Effects of a Brief Preventive Intervention in Cyberbullying and Grooming in Adolescents

Abstract

espanolRESUMEN El desarrollo de intervenciones breves y economicas que reduzcan las conductas de riesgo en la adolescencia constituye un desafio para la investigacion actual. Este estudio aborda la prevencion de dos problemas de comportamiento online en adolescentes (ciberacoso y grooming en Internet). Dos estudios piloto evaluaron los efectos de una intervencion de una hora que combino autoafirmaciones (AA) con la teoria incremental de la personalidad (TIP) en el ciberacoso y el grooming. En el estudio 1 participaron 339 adolescentes (51% chicos, edad media = 14.12 anos, DT = 0.70), que fueron asignados aleatoriamente a la intervencion AA + TIP o una de dos condiciones de control. Los analisis de regresion jerarquica indicaron que la intervencion AA + TIP redujo la reciprocidad entre la solicitud sexual y la interaccion sexualizada con adultos, asi como entre la victimizacion y la perpetracion de ciberacoso. El estudio 2 incluyo a 214 adolescentes (50.3% chicos, edad media = 14.06 anos, DT = 0.96), que fueron asignados aleatoriamente a AA + TIP o a una condicion de control. Los analisis de modelos lineales jerarquicos indicaron que AA + TIP redujo la reciprocidad entre la solicitud sexual y la interaccion sexualizada con adultos y redujo la perpetracion de ciberacoso. Los estudios aportaron evidencia preliminar de las ventajas de la intervencion AA + TIP. EnglishABSTRACT The development of brief and inexpensive interventions that reduce risky behaviors in adolescence constitute a challenge for current research. This study addresses the prevention of two online behavior problems in adolescents (cyberbullying and online grooming). Two pilot studies evaluated the effects of a 1-hour intervention, which combined self-affirmation (SA) with the incremental theory of personality (ITP), for cyberbullying and online grooming. Study 1 involved 339 adolescents (51% male, mean age = 14.12 years, SD = 0.70), who were randomly assigned to the SA + ITP intervention or one of two control conditions. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the SA + ITP intervention reduced the reciprocity between sexual solicitation and sexualized interaction with adults, as well as between cyberbullying victimization and perpetration. Study 2 included 214 adolescents (50.3% male, mean age = 14.06 years, SD = 0.96), who were randomly assigned to the SA + ITP or a control condition. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses indicated that the SA + ITP reduced the reciprocity between sexual solicitation and sexualized interaction with adults, and reduced cyberbullying perpetration. The studies provided preliminary evidence of the benefits of the SA + ITP intervention.