Cyber Victimization Research Articles

The Latent or Covert Signs and Symptoms of Cyber Victimization and Risky Online Behaviors: An Integrative Review

The Latent or Covert Signs and Symptoms of Cyber Victimization and Risky Online Behaviors: An Integrative Review

Problematic Social Media Use, Retaliation, and Moral Disengagement in Cyberbullying and Cybervictimization Among Italian Preadolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model

AbstractDespite existing research on the factors associated with problematic social media use (PSMU), cyberbullying (CB), and cybervictimization (CV) among youth, few studies have explored the relationships between these variables. Rooted in the Maladaptive Coping Theory, this study investigates the complex dynamics of digital behaviors among Italian preadolescents, exploring the interplay between PSMU, moral disengagement, retaliation, and their connections with cyberbullying and cybervictimization. A total of 489 participants (Mage = 11.90, SD = 0.783; 50.3% female) from schools in southern Italy completed an online self-report questionnaire. Descriptive analyses were conducted and correlations between variables were computed. Mediation and moderation analyses were performed using PROCESS in SPSS 27.0. The results of the study indicated that PSMU positively predicted both CB and CV. Moral disengagement (MD) was identified as a mediator in this association, elucidating the role of justifications and cognitive restructuring in facilitating negative online behaviors. Most notably, retaliation emerged as a moderator that amplified the effects of PSMU on cyberbullying and cybervictimization. These findings underscore the pivotal role of PSMU in shaping digital landscapes for preadolescents and highlight the need for tailored interventions. In addition, they highlight MD as a maladaptive coping strategy in the online realm, revealing its instrumental role in perpetuating negative online behaviors. This study’s insights suggest the need for interventions to address the complexity of young people’s online interactions and promote a safer digital environment.

The Relationship of Cyber Bullying and Victimization with Anxiety and Depression Risk in High School Students

In this research, it was intended to find out the frequency of cyber bullying and cyber victimization experienced by students who are attending different schools in a city center and to investigate the relationship between these situations and anxiety and risk of depression. The research population consisted of 460 students studying at Anatolian High School, Private High School, and Imam Hatip High School. This cross-sectional, analytical study included 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade voluntary students. Data collected via questionnaire consisted of three parts: socio-demographic information form, the cyber bullying scale (CBS) and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). The daily internet usage time of the participants were found to be 4.07±3.77 hours. Fifty-eight point seven percent (n=270) of the students were victims while 24.5% (n=112) of them were both bully and victims. The cyber victimization score of male students was found to be 24.1±9.6. The mean anxiety and depression scores of the students were 9.6 ± 4.3 and 7.2 ±3.9 respectively, and difference was significant between cyber victims and those who are neither bully nor victims (p<0.001). Anxiety and depression risk were positively correlated to cyber victimization score. The results of this study reveal that cyber bullying and victimization in young people are quite high. The relationship between cyber bullying, cyber victimization and anxiety and depression poses a significant threat for adolescents.

The Influence of Cyber Victimization, Internet Use, and Perception of Cyberbullying-on-Cyberbullying Perpetration among Korean Adults: A National Sample-Based Study

Background: Although cyberbullying has emerged as a serious problem even among adults, most researches have been conducted on the adolescents. We aimed to verify the independent effects of cyber victimization, internet use, and the perception of cyberbullying-on-cyberbullying perpetration in South Korea adults. Methods: The data of 1500, 20s to 50s Korea adults from the 2019 Survey on the Cyberbullying conducted by the National Information Society Agency were used. Results: A hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that cyber victimization and internet use were positively related to cyberbullying perpetration. In particular, the perception of cyberbullying was negatively associated with cyberbullying perpetration. Conclusion: This study is an early effort to verify the influence of the perception of cyberbullying-on-cyberbullying perpetration. Educating that cyberbullying is an illegal and dangerous behavior is important to prevent cyberbullying perpetration.

Exploring the Relationship Between Cyberbullying and Technology Addiction in Adolescents.

The present study aims to investigate the relationship between cyberbullying/victimization and technology addiction among Turkish adolescents. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 572 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18. The study employed the Bullying and Cyber Bullying Scale for Adolescents (BCS-A) to evaluate cyber victimization (BCS-A VCSs) and cyberbullying (BCS-A BCSs) subdimensions, in conjunction with the Technology Addiction Scale (TAS). Among adolescents, 38.5% exhibited a moderate level of technology addiction. The results revealed positive and weak correlations between TAS scores and BCS-A VCSs (p < 0.001), as well as between BCS-A VCSs and BCS-A BCSs scores at a moderate level (p < 0.001). The study revealed that exposure to inappropriate content, encountering humiliating expressions on social media, sending inappropriate messages or videos to friends, and facing threats were significant predictors of BCS-A VCS scores. Furthermore, the transmission of inappropriate messages or videos, the encounter of cyberbullying victims, the exclusion of friends from online platforms, the experience of distress caused by humiliating expressions, and the sharing of private content were identified as significant predictors of the total BCS-A BCSs score. The study demonstrated a correlation between elevated technology addiction and involvement in cyberbullying or victimization among adolescents. Moreover, the study identified significant predictors of cyberbullying and cyber victimization. It is recommended that health professionals develop intervention programs for safe technology use and the prevention of cyberbullying and victimization. These programs should aim to raise societal awareness, particularly among parents and teachers.

Cyberbullying: Definition, Prevalence, Effects, Risk and Protective Factors

Cyberbullying is defined as intentional, repetitive, and harmful behaviors carried out using computers, cell phones, or other electronic devices. In recent years, there has been an increase in the rates of cyberbullying parallel to the rise in Internet usage. Particularly among adolescents, the prevalence of cyberbullying and cyber victimization are quite high. Adolescents who cyberbully or cyber victim face serious mental health problems. In this reason, efforts should be made to prevent adolescents from being exposed to these negative effects. It is crucial to identify the risk factors and protective factors related to cyberbullying, as they can guide preventive interventions. The review aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on the risk factors and protective factors influencing cyberbullying. Furthermore, information was provided regarding the definition, historical trend, prevalence, and consequences of cyberbullying. In this review, firstly, the definition of cyberbullying is provided, followed by a detailed discussion of its history, prevalence, risk factors, and protective factors. It is expected that the study, which comprehensively explains the factors related to cyberbullying, will contribute to the literature on cyberbullying and provide guidance to professionals working in this field."

Cyber Bullying Prevention in Learning Institutions: Systematic Approach

Cyberbullying has been identified as a biggest problem for the last decade. In this paper we will discuss some recent findings and focus on general concepts within the area. This paper covers issues like repetition and power imbalance, types of cyberbullying, age, cyberbullying and traditional bullying, motives for and impact of cyber victimization, coping strategies, and prevention/intervention possibilities. Understanding the characteristics and methods of typical cybercrimes can help us better arm ourselves with the information and resources needed to reduce risks, improve cyber-security, and protect our online identities. However, hackers, phishing fraudsters, and other cybercriminals seized the chance to profit greatly from this chaos. Phishing assaults and cybercrime complaints have skyrocketed throughout the epidemic, putting a great deal of people &amp; small organizations at danger of identity theft, credit card fraud, or data breaches.

Cyber Victimization in the Healthcare Industry: Analyzing Offender Motivations and Target Characteristics through Routine Activities Theory (RAT) and Cyber-Routine Activities Theory (Cyber-RAT)

Cyber Victimization in the Healthcare Industry: Analyzing Offender Motivations and Target Characteristics through Routine Activities Theory (RAT) and Cyber-Routine Activities Theory (Cyber-RAT)

Model of Cyber Victimization: Study on College Student in Indonesia

Model of Cyber Victimization: Study on College Student in Indonesia

Exploring the Link Between Cyber Victimization and Depression.

Cyber victimization is strongly and positively associated with depressive symptoms in adolescence. Identifying mechanisms of this association is imperative to benefit adolescents' mental health. Applying the General Aggression Model in a theoretically novel way, this study examined a complex mediational pathway between cyber victimization and depressive symptoms. Two hundred seventy-seven adolescent participants (M age = 15.84; 65.7% females) reported their own cyber victimization experiences, depressive symptoms, and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral attributions in response to a hypothetical cyber victimization scenario. Path analysis within structural equation modeling was used to test a model where cyber victimization predicted depressive symptoms through characterological self-blame cognitions, sadness emotions, and passive avoidance behaviors. Characterological self-blame was found to partially mediate the positive and significant association between cyber victimization and depressive symptoms. Sadness emotions and passive avoidance behaviors did not emerge as significant mediators. The findings implicate the importance of cognitions in explaining the association between cyber victimization and depression and suggest incorporating cognitive re-framing education into anti-cyberbullying prevention programs.

Linking Daily Victimization to Daily Affect Among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Sleep Quality and Disturbance.

Bullying victimization is prevalent among adolescents and often linked to emotional problems. Prior studies have been focused on the concurrent or longitudinal associations between bullying victimization and emotional problems, but the daily associations and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Implementing daily diary method, the study aimed to examine the links between daily victimization and positive and negative affect as well as the mediating role of sleep quality and disturbance. A total of 265 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 11.65, SD = 0.74; 32.80% females) participated in this study and completed 7-day daily diaries on bullying victimization (traditional and cyber victimization), sleep quality and disturbance, and affect. As hypothesized, at the between-person level, sleep disturbance mediated the relationships between both traditional and cyber victimization and subsequent negative affect. At the within-person level, sleep quality mediated the pathway between traditional victimization and next-day negative affect; furthermore, sleep disturbance mediated the pathway between traditional victimization and positive affect the following day. These findings highlight the mediating roles of sleep quality and sleep disturbance in the relationships between stressful victimizing experiences and emotional problems and also provide novel insights into these associations.

Finding the Link Between Cyberbullying and Suicidal Behavior Among School Going Adolescents

Background: Studies have shown that cyberbullying or online bullying has increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and suicidal behaviours. Although suicide or suicidal behaviours are not directly related to cyberbullying it can be said that cyberbullying increases depression rates and feelings of isolation which end up in suicidal calls. This research aims to understand the nexus between cyberbullying and suicidal behaviour. Methods and materials: A self-administered and anonymous online questionnaire was used to survey 410 higher secondary school adolescents aged 16 to 18 and the data analysis has been carried out by statistical analysis with the help of IBM-SPSS software of version 22. Results: The findings of the results have revealed that cyberbullying was more prevalent among the respondents than cyber victimization. There was a small fraction of the population that said that they had undergone suicidal behaviour due to cyberbullying. Between text messaging and multimedia messaging, the best platform for cyberbullying was multimedia messaging. The reason behind this was its usage around the world, its popularity, and its ease. Teenagers over the age of 17 years have reported the highest percentage share for suicide rates and most of them were female. Conclusion: It can be concluded that cyber bullying is a threat to those girls who is currently studying in 11th standard and or age 17 years whose parents are separated or not living together.

Cybervictimization and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among Chinese College Students: an Exploration Through the Lens of Experiential Avoidance Model.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a growing public health concern among college students, with cybervictimization (CV) emerging as a significant contributing factor. Grounded in the experiential avoidance theory, this study investigates the mediating roles of cognitive fusion and negative emotions in the relationship between CV and NSSI, providing new insights into these key variables. A convenience sample of 457 undergraduate students (29% male; mean age 18.36±0.66 years) from two universities in Fujian Province participated in this study. Data were collected using the Cyberbullying Victimization Scale, Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Scale. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis were conducted using SPSS 25.0, while the mediating effects were analyzed using Process 3.5. (1) Significant positive correlations were found among CV, cognitive fusion, negative emotions, and NSSI (p < 0.01). (2) CV was directly associated with NSSI (β = 0.22, p < 0.001) and positively predicted both cognitive fusion (β = 0.17, p < 0.001) and negative emotions (β = 0.15, p < 0.01). Additionally, cognitive fusion (β = 0.16, p < 0.01) and negative emotions (β = 0.11, p < 0.05) significantly predicted NSSI. (3) Mediation analyses revealed that cognitive fusion and negative emotions mediated the CV-NSSI relationship through three pathways: CV→cognitive fusion→NSSI (mediation effect = 0.026), CV→negative emotions→NSSI (mediation effect = 0.02), and CV→cognitive fusion→negative emotions→NSSI (mediation effect = 0.01). The study confirms that CV influences NSSI indirectly through cognitive fusion and negative emotions, supporting the experiential avoidance model. These findings underscore the importance of addressing cognitive and emotional processes in interventions aimed at reducing NSSI among college students.

Mediating role of alexithymia in relationship between cyberbullying and psychotic experiences in adolescents

BackgroundToday, addressing issues related to the use of virtual space is of paramount importance due to its significant impact on mental well-being. This is especially crucial when the research community consists of teenagers who are cyber bullies or their victims who have higher vulnerability. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of alexithymia in the relationship between cyberbullying and psychotic experiences in adolescents.MethodsThe research method employed in this study was correlational, and the study population consisted of all male and female middle school students in Tehran during the 2022–2023 academic years. As for data collection, the Cyber-Bullying/Victimization Experiences questionnaire, Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences, and the Toronto Alexithymia scale were applied. A total of 602 samples were gathered by using multi-stage cluster sampling from Tehran in Iran. Four selection of the sample, the regions in Tehran were selected randomly according to the geographical directions of them and then some schools and classes were chosen randomly. Sample was included in the analysis after data entry into SPSS software and subsequent structural equation modeling using AMOS software.ResultsAccording to the findings, cyberbullying (β = 0.11,p < 0.05) and cyber victimization(β = 0.41, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of psychotic experiences. Alexithymia partially mediated the relationship between cyberbullying and psychotic experiences with the mediation effect of 0.28 and cyber victimization and psychotic experiences with the mediation effect of 0.18.ConclusionsThese findings underscore the importance of identifying cyber victims or cyberbullies in order to prevent alexithymia and psychotic experiences in future, in order to prevent more serious problems and becoming psychotic.Trial registrationThe goals and conditions of this research were investigated and approved by the Ethics Committee of Alzahra University in Tehran (code: ALZAHRA.REC.1402.055) on 13th September 2023.

Do Cyberbullying Victims Feel more Entitled to Bully Others Online? The Moderating Role of Gender.

Previous studies have found that adolescent cyberbullying victimization is associated with cyberbullying perpetration and have explored the potential mediating mechanisms between the two. Although some valuable research has been accumulated, further exploration is needed on the underlying mechanisms of why cyber victims are transformed into cyberbullying perpetrators. Based on the General Aggression Model of Cyberbullying and the Social Role Theory, this study examined the mediating role of psychological entitlement and the moderating role of gender on the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and cyberbullying perpetration. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 836 adolescents, utilizing the cyberbullying victimization scale, cyberbullying perpetration scale, and psychological entitlement questionnaire. The results found that (a) cyberbullying victimization, psychological entitlement, and cyberbullying perpetration were significantly and positively correlated with each other; (b) after controlling for gender and age, cyberbullying victimization significantly and positively predicted cyberbullying perpetration and psychological entitlement mediated the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and cyberbullying perpetration; (c) Gender moderates the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and cyberbullying perpetration. Specifically, compared with the girls, cyberbullying victimization had a greater effect on cyberbullying perpetration among boys. The results of this study suggest that cyberbullying victims consider that they have more entitlement to bully others online. These findings support the General Aggression Model of Cyberbullying and provide new insights for the prevention and intervention of cyberbullying perpetration.

Adolescent Health and Dark Personalities: The Role of Socioeconomic Status, Sports, and Cyber Experiences.

By investigating the impact of dark personality traits on adolescent health, this study explores the interplay among economic disadvantage, spectator sports involvement, and cyber victimization. We analyzed data from 1844 students aged 13-17 in a school district in the USA, and our findings reveal positive associations between economic disadvantage and both Machiavellianism and psychopathy, influencing negative emotions-driven eating. Spectator sports engagement exhibits links with Machiavellianism and narcissism, suggesting potential drawbacks to competitive behaviors. Cyber victimization shows associations with psychopathy and negative emotions-driven eating. The results illuminate the dynamic associations between emotional eating and health outcomes, including BMI and perceived quality of life. These findings deepen our understanding of how dark personality is shaped and subsequently influences adolescents' well-being, offering insights for targeted interventions.

Association Between Self-Esteem and Cyber Victimization: The Mediating Roles of Digital Game Playing and Cyberbullying

ABSTRACT Background Today, the intensive use of technology necessitates more research on cyberbullying and victimization among adolescents. Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate a proposed model of the associations between self-esteem, digital game playing, cyberbullying, and victimization in early adolescents. Methods A total of 312 early adolescents participated based on the criterion sampling method. The age range of the adolescents was 10–14 years (Mean = 12.63; SD = 0.60). Two-stage structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Bootstrapping analysis was used to test mediation effects. Results The findings revealed the serial mediating relations of digital game playing and cyberbullying in the association between early adolescents’ self-esteem and cyber victimization. Discussion The results emphasize the role of individual differences in adolescents’ self-esteem as a significant factor in cyber victimization. This relationship operates through the behavioral pathways of digital game use and cyberbullying. Translation to Health Education Practice Based on the research findings, health educators can encourage students in this developmental period to establish healthier relationships in the digital world and develop strategies to protect mental health. In this direction, health educators should aim to develop healthy digital gaming habits in students by considering the negative effects of digital game addiction on cyber victimization. For this purpose, educators can organize awareness-raising educational programs against digital game addiction and guide students in determining balanced play times

Beyond the screen: Examining the associations between cyberbullying, social media addiction, and mental health outcomes among medical students: A cross-sectional study.

Cyberbullying and excessive social media use are emerging issues among medical students, with potential implications for mental health. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of cyberbullying, social media addiction, and their associated mental health conditions, as well as to explore the associated factors among medical students. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 418 medical students in Gujarat using a self-administered questionnaire. Cyberbullying was assessed using the Revised Cyberbullying Inventory (RCI-R), social media addiction was measured using the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), and mental health issues were evaluated using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analyses were performed. A P value of <0.05 was considered significant. The prevalence of cyberbullying, social media addiction, depression, anxiety, and stress among participants was 27.5% (95% CI: 23.4%-31.9%), 32.1% (95% CI: 27.8%-36.7%), 37.6% (95% CI: 33.1%-42.2%), 41.9% (95% CI: 37.3%-46.6%), and 46.2% (95% CI: 41.6%-50.9%), respectively. Factors associated with increased risk of being a cyber victim included older age, female gender, later years of study, increased daily mobile and social media usage, social media as the preferred mobile usage, and social media addiction. Factors associated with being a cyberbully were similar, except for the male gender. Both cyber victimization and social media addiction were significantly associated with higher odds of depression [aOR-2.5 (1.6-3.9) and 2.1 (1.4-3.2)], anxiety [aOR-2.2 (1.4-3.4) and 1.9 (1.3-2.8)] and stress [aOR-2.8 (1.8-4.3) and 2.4 (1.6-3.6)]. Cyberbullying, social media addiction, and mental health issues are prevalent among medical students. Targeted interventions addressing excessive social media use, promoting responsible online behaviour, and supporting mental well-being are crucial for this population. Further research is needed to establish causal relationships and develop effective prevention and support strategies.

Violence in Young Adults: Perpetration of Bullying and Life Satisfaction

Objectives: To explore the potential associations between adults’ experiences of bullying and self-reported life satisfaction. Methodology: The data were collected by an online self-report survey using the Google Form by contacting college/university teachers and circulating the form among students using E-mails and social media. The Multidimensional Bullying and Cyberbullying Scale was used to assess the bullying experiences of the students in the last 3 months. The Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale was used to measure self-reported life satisfaction. Results: Out of a total of 854 (males = 21.6 ± 3.55 years) students, a little more than half (53.9%) were not involved in any bullying, 16.4% were cyber victims, 3% were victims of classic bullying, and 10.9% were victims of both types of bullying. Pure perpetration was rare (&lt;1%) and 14.9% of the participants reported victimizing others as well as being victims of bullying. The bully-victims, relative to other groups, were the most likely to express dissatisfaction in the domains of family life (χ 2 = 29.00, P = 0.0001), friendships (χ 2 = 52.11, P = 0.0001), living environment (χ 2 = 23.75, P = 0.003), and overall rating (χ 2 = 41.26, P = 0.0001). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis indicated that 4.2% of the variance was explained by the number of bullying victimization incidents and the number of perpetration incidents (F = 19.90, P = 0.0001). Conclusions: Educational institutions must take robust measures to raise awareness of bullying and implement effective strategies to protect the most vulnerable groups. Social-emotional educational programs that teach conflict resolution, social skills, and safe practices for navigating the remote platform need urgent attention.

Relationships between experiences of humiliation on social networks, problematic phone use, and aggressive and altruistic behaviors in young adults.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between cybervictimization in social networks, problematic smartphone use, aggressive behaviors, and prosocial altruistic tendencies in young adults. The sample consisted of 601 young adults (mean age = 19.96 years; SD = 2.27; 69.1% female) who were administered online assessments of experiences of humiliation on networks, problematic smartphone use, prosocial altruistic tendencies, and aggressiveness. Results indicated significant indirect effects of cyber victimization on aggressiveness and prosocial altruistic tendencies through problematic smartphone use. Problematic cell phone use explained the relationships between online humiliation and aggressive and prosocial altruistic behaviors. The results confirmed the positive relationship between cybervictimization and problematic cell phone use, consistent with previous research. However, the negative relationship between cybervictimization and altruistic prosocial tendencies was not corroborated. The findings emphasize the need to promote actions that foster social connectedness and interdependence among young individuals to develop their identity within the community.