Cybergossip in adolescence: Its relationship with social competency, empathy, emotions in online communication and socio-emotional e-competencies by gender and age

Abstract

Cybergossip involves making evaluative comments about third parties through digital devices, a behaviour accentuated by the use of social networks and associated with the intensification of cyberbullying, especially among adolescents. Certain studies suggest that there may be a relationship between cybergossip and socio-emotional variables. However, few studies have analysed this, and even fewer have considered a further series of variables that are evaluated in the online environment, taking into account gender and age differences. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyse the predictive capacity of social competency, empathy, emotional online content (e-motions), and socio-emotional e-competencies in relation to cybergossip. In order to achieve this, we conducted a large-scale survey among Spanish adolescents (n = 992) aged 12–16 (54.4% girls, M = 13.80, and SD = 1.27). Results showed that cybergossip increases with age, with a similar frequency in boys and girls. Regression analysis showed that the variables we evaluated in the online environment can improve our knowledge about cybergossip in relation to social competency and empathy. Moreover, e-motions, which tend to come into play in the transmission of online messages, increase the frequency of cybergossip. Socio-emotional e-competencies, however, can reduce its occurrence, thereby helping adolescents adapt to online interaction environments. Certain socio-emotional e-competencies stand out: e-regulation of emotions in girls, e-self-control of impulsivity in boys, and emotional e-independence in both genders and in older adolescents. Finally, we highlight the need for adolescents to develop specific online emotional competencies.