Cyberbullying and Bullying in Spanish Participants With Eating Disorders

There are few studies about the association between bullying, cyberbullying, eating psychopathology in clinical populations. This study aims to 1) analyze whether people with eating disorders were victims of bullying and cyberbullying, 2) explore whether bullying and cyberbullying were associated with eating disorders, psychopathology and coping strategies, and 3) analyze whether being a victim of bullying was a predictor of cyberbullying. Thirty-four participants with eating disorders filled out the questionnaires: EAT-26, DERS, EBIP-Q, ECIPQ, MBSRQ, BRIEF-COPE. Results showed that 100% of the patients had experienced both bullying and cyberbullying. Furthermore, bullying and cyberbullying were not associated with body satisfaction, eating attitudes, emotion deregulation, or coping strategies; however, a trend was found between cyberbullying, body satisfaction, and emotion deregulation. Finally, the authors found that having experienced bullying was a predictor of cyberbullying. The assessment and treatment of bullying and cyberbullying in eating disorders is necessary.