The relationship between exposure to risky online content, cyber victimization, perception of cyberbullying, and cyberbullying offending in Korean adolescents

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to verify the relationship between exposure to risky online content, cyber victimization, school control, the perception of cyberbullying, and cyberbullying offending. This study analyzed the data of 4779 adolescents (mean age = 15.05, SD = 2.61) among a 2019 cyber violence survey. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that gender, school grade, exposure to risky online content, cyber victimization, perception of cyberbullying, and school control had a significant impact on cyberbullying offending. Male students had higher frequency of cyberbullying offending than female students, and the higher the grade, the lower the frequency of cyberbullying offending. Cyber victimization and exposure to risky online content were positively related to cyber bullying offending. On the other hand, students who recognized that cyberbullying was dangerous and illegal, and were aware that schools had rules about cyberbullying, significantly lower frequency of cyberbullying offending was reported, than those who did not. The results suggest that supervision and control by parents and schools are required to minimize exposure to harmful online content to prevent adolescents' cyberbullying. Furthermore, regular education at home and at school seems necessary to raise awareness that cyberbullying is dangerous and illegal.