Is There a Relationship Between Youth Bullying and Internet Addiction? An Integrative Review

Relations between peer bullying and adolescent depression: the mediating effect of cellphone usage

Introduction

Adolescent depression is a growing concern worldwide. This study explores the relationship between peer bullying, cellphone usage, and adolescent depression, aiming to investigate a mediation effect model based on Erikson's stages of psychological development.

Methods

Using a cluster sampling method and a cross-sectional survey, a total of 2343 adolescents aged 12 to 18 were recruited from 12 national medical institutions. Cluster sampling was used to select participants who were confirmed to have depression. The survey employed the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale (MPVS), the Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for paper-and pencil evaluations. The three variables were analyzed using SPSS 26 software, applying correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis.

Results

The results showed that peer bullying has significant positive correlation with depression (r=0.330, p<0.001) and with cellphone use (r=0.287, p<0.001). Furthermore, cellphone usage was positively correlated with depression (r=0.333, p<0.001). Additionally, cellphone usage had a partial mediating effect between peer bullying and depression (r=0.414, p<0.001, b=0.234). The results underscore the crucial role of peer relationships in adolescent psychological development. Cellphone addiction mediates the link between adolescent depression and peer bullying, highlighting its significant impact.

Conclusion

These findings contribute to understanding the interplay between social influence and depression, offering practical guidelines for fostering a supportive school environment and regulating adolescents' phone use.

The Impact of Bullying Victimization on Short Video Addiction in Adolescents: The Role of Emotional Distress and Neural Mechanisms

Short-video addiction (SVA) has become a growing concern among adolescents. Bullying victimization (BV) is considered a significant factor contributing to it, yet its relationship with SVA remains underexplored. This study investigated the role of BV in SVA, examining developmental and psychological pathways across middle school students (MSS; n = 1269), college students (CS; n = 1615) and a replicated college sample (RCS; n = 112). Descriptive statistics revealed significant correlations between SVA and BV, including subdimensions such as verbal, physical and relational bullying, as well as negative affect (NA). Mediation analyses showed that NA partially mediated the relationship between BV and SVA across both MSS and CS groups, although mediation effects were absent in addicted subgroups, highlighting differing psychological pathways between addicted and nonaddicted populations. Neuroimaging analyses in the RCS sample identified spontaneous functional brain activity linked to SVA in the inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) and parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), with intersubject representational similarity analyses (IS-RSA) further associating PHG and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) activity patterns with intersubject variations in SVA. These findings underscore bullying victimization as a critical predictor of short video addiction, mediated by NA in nonaddicted groups, and illuminate spontaneous brain activity patterns associated with addiction.

The association between school bullying involvement and Internet addiction among Chinese Southeastern adolescents: a moderated mediation model with depression and smoking

Background

School bullying and Internet addiction are both common public health problems for adolescents. Several studies found an association between school bullying and Internet addiction; however, the underlying mediating and moderating mechanisms of the complex relationship between school bullying and Internet addiction are limited.

Objective

This study explored the mediating role of depression in the relationship between school bullying and Internet addiction and whether smoking moderated the relationship between school bullying and depression in Chinese southeastern adolescents.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Guangdong Province in Southeast China in June 2021. Associations between Internet addiction, school bullying, and depression were estimated using Spearman correlation analysis, the mediation effect and moderation effect were examined using Model 4 and Model 7 in the Hayes' PROCESS macro.

Results

The results included 1992 adolescents, 23.5% and 28.0% of participants reported experiences of school bullying and Internet addiction, respectively. There was a significant correlation between school bullying, depression, and Internet addiction (p < 0.01). School bullying direct effects on Internet addiction [β = 0.565, SE= 0.053, 95% CI (0.461, 0.669)], depression partially mediated the association between school bullying and Internet addiction, with the mediation effect size being 36.5%. And smoking played a moderating role between school bullying and depression [β = -0.166, SE= 0.058, 95% CI (-0.280, -0.052)].

Conclusions

In Chinese southeastern adolescents, depression mediated the relationship between school bullying and Internet addiction, and smoking moderated the relationship between school bullying and depression.

The Chain Mediating Effect of Anxiety and Inhibitory Control and the Moderating Effect of Physical Activity Between Bullying Victimization and Internet Addiction in Chinese Adolescents

This study aimed to investigate the chain mediating roles of anxiety and inhibitory control in the relationship between bullying victimization and internet addiction among Chinese adolescents, as well as the moderating effect of physical activity. A cross-sectional design was employed, sampling 1,585 adolescents from 5 provinces in China during February-March 2024. Data on bullying victimization, internet addiction, anxiety, inhibitory control, and physical activity were collected and analyzed using a moderated chain mediation model. The data suggest that bullying victimization is associated with internet addiction, and this association is also mediated by anxiety and inhibitory control. Furthermore, physical activity was found to significantly moderate the relationship between anxiety and inhibitory control. This study contributes to the understanding of how bullying victimization, anxiety, and inhibitory control are interrelated in the context of internet addiction development, with physical activity influencing this interplay. It highlights the potential of physical activity as a factor in mitigating the impact of bullying and its association with internet addiction.

The chain mediating effect of anxiety and inhibitory control between bullying victimization and internet addiction in adolescents

Although some studies have revealed the association between bullying victimization and internet addiction in adolescents, the mediating and moderating factors between the two need to be further discussed. This study aimed to discuss the chain mediating role of anxiety and inhibitory control between bullying victimization and internet addiction among Chinese adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted in seven schools in five provinces of China by convenience sampling from February to March 2024. A total of 1673 participants (695 boys and 978 girls) with an average age of 15.86 ± 0.74 years were included in this study. Subjective data on bullying victimization, internet addiction, anxiety, inhibitory control were collected and analyzed, and a mediation model test was carried out. After controlling for age and gender, bullying victimization was found to be a significant predictor of internet addiction (β = 0.098, p < 0.001). However, when anxiety and inhibitory control were added, the predictive effect was no longer significant (β = 0.006, p > 0.05). Bullying victimization can predict internet addiction through anxiety and inhibitory control. It is suggested that guardians should provide adequate support to adolescent bullying victims in order to reduce the negative impact of bullying victimization on adolescents and prevent the occurrence of internet addiction.

Severity of inattention symptoms, experiences of being bullied, and school anxiety as mediators in the association between excessive short-form video viewing and school refusal behaviors in adolescents

Background

Recent years have seen an increase in school refusal behavior among adolescents, potentially due to factors like excessive short-form video viewing, bullying, and school anxiety. Limited research has investigated how these factors contribute to school refusal behavior. This study used random forest regression, path analysis, and network analysis to identify key variables and pathways leading to school refusal behavior.

Methods

In this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, 2,056 (996 male, 1,060 female, mean age: 14.79 ± 1.24 years) middle and senior high school students were asked to complete the School Refusal Behavior Assessment questionnaire to assess school refusal behavior features, the Excessive Short-Form Video Viewing Scale as well as self-reported viewing times during leisure days to assess excessive short-form video viewing, the SNAP-IV Rating Scale to assess the severity of inattention symptoms, and the self-administered questionnaires to assess experiences of being bullied and school anxiety.

Results

The prevalence of school refusal behavior in the surveyed adolescents was found to be 31.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 29.8-33.9%]. In terms of significance, the severity of inattention symptoms exhibited the greatest predictive power, while excessive short-form video viewing accounted for the most variance. Path analysis revealed that excessive short-form video viewing not only directly affects school refusal behavior features but also does so indirectly through severity of inattention symptoms and school anxiety. Key bridge factors in this pathway include intense fear and anxiety associated with school attendance, manifesting as somatic symptoms and avoidance behaviors.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that not only does excessive short-form video viewing directly influence school refusal behavior features in adolescents, but it also indirectly impacts these features through mechanisms involving severity of inattention symptoms and school anxiety. The bridge factors highlight potential targets for interventions among the SRB features and predictors.

Exploring the determinants of internet addiction among Peri-urban adolescents (aged 13-18) in Delhi-NCR, India: an ordered logit model analysis

OBJECTIVES

In recent years, there has been phenomenal growth in internet usage worldwide, with a substantial proportion of children and adolescents actively engaging with online platforms. While the internet presents numerous opportunities for children and adolescents, the lack of digital literacy and adequate online safety measures exposes them to various cybercrimes, including cyberbullying, cyberstalking, identity theft, and sexual predation. Moreover, there is growing concern regarding internet addiction among this population.

METHODS

To investigate the determinants of internet addiction among adolescents, we conducted a cross-sectional study in peri-urban Delhi-NCR, India. We used a self-administered questionnaire to gather information on internet usage, and 630 adolescents aged 13-18 participated in the study, also completing an Internet Addiction Test.

RESULTS

The findings indicate that 415 adolescents (65.9 %) exhibited no signs of internet addiction, suggesting a healthy relationship with the internet. However, 215 adolescents (33.1 %) displayed symptoms of internet addiction. Among those exhibiting internet addictions, 159 (74.0 %) were classified as mild internet addicts, indicating moderate levels of internet usage. Furthermore, 56 (26.0 %) adolescents were classified as moderate internet addicts, reflecting a higher level of internet addiction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study highlights the significant influence of various factors, including family dynamics, environmental factors, and personal experiences, on internet addiction among adolescents. Based on these findings, we propose implementing measures at different levels to foster responsible internet use among adolescents, thereby substantially reducing internet addiction.

Psycho-Social Correlates of Cyberbullying among Polish Adolescents

Cyberbullying has recently attracted attention due to its increasing prevalence and serious consequences for both victims and perpetrators. The objective of this population-based study was to examine the determinants of a person becoming a perpetrator of cyberbullying, including personal resources (emotional self-regulation, self-esteem, internal locus of control, optimism), social skills (prosocial behavior, assertiveness, cognitive empathy, cooperation), peer relationships (peer support, threats from peers, peer rejection, dislike of peers), and problematic Internet use (excessive Internet use, impulsive reactions to Internet deprivation). Participants (N = 541) were students at elementary schools (age 14-15) in Ostroleka, a city in central-eastern Poland. Two-part regression was used to explore protective/risk factors of the likelihood of an individual using cyberviolence (dichotomous part: involvement in violence) and how often it is used (continuous part: frequency of cyberbullying). The results showed that the emotional component is crucial to cyberbullying, as indicated by the importance of emotional self-control, which reduces the frequency of cyberbullying. Other important factors are assertiveness, impulsive response to limited Internet access (which increases the likelihood of engaging in cyberbullying) and fear of peers (which reduces its frequency). In turn, the importance of pro-sociality (which inhibits engagement) and peer support (which promotes engagement) points to the second important component of cyberbullying-that is, group mechanisms. At the same time, the results indicate that while the importance of Internet addiction as a risk factor for cyberbullying should not be underestimated, the amount of time spent online cannot be seen as the source of the problem. The study leads to the conclusion that effective interventions targeting cyberbullying should focus on the development of more adaptive styles of coping with emotions.

Does Problematic Use of Social Network Mediate the Association between Bullying Victimization and Loneliness among Lebanese Adolescents?

(1) Background: Bullying victimization has been associated with several behavioral outcomes, particularly loneliness. Similarly, an increase in social network use has been identified in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been shown to be associated with bullying and loneliness. Investigating the mediating factors of loneliness among bullied adolescents is useful for taking preventive measures in the Lebanese population. This study aims to examine the association between bullying victimization and loneliness among Lebanese adolescents while considering the indirect effect of problematic social network use. (2) Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study, between January and April 2022, that enrolled 379 adolescent Lebanese students (64.9% females, mean age 16.07 ± 1.19 years) who were current residents of Lebanon (15 to 18 years), and were from the five governorates of Lebanon (Beirut, Mount Lebanon, North, South and Bekaa). The snowball method was applied to select our sample; an electronic copy of the questionnaire was created using the Google Forms software and an online strategy was designed to collect the data. (3) Results: Negative social comparison and addictive consequences of problematic use of social network mediated the association between bullying victimization and loneliness. Higher bullying victimization was significantly associated with higher negative social comparison and addictive consequences of problematic use of social network, which in turn were significantly associated with more loneliness. Finally, higher bullying victimization was directly significantly associated with more loneliness. (4) Conclusions: Studying the mediating factors of loneliness in bullied adolescents can improve our understanding of this topic, allowing us to propose new interventions to prevent psychological problems in adolescents. Future studies are needed to further clarify the physiological processes that underlie the associations between social triggers and loneliness during adolescence.

Relational Victimization and Video Game Addiction among Female College Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: The Roles of Social Anxiety and Parasocial Relationship

Video game addiction, a common behavioral problem among college students, has been more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic; at the same time, females' video game usage has also attracted considerable research attention. Against this background and under the perspective of social interaction, this study aimed to examine the relationship between relational victimization and video game addiction among female college students, as well as its underlying mechanism-the mediating roles of social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters. Female college students (N = 437) were recruited to complete a set of questionnaires voluntarily in June 2022. Through the mediating effect analysis, the results found that (1) relational victimization was positively associated with female college students' video game addiction; (2) social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters could independently mediate this relation; (3) social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters were also the serial mediators in this association. These findings not only expand previous studies by revealing the social motivation of video game usage and the underlying mechanism accounting for video game addiction, but also provide basis and guidance for the prevention and intervention of video game addiction in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The association between violent video game exposure and sub-types of school bullying in Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND

School bullying among adolescents has been a worldwide public health issue. It has been observed that adolescents who are exposed to violent video games (VVGs) are often more aggressive. However, research on the association between violent video game exposure (VVGE) and different types of school bullying is limited in the Chinese context.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore whether VVGE is linked to school bullying behaviors among Chinese adolescents and to examine the relationship between different levels of violent game exposure and four sub-types (physical, verbal, relational, and cyber) of school bullying involvement.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of 1,992 Chinese students (55.02% boys and 44.98% girls) with the average age of 15.84 ± 1.62 years. Sub-types of school bullying victimization and perpetration, Internet addiction, and VVGE were measured by using a self-administrated questionnaire. The association was examined by multiple logistic regression analysis, adjusting for covariates.

RESULTS

Physical, verbal, relational, and cyber school bullying victimization were reported by 18.12, 60.34, 11.75, and 12.05% of the adolescents, and physical, verbal, relational, and cyber school bullying perpetration were reported by 16.62, 54.62, 21.49, and 8.23% of them. Of the students, 1,398 (70.18%) were normal Internet users, 514 (25.80%) showed moderate Internet addictive behaviors, and 31 (1.56%) of the students showed severe Internet addictive behaviors. The prevalence of no VVGE, low-level VVGE, medium-level VVGE, and high-level of VVGE were 27.70, 24.10, 24.20, and 24.00%, respectively. The risk of physical victimization and physical perpetration significantly increased with the increasing degree of violent video game exposure (P for trend < 0.001), with the highest adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 2.251 (95% CI 1.501-3.375) and 2.554 (95% CI 1.685-3.870), when comparing high-level VVGE with no VVGE.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the specific association between different sub-types of school bullying involvement and violent video game exposure. Physical school bullying prevention and intervention programs should be conducted after adolescents are exposed to violent video games.