FACE-TO-FACE bullying is still the preferred method used by school bullies despite the popularity of Twitter and Facebook, according to Oxford University research.

The study conducted by the University's Internet Institute found less than one per cent of 15-year-olds in England were regularly experiencing cyberbullying compared to 27 per cent being bullied in person.

Lead researcher Dr Andrew Przybylski found that cyberbullying was being used 'as a new avenue to victimise those already being bullied in traditional ways'.

The team called for interventions that target both forms of bullying in adolescence as well as initiatives to make teenagers more resilient.

Dr Przybylski said: "Despite common perceptions and the growth of the online world for teenagers, our study finds that cyberbullying, on its own, is relatively rare, with face-to-face bullying remaining most common among teenagers.

"Cyberbullying is best understood as a new avenue to victimise those already being bullied in traditional ways, rather than a way to pick on new victims."

Confidential questionnaires were used to assess bullying and mental well-being among more than 110,000 teenagers across England over a two-month period. Participants represented one in five 15-year-olds in England.

Nearly a third of the teenagers (30%) reported experiencing some form of regular bullying, defined as two or three incidents per month. They included one in three girls and one in four boys.

Bullying encompassed a wide range of actions, including name-calling, hurtful teasing, exclusion, spreading of false rumours, sharing unflattering pictures and physical violence.

Co-author Professor Lucy Bowes, also from Oxford University, said: "Bullying is a major public health problem, and our findings support the urgent need for interventions that target both forms of bullying in adolescence.

"Initiatives that help teenagers become resilient in everyday and online contexts will be important if we are to help them overcome the negative mental health impacts bullying may have, such as an increased risk of poor mental well-being and lower life satisfaction."