The influence of cyberbullying victimization on adolescents' engagement in non-suicidal self-injurious behavior: A longitudinal multi-mediation analysis.

BACKGROUND

Cyberbullying victimization during adolescence may induce an increased risk for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). However, the longitudinal mediating mechanism underlying the association of cyberbullying victimization with adolescents' NSSI over time has not been studied fully.

OBJECTIVE

The current study aimed to examine the longitudinal mediating mechanism underlying relationship between cyberbullying victimization and NSSI. Based on Nock's (2009) integrated developmental model of NSSI, this study explored the mediating effects of psychological distress and maladaptive beliefs following cyberbullying victimization in this relationship.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

A total of 773 Chinese adolescents (48.4 % males, T3 mean age = 16.37 ± 0.49 years) participated in this study and completed self-report questionnaires.

METHODS

We employed a three-wave (called T1, T2, and T3) longitudinal design. The participants completed all of the questionnaires at T1, completed questionnaires on psychological distress and maladaptive beliefs at T2, and completed the NSSI list at T3. Correlation analysis, structural equation modeling (SEM), and a bootstrap procedure were used to test our expectations.

RESULTS

Correlation analysis indicated that cyberbullying victimization, maladaptive beliefs, psychological distress, and NSSI were significantly and positively correlated with each other. The results of mediation analysis revealed that early cyberbullying victimization (T1) had a direct association with adolescents' subsequent NSSI (T3), and early cyberbullying victimization (T1) indirectly predicted adolescents' subsequent NSSI (T3) via the parallel and sequential mediating effects of maladaptive beliefs (T2) and psychological distress (T2).

CONCLUSIONS

Victims of cyberbullying are often prone to engaging in NSSI. Interventions that target students with NSSI should focus on intervening in their maladaptive beliefs and psychological distress following cyberbullying victimization.