms with a standardized mean difference of 0.30https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104297
08
A meta-analysis reported cyberbullying victimization associated with lower self-esteem with effect size d≈-0.40https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2020.02.002
09
Cyberbullying victimization increased risk of PTSD symptoms (pooled effect size g≈0.25) in a systematic reviewhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.09.025
10
In a U.K. school survey, 29% of students who were cyberbullied reported feeling sad or lowhttps://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-information-and-resources/research-and-statistics
11
In a Netherlands study, cyberbullying victimization increased odds of depressive symptoms (OR 1.45)https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckz123
12
A JAMA Pediatrics study found cyberbullying was associated with 2.1 times higher odds of suicidal ideation among youthhttps://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2671449
Interpretation
Mental Health Impact Interpretation
Under the mental health impact category, cyberbullying is strongly linked with worse psychological outcomes, with cybervictims showing 2.5 times higher odds of anxiety symptoms and roughly double the odds of suicidal ideation and self harm in meta-analytic findings.
More related reading
06 · Category
Prevalence3 stats
01
24% of U.S. teens reported experiencing at least one form of cyberbullying in the past year (2021).https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/09/01/teens-social-media-and-technology-2021/
02
1 in 5 (20%) of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied (2019).https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/ss/ss6901a1.htm
03
32% of young people in Australia reported being cyberbullied at least once (2017–2018 survey).https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/young-people-at-risk/contents/online-safety
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
Across countries, cyberbullying is common enough to be seen as a clear prevalence issue, with 24% of U.S. teens reporting at least one experience in 2021, 20% of U.S. high school students reporting electronic bullying in 2019, and 32% of young people in Australia reporting being cyberbullied at least once in 2017 to 2018.
07 · Category
Depression & Anxiety4 stats
01
Cyberbullying victimization showed a statistically significant association with increased depressive symptoms (standardized beta/weight reported as positive in the meta-analysis).https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673621001219
02
Cyberbullying victimization was associated with higher anxiety symptoms (pooled effect reported as significant in the meta-analysis).https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-68438-001
03
Cyberbullying victimization was associated with increased stress symptoms (pooled effects reported as statistically significant in the systematic review).https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02673843.2020.1793851
04
In a meta-analysis, cyberbullying victimization was associated with increased negative affect (pooled effect reported as significant).https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/spc3.12684
Interpretation
Depression & Anxiety Interpretation
Across depression and anxiety outcomes, cyberbullying victimization is consistently linked to higher mental health symptom levels, including increased depressive symptoms, significant increases in anxiety and stress in meta-analytic findings, and a significant rise in negative affect, underscoring its strong association with depression and anxiety.
08 · Category
Suicidality & Self Harm3 stats
01
32% of cyberbullying victims reported experiencing suicidal thoughts at some point (survey result; association reported in the study).https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352464217300630
02
In a longitudinal study, cybervictimization predicted later self-harm ideation (effect size reported in the paper).https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2167702619867868
03
A study reported that 11.6% of adolescents who experienced cyberbullying reported a history of self-harm (survey finding).https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cch.12962
Interpretation
Suicidality & Self Harm Interpretation
For the Suicidality and Self Harm category, the findings show a clear link between cyberbullying and serious outcomes, with 32% reporting suicidal thoughts and 11.6% of adolescents reporting a history of self-harm, while longitudinal results indicate cybervictimization can also lead to later self-harm ideation.
09 · Category
Ptsd & Trauma3 stats
01
In a meta-analysis, cyberbullying involvement showed a significant association with PTSD symptom severity (pooled statistic reported in the study).https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-65067-001
02
A systematic review reported that cyberbullying exposure is linked to trauma-related symptomatology in adolescent populations (pooled or summarized effect reported).https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735821000878
03
Cyberbullying victimization was associated with higher trauma symptom scores (standardized mean difference reported as significant).https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13607863.2022.2133321
Interpretation
Ptsd & Trauma Interpretation
Across the studies in the PTSD and trauma category, cyberbullying involvement and exposure consistently show significant links with more severe trauma and PTSD symptoms, including a meta analytic pooled association and other reviews reporting significant higher trauma symptom scores in adolescents and victims.
10 · Category
Functioning & Well Being2 stats
01
Cyberbullying victimization was associated with reduced psychosocial well-being (pooled effect reported as significant in a meta-analysis).https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JAMF-10-2020-0017/full/html
02
Cyberbullying victimization was associated with lower quality of life scores (effect reported in the systematic review).https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886922000207
Interpretation
Functioning & Well Being Interpretation
Across the Functioning and Well Being evidence, cyberbullying victimization is linked to poorer psychosocial well being and lower quality of life scores, with a meta analysis showing a significant reduction in well being and a systematic review reporting similarly lower quality of life.
report visual · Key figures
Cyberbullying and mental health impact: prevalence, emotional distress, and depressive symptoms
Cyberbullying exposure is common and is linked with elevated emotional distress and depressive symptoms.
20%
1 in 5 U.S. adolescents experience online bullying (prevalence figure commonly cited as 20%)
62%
A study found 62% of cyberbullying victims reported feeling emotionally affected within days (survey finding)
45%
45% of students who were bullied online reported being upset (survey finding)
1.45
In a Netherlands study, cyberbullying victimization increased odds of depressive symptoms (OR 1.45)
24%
24% of U.S. teens reported experiencing at least one form of cyberbullying in the past year (2021).
source-verifiedunicef.org · ditchthelabel.org · doi.org · pewresearch.org2021
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Cyberbullying Effects On Mental Health Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cyberbullying-effects-on-mental-health-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Cyberbullying Effects On Mental Health Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cyberbullying-effects-on-mental-health-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Cyberbullying Effects On Mental Health Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cyberbullying-effects-on-mental-health-statistics.
Sources & references
50 datasets cited across this report
+35 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)