Students’ perceptions on determinants of cyberbullying at a rural higher education institution in Limpopo

In South Africa, cyberbullying is a prevalent problem and is seen as a social and psychological concern amongst university students (Nuaimi AA. Effectiveness of Cyberbullying prevention strategies in the UAE. In ICT Analysis and Applications. 2021:731–739. Springer, Singapore). The aim of the present study was to explore students' perceptions on the determinants of cyberbullying at a rural higher institution in Limpopo province, South Africa. The study employed a qualitative approach, utilizing an exploratory research design. A sample of ten (10) students enrolled at the University of Venda (Univen) was selected through a purposive sampling method. Data was collected utilizing semi-structured interviews and analyzed through thematic content analysis. The study findings revealed that some of the determinants of cyberbullying include the need to belong, peer pressure, wanting to be famous, knowledge about victims’ personal background, and the perpetrator’s need to exert power. Conclusively, students recommend that institutions of higher learning strengthen and enforce anti-bullying policies to reduce the prevalence of this phenomenon.