The Moderating Role of Emotion Regulation in Relationship Between Narcissism and Cyberbullying

Abstract

Along with the growing role of new technological solutions, we are becoming more and more exposed to the negative consequences of electronic forms of contact. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between cyberbullying, both from the perpetrators’ and victims’ perspectives, and emotion regulation strategies and narcissism. It was hypothesized that cyberbullying correlates positively with emotion suppression and narcissistic rivalry and negatively with cognitive reappraisal and narcissistic admiration. Within cybervictimization, a positive relationship was predicted with emotion suppression and narcissistic rivalry, and a negative relationship with narcissistic admiration. Additionally, a model assuming moderation of emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between cyberbullying perpetration and narcissistic rivalry was analyzed. Students aged 19–26 years (N = 208, 49.5% female) participated in the study and completed the following online questionnaires: the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire, and the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire. The results indicated that cybervictimization was positively related to emotion suppression, and that narcissistic rivalry was positively related to cyberbullying and cybervictimization. The tested model of moderation was not validated for both emotion regulation strategies. The results of the research have practical implications and confirm the need for further research in this field.