Unveiling the protective role of school engagement: Mitigating cyberbullying perpetration through mastery and student-student relationship

Abstract

Numerous studies have established that school engagement plays a pivotal role in mitigating adolescent violence. However, its relationship with cyberbullying is not well-defined, and the underlying mechanisms have not been thoroughly explored. To fill the gap, this study adopted the moderated mediation approach and sought to examine: a) the association between school engagement and cyberbullying; b) the potential mediating effects of mastery on that association; and c) the potential moderating effects of student–student relationship in the above mechanisms, based on a sample of 1103 adolescents (52.5 % female, aged from 12 to 18 years) in middle and high schools of urban China. Results indicated that adolescents with high school engagement tend to have a decreased possibility of cyberbullying involvement. Mastery, as a proxy of effective coping experience, mediated the association between school engagement and cyberbullying perpetration. Considering that peer relationships may significantly alter the impact of school engagement and mastery on cyberbullying perpetration, this study also identified student–student relationship as a central moderator in moderating the association between school engagement and cyberbullying as well as the association between mastery and cyberbullying. These findings can help understand the complex dynamics between school engagement and cyberbullying, suggesting directions for future interventions.