Family and peer support as a preventive factor of cyberviolence among teenagers. Implications according to age and gender

Abstract

The psychological and individual factors that predict cyberbullying have been the subject of numerous studies; however, less attention has been paid to relevant contextual or social factors such as family and peer support on the Internet. Some studies analyze them in isolation, but few studies examine them together, which limits their approach. Therefore, this study seeks to explore the extent to which protection networks (family and peers) can predict the likelihood of becoming a victim or aggressor of this type of violence, using a sample of 1,554 Spanish students. The study has also probed differences as a function of gender and age. The data are analyzed using a structural equation model (SEM), in which peer and family support on the Internet are used as exogenous variables, and the status as a victim or aggressor of cyberbullying as endogenous variables. The results show that the so-called "support networks", both primary and secondary, play an essential role in preventing the involvement of adolescents in cases of cyberaggression and cybervictimization. The multi-group analysis by gender and age reveals differences to be considered when diagnosing the situation and promoting socio-educational measures for the prevention of cyberbullying.