Dissertation
Neurophysiological Markers of Cyberbullying Involvement in Early Adolescence: An Investigation using Electroencephalography
University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25907/00911
Appears in Thompson Institute Research Collection
Abstract
The aim of this thesis was to investigate EEG power spectral activity as a neurophysiological marker of cyberbullying involvement in adolescence. Adolescence has been identified as an intense neurodevelopmental period, critical for both psychological and neurobiological development, which can often see the onset of various negative mental health outcomes. Due to the intense changes that occur during adolescence, young people are at an increased risk of emotional dysregulation and risk-taking behaviours, factors often involved with cyberbullying. Identified by the literature as resulting in increasingly damaging behaviours, cyberbullying has numerous negative psychological and social outcomes, such as increased psychological distress, suicidality and social isolation. Research suggests that these concepts may be linked or have bidirectional relationships that result in a chain of negative outcomes. Taken together, research also suggests that there may be neurobiological impacts that could persist even after the cyberbullying has occurred. However, there is a lack of research that looks at the impact of inherent, repeated, real-life cyberbullying experiences, and how that can impact brain activity at resting state. Therefore, the neurophysiological profiles associated with cyberbullying need investigation, to strengthen our knowledge of the brain-related changes that underpin this behaviour. The relationship between cyberbullying involvement, EEG brain activity and psychosocial variables is investigated in this thesis using data from the Longitudinal Adolescent Brain Study (LABS) at the Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC). The LABS is a longitudinal study that collects various neurological, psychological, and cognitive measures over a five-year period, using a community sample of adolescence.
Details
- Title
- Neurophysiological Markers of Cyberbullying Involvement in Early Adolescence: An Investigation using Electroencephalography
- Authors
- Lia Mills - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
- Contributors
- Daniel Hermens (Principal Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson InstituteChristina Driver (Co-Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
- Awarding institution
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Degree awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- DOI
- 10.25907/00911
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health; Thompson Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991110046202621
- Output Type
- Dissertation
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