The impact of cybervictimization on cyberbullying among college students: The roles of self-esteem and trait anger.

Abstract

The phenomenon where "the victim becomes the perpetrator" is common in everyday life. This study, which is grounded in the General Aggression Model (GAM) and script theory, examines the influence of individual psychological factors (self-esteem and trait anger) on the relationship between cybervictimization and cyberbullying. This study aims to elucidate "how" and "under what circumstances" cybervictimization impacts cyberbullying behavior among college students, thereby providing recommendations for the intervention and prevention of cyberbullying within this population.mA total of eight hundred and forty-seven college students completed validated scales measuring cyberbullying, cybervictimization, self-esteem (SES), and trait anger (TAS). The mediating effect of self-esteem and the moderating effect of trait anger were analysed using SPSS PROCESS. The present study revealed that: (1) cybervictimization positively predicteds cyberbullying among college students; (2) self-esteem mediated the relationship between cybervictimization and cyberbullying; (3) trait anger moderated the direct effect of cybervictimization on cyberbullying, as well as both the initial and subsequent stages of the mediating effect through self-esteem among college students. Self esteem and trait anger are two key individual factors that affect the relationship between college students' cybervictimization and cyberbullying. Given their multidimensional nature, we should comprehensively consider intervention factors and carry out collaborative intervention activities in family, school, and peer group environments, such as improving self-worth, cultivating adaptive emotional regulation skills, reducing anger and contemplation, and cultivating psychological resilience, which can more effectively reduce the risk of cyberbullying.