MANILA – Cyberbullying, or the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass or target another person, is more dangerous to children than many people think, according to a new study.

“Growing Up Online – Connected Kids,” a study conducted by Kaspersky Lab and iconKids & Youth, involved an online survey of 3,780 families with children aged 8-16 in the United States, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany and Russia.

While only 4% of child respondents admitted to being bullied online as opposed to 12% in real life, the consequences were “traumatic” in seven out of 10 cases, according to the study.

Parents of 37% of the victims reported low self-esteem, 30% noticed poorer performance in school, and 28% cited depression.

Other effects include disrupted sleep patterns in children (25%), nightmares (21%), avoiding contact with other kids (26%) and anorexia (20%).

The study also noted that children often hide incidents of cyberbullying from their parents, making the task of protecting them from online attacks even more complicated.

“In an effort to protect our children from danger, we must not forget that they not only live in the real world but also in the virtual world, which is just as real to them. On the Internet, children socialize, learn new things, have fun and, unfortunately, encounter unpleasant situations,” said Andrei Mochola, head of consumer business at Kaspersky Lab.

“Cyberbullying is one of the most dangerous things that can confront a child on the Internet because it can make a negative impact on their psyche and cause problems for the rest of their lives,” he added. “The best solution in this case is to talk to your child and use parental control software that can alert you to any suspicious changes to their social network page.”

(READ: Pia Wurtzbach: 'I experience bullying in different forms')

Meanwhile, Kaspersky Lab suggested ways on how to stop cyberbullying:

1. Tell someone and look for practical ways to address the issue, such as involving school administrators or contacting social media sites directly to hold bullies accountable.

2. Make sure to save all posts and messages from the bully by taking screenshots and photos, in addition to recording the time and date.

3. It’s better to ignore the attacks than respond to them. Instead, report cyberbullying to friends, family members or teachers. There is the possibility that some victims who fight back will end up being bullies themselves.

4. Parents should learn everything that they can about what their children are doing on the Internet and with their smartphones or tablets. Monitor their online behavior to get ahead of any potential threats.

5. Be on the lookout for signs of a cyberbullied person, such as loss of interest in favorite activities, skipping classes and changes in sleeping and eating habits.

6. Parents and children should limit the data they post online and keep their passwords secure by changing them regularly. They should also set their social media profiles to private: bullies are known to “hijack” victims’ profiles to post rude or offensive comments.