“She Stopped Me From Killing Myself”: Bullied Bloggers’ Coping Behaviors and Support Sources

Bullying is on the rise, and bullied targets often face consequences when they do not effectively manage their victimization. This study investigates bullied bloggers’ use and evaluations of coping strategies and support sources. Informed by Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) appraisal theory, Tenenbaum, Varjas, Meyers, and Parris’s (2011) model of bullied students’ coping, and social support literature, bullied students’ narratives (N = 100) from five bullying blogs (Pacer’s, I’m Getting Bullied, ReachOut, BullyVille, No Place 4 Hate) are examined. The findings reveal similar negative outcomes with particular coping strategies and support sources for bullied male and female bloggers. These results reinforce coping strategies that many bullying organizations promote in their programs and websites (i.e., do not avoid disclosure, confront bullies, or retaliate), and promote future research about how to improve parents’ and teachers’ supportive communication with bullied youth.