Assessment of Cyberbullying Among Adolescents and Its Relationship to Social Media Use in Abuja, FCT

Cyberbullying has emerged as a significant digital wellbeing concern among Nigerian adolescents, driven by rising smartphone penetration and social media use, yet its prevalence and relationship to usage patterns in the Federal Capital Territory have received limited investigation. This study assessed cyberbullying prevalence and its association with social media usage characteristics among adolescents aged 12 to 18 in Abuja Municipal Area Council, FCT. A descriptive survey was conducted among 300 secondary school students from six schools, using stratified random sampling. The Cyberbullying Inventory-Revised and a social media usage questionnaire were administered. Logistic regression and chi-square tests were applied. Results showed that 38.3 percent had been cyberbullied at least once in the preceding school term, with 21.7 percent experiencing repeated victimisation. Heavy social media use (above five hours daily) was significantly associated with cyberbullying victimisation (OR 3.8, p < 0.001) and perpetration (OR 3.1, p < 0.001). Instagram and TikTok were the platforms most associated with cyberbullying incidents. Students who had disclosed cyberbullying to an adult were significantly less likely to experience sustained victimisation. Only 22 percent had access to school-based digital safety counselling. The study recommends digital literacy and cyberbullying prevention counselling in secondary schools, teacher training on cyberbullying identification, and confidential online reporting pathways for students in Abuja schools. Keywords: cyberbullying, social media use, adolescents, Abuja, FCT