Tamarana Rameshbabu, Mathur Mansi, Madhusudan Varsha, Annapurna Kiranmai P
Department of Psychology, Central University of Karnataka, Kalaburagi, India.
Department of Psychology, Christ University, Bangalore, India.
Front Psychol. 2025 Apr 30;16:1470202. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1470202. eCollection 2025.
In the contemporary digital age, cyberspace offers numerous benefits but also presents significant risks, including cyber-victimization. Adolescents, as frequent internet users, are particularly vulnerable to such experiences. This study examines the relationship between parental regulations on internet usage and the incidence of cyber-victimization among Indian adolescents, while also assessing the impact of cyber-victimization on mental health outcomes such as stress, anxiety, and depression.
A sample of 224 adolescents (Mean age = 16.5 years SD = 2.34) was surveyed using standardized measures of cyber-victimization and mental health.
Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that written-verbal cyber-victimization was a significant predictor of stress ( = 0.18, < 0.05), while impersonation, written-verbal cyber-victimization, and online exclusion significantly predicted anxiety ( < 0.05). However, none of the cyber-victimization subtypes significantly predicted depression, and the overall model accounted for only 4% of its variance.
These findings suggest that while cyber-victimization is linked to stress and anxiety, its influence on depression may be more complex. Furthermore, the Pearson correlation analysis indicated a negligible association between cyber-victimization and parental rules on internet usage (r = 0.039), suggesting that parental regulations alone may not effectively mitigate cyber-victimization risks. Given these findings, interventions focusing on resilience-building, digital literacy, and peer support may be more effective in protecting adolescents from the adverse effects of cyber-victimization. Future research should explore alternative protective factors and preventive strategies to promote adolescent well-being in digital spaces.
在当代数字时代，网络空间带来了诸多益处，但也存在重大风险，包括网络受害。青少年作为频繁的互联网用户，尤其容易遭受此类经历。本研究考察了印度青少年的父母对互联网使用的规定与网络受害发生率之间的关系，同时还评估了网络受害对压力、焦虑和抑郁等心理健康结果的影响。
使用网络受害和心理健康的标准化测量方法，对224名青少年（平均年龄 = 16.5岁，标准差 = 2.34）进行了调查。
多元线性回归分析显示，书面言语网络受害是压力的显著预测因素（β = 0.18，p < 0.05），而身份冒用、书面言语网络受害和在线排斥显著预测了焦虑（p < 0.05）。然而，没有一种网络受害亚型能显著预测抑郁，整个模型仅解释了其方差的4%。
这些发现表明，虽然网络受害与压力和焦虑有关，但其对抑郁的影响可能更为复杂。此外，皮尔逊相关分析表明，网络受害与父母的互联网使用规定之间的关联微不足道（r = 0.039），这表明仅靠父母的规定可能无法有效降低网络受害风险。鉴于这些发现，专注于培养复原力、数字素养和同伴支持的干预措施可能在保护青少年免受网络受害的不利影响方面更有效。未来的研究应探索其他保护因素和预防策略，以促进青少年在数字空间中的福祉。
