Citation

Worsley JD, McIntyre JC, Corcoran R. Emot. Behav. Diffic. 2019; 24(1): 20-35.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13632752.2018.1530497

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Although it has been well established that cyberbullying leads to mental health problems, less is known about the factors that confer resilience to the adverse effects of cyberbullying among young people. To address this gap, adolescents aged 13-19 years (n = 476) completed a survey measuring cyberbullying victimisation, attachment styles, perceived social support, coping styles, and mental distress. Compared to non-victims, victims of cyberbullying experienced higher levels of depression and anxiety and endorsed more self-statements indicative of attachment anxiety. Peer support, security in attachment relationships, and the endorsement of positive coping strategies attenuated the positive relationship between cyberbullying victimisation and mental health difficulties. Family support did not appear to buffer adolescents from mental distress in this context. However, family support was the strongest bivariate predictor of reduced mental distress. Although peer relations should be the target of intervention programmes within school settings, the findings highlight the importance of including families in cyberbullying prevention programmes.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescence; anxiety; attachment style; coping styles; Cyberbullying; depression; social support