Adolescents’ cyberbullying experience and subjective well-being: Sex difference in the moderating role of cognitive-emotional regulation strategy
Individuals who experience cyberbullying are at increased risk for future health and social difficulties. Despite this correlation, not all individuals who encountered cyberbullying experience exhibit poor subjective well-being, indicating the need for further investigation into potential protective factors. Cognitive emotional regulation strategy may help buffer or reinforce the negative emotions triggered by cyberbullying and prevent psychological problems, and there may be sex differences in emotion regulation resulting from the influence of social expectations and gender norms. Therefore, the present study examined sex differences in the moderating role of cognitive-emotional regulation strategies on the association between cyberbullying experiences and well-being outcomes in adolescents. We analyzed data from 5151 adolescents from 30 secondary schools (female = 53.9%, Mean grade level = 8.68, SD = 1.98) in Hong Kong. The results indicated that the experience of cyberbullying perpetration, victimization, and bystander was negatively associated with adolescent girls' well-being, whereas only the experience of cyberbullying perpetration was negatively associated with adolescent boys' well-being. Girls who reported blaming others more often had better well-being when they were victims of cyberbullying, and those who engaged in more cognitive reappraisal had better well-being when they were perpetrators of cyberbullying. Boys who reported blaming others more often had better well-being if they were cyberbullying perpetrators. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of gender-specific interventions aimed at reducing the negative impact of cyberbullying experience on adolescents’ well-being.
Protective factors contributing to adolescents’ multifaceted digital resilience for their wellbeing: A socio-ecological perspective
Swift digital advancements provide teenagers with ample online opportunities but also expose them to potential hazards that impact their wellbeing. The consequences of perceiving online risks vary among individuals, emphasizing the role of digital resilience as a protective mechanism. Digital resilience, rooted in the Digital Resilience Framework encompassing coping strategies, recovery, and learning from online risk experiences, goes beyond individual efforts. Instead, familial and educational factors play significant roles. This study investigates protective factors enhancing digital resilience from a socio-ecological perspective to boost adolescents' wellbeing. Data were collected from 1,882 parent-child pairs and 30 school ICT coordinators in 30 Hong Kong secondary schools between July and September 2022. Student and parent surveys assessed digital resilience, digital literacy, parental monitoring, and parent-child relationships, while the school ICT coordinator survey evaluated school-level digital literacy curriculum. Initially, no significant differences in adolescent wellbeing emerged regarding exposure to online risks. Employing structural equation modeling, this study suggests the protective role of digital resilience in enhancing adolescents' wellbeing. Results revealed that adolescents' digital resilience was positively associated with their digital literacy, positive parent-child relationships, and school-based digital literacy programs, particularly those focused on cyberbullying prevention. However, parental monitoring was only found to be significantly associated with adolescents’ non-productive coping strategies, which were negatively associated with their wellbeing. These findings offer crucial insights for stakeholders such as educators, policymakers, and parents. These insights can empower adolescents to navigate the digital landscape effectively while safeguarding their wellbeing.