One way to help your child heal from cyberbullying

Cyberbullying victimization relates to internalizing, externalizing, and substance use problems in adolescents and that the frequency of family dinners attenuate these associations.

A new study from JAMA Pediatrics found the frequency of cyberbullying positively related to all 11 internalizing, externalizing, and substance use problems. However, victimization related more closely to rates of problems in adolescents that had fewer family dinners.

These results suggest that family dinners (ie, family contact and communication) are beneficial to adolescent mental health and may help protect adolescents from the harmful consequences of cyberbullying.