Citation

McLoughlin LT, Shan Z, Broadhouse KM, Winks N, Simcock G, Lagopoulos J, Hermens DF. Hum. Brain Mapp. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Sunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience Thompson Institute (SCMNTI), University of the Sunshine Coast, 12 Innovation Parkway, Birtinya, 4575, Queensland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/hbm.24890

PMID

31797458

Abstract

There is a dearth of research that has investigated the neural correlates of cyberbullying, using task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and, specifically, in a real-time context such as observing cyberbullying scenarios. This article presents pilot data from a novel protocol designed to undertake such research with the overall aim being to elucidate the neurobiological underpinnings of cyberbullying via task-based fMRI (tb-fMRI)) in passive cyberbystanders. Young adults (N = 32, 18 to 25 years old) viewed six negative (cyberbullying) and six neutral stimuli from the Cyberbullying Picture Series (CyPicS) while undergoing tb-fMRI. Our results revealed 12 clusters of significantly greater blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) responses (family wise error corrected p _FWE  < .05) in participants when viewing cyberbullying stimuli compared to neutral stimuli, across a distributed network of regions including left and right middle temporal gyrus, default mode network hubs, left and right posterior cerebellum/vermis, and putamen. Further analysis also revealed greater BOLD response in females compared to males, as well as in those with no prior experience of cyberbullying compared to those with prior experience (despite gender), when viewing the cyberbullying stimuli compared to the neutral stimuli. These results bring us closer to understanding the neurobiological underpinnings that may be associated with cybervictim/bully status and outcomes.

© 2019 The Authors. Human Brain Mapping published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language: en

Keywords

Cyberbullying Picture Series; brain; cyberbullying; cyberbystander; function magnetic resonance imaging; neurobiology; protocol; scenarios