Cyberbullying victimization and suicide ideation: The mediating role of psychological distress among Malaysian youth

Abstract

Cyberbullying is a pervasive phenomenon in the digital age and has been recently recognized as a risk factor for suicidal behavior among Malaysian youth. In this study, we aim to further examine the impact of cyberbullying on suicide ideation and to explore mechanisms that may explain this relationship. Building on the Conservation of Resources Theory, we test a path model in which we expect cyberbullying exposure to be related to feelings of anxiety, exhaustion, and stress, which in turn are expected to be related to an increase in depression. Finally, this negative spiral is further expected to be associated with an increase in suicide ideation. We collected online data from 534 Malaysian youth aged 15 to 26 using Google Forms. The data were analyzed using Smart PLS 3.0. The findings revealed that victims of cyberbullying incurred a significantly higher risk of suicide ideation. Mediation analyses indicated that anxiety, exhaustion, and stress mediated the relationship between cyberbullying and depression, whereas depression significantly mediated the relationship between cyberbullying and suicide ideation. The results highlight the clear need for cyberbullying prevention programs to educate youth about the consequences of cyberbullying.