“It Takes a Village”: Parental Experiences with Cooperation to Overcome Cyberbullying in Norwegian Schools

This study investigated parental beliefs and experiences with cooperation among adults to overcome cyberbullying in Norwegian schools. Data comprised 17 semi-structured interviews conducted with parents of adolescents enrolled in primary or lower secondary schools in Norway. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed four themes: (1) individual and (2) organizational aspects influencing cooperation, (3) cyberbullying as a form of aggression, and (4) interactional dimensions of cooperation. These findings highlight the complexity of cyberbullying characteristics and mesosystemic cooperation, which require expertise in various fields. The viral and covert nature of cyberbullying requires adults to create spaces, online or offline, where children may safely report unwanted behaviors without the fear of retaliation. Any barriers to cooperation, such as language, lack of technological knowledge, and resource allocation, must be addressed. Immigrant parents contributed insights regarding barriers to cooperation due to cultural and linguistic differences. Attitudes, behaviors, and outcomes need to be addressed before cooperation based on trust, support, and realistic goals can be implemented.