STHS Children’s Hosting Webinar To Provide Bullying And Cyberbullying Prevention And Intervention Strategies For Parents And Caregivers

For the next installment of its monthly Let’s Talk Children’s Health webinar series, STHS Children’s will partner with STHS Behavioral to educate parents and caregivers on how to identify bullying and cyberbullying and strategies to stop it

Considered serious public health concerns, bullying and cyberbullying continue to rise at a concerning rate in the United States, resulting in widespread negative consequences for victims, perpetrators and bystanders.

Nearly 33% of U.S. students experienced cyberbullying within the prior 30 days, according to a 2025 study by the Cyberbullying Research Center (CRC), a substantial increase from 16.7% in 2016.

Similarly, bullying rates at U.S. schools has also increased, per the CRC, with nearly 36% of students reporting being bullied in 2025, a significant jump from 22.6% in 2021.

“Children are spending considerable time online for education, social interaction and gaming, which provides more venues for online harassment,” says Bob Cooper, LCSW-S, Director of Utilization Review, South Texas Health System Behavioral. “Today’s technology allows individuals to hide behind fake profiles, making it easier for perpetrators to feel safer when it comes to engaging in bullying behaviors. Fake accounts and misinformation online can be difficult to trace and control without official intervention, making it more challenging for victims to get help.”

Unfortunately, bullying and cyberbullying can severely harm a child’s mental and physical health, leading to mental health issues and social withdrawal, with online intimidation hard to escape due to constant device access.

“Bullying and cyberbullying is more than teasing; it’s actually trauma, especially for children,” says Cooper. “Being bullied can severely affect a child or teenager’s self-image, social interactions or school performance. It can lead to mental health problems like anxiety, depression and substance use disorder, even suicidal thoughts and behaviors.”

So, this National Bullying Prevention Month, South Texas Health System Children’s will dedicate its latest Let’s Talk Children’s Health webinar to helping parents and caregivers take action against bullying and cyberbullying.

During the online seminar, a mental health expert from STHS Behavioral will help parents and caregivers identify the signs of bullying and cyberbullying while offering prevention and intervention strategies to create safer environments and reduce instances of bullying.

Broadcast live via South Texas Health System Children’s Facebook page on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., the online seminar will highlight ways to foster open communication between children and trusted adults and highlight ways that parents and caregivers can teach their children self-confidence and safe ways to respond to or report bullying.

For more information on the webinar, visit the STHS Children’s Facebook Events page. To watch previous Let’s Talk Children’s Health Seminars, visit STHSLetsTalk.com.

About South Texas Health System

South Texas Health System is a multi-facility healthcare system serving patients throughout the Rio Grande Valley. The system includes four acute care facility campuses with specialties in pediatrics, heart and vascular services, maternity and women’s health and trauma services. Inpatient and outpatient treatment for behavioral health needs and addictive disorders is also provided through the system’s South Texas Health System Behavioral facility. South Texas Health System is affiliated with the South Texas Clinical Partners ACO, Prominence Health Plan and Cornerstone Regional Hospital. The system operates an advanced Level I Trauma Center at South Texas Health System McAllen, the first freestanding children’s facility and pediatric ER at South Texas Health System Children’s, the region’s only freestanding heart hospital and specialized cardiac ER at South Texas Health System Heart and seven freestanding emergency rooms located in and around Weslaco, Mission, Edinburg, McAllen, Pharr and Alamo. For more information about the system and its comprehensive services, please visit www.southtexashealthsystem.com.

Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of South Texas Health System. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.