Adolescent Cyberbullying and Weapon Carrying: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations

This study examines the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between weapon carrying and cyberbullying (i.e., perpetration, victimization, and perpetration/victimization) and explore the relationship directions. Four waves of data were used from an ongoing longitudinal study. Participants were 1,042 adolescents, including 55.9 percent female, 31.7 percent Hispanic, 30.3 percent white, 26.6 percent African American, and 11.4 percent other, with a mean age of 15.1 years at baseline. Logistic regressions identified cross-sectional associations between weapon carrying and cyberbullying perpetration and victimization, but not for perpetration/victimization. Compared with their noninvolved counterparts, cyberbullying perpetrator were 1.97 times more likely to carry a weapon 1 year later and cyberbullying perpetrator/victims were 2.65 times more likely to carry a weapon one year later. Youth who had carried a weapon were 1.97 times more likely to be cyberbullying victims 1 year later and 1.70 times more likely to be a victim 2 years later, compared with their nonweapon-carrying counterparts. The findings highlight the importance of intervention programs targeting both cyberbullying perpetration and weapon carriage.