Global self-esteem, perceived social support, and the psychosocial adjustment of adolescents exposed to cyberbullying
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating effects of global self-esteem and perceived social support on the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and psychosocial adjustment among adolescents. The sample was comprised of 312 adolescents who ranged in age from 11 to 18, and who were from diverse locations within the United States. Using an anonymous online survey methodology, participants completed a demographic and Internet use questionnaire and the following self-report scales: the Cyberbullying Victimization Questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the items associated with the internalizing and externalizing scales of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment-Youth Self-Report. Results indicated cyberbullying victimization, global self-esteem, and perceived social support significantly predicted internalizing problems. Cyberbullying victimization also predicted externalizing problems. Global self-esteem and perceived social support did not have a statistically significant relationship with externalizing problems. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that global self-esteem and perceived social support did not moderate the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and internalizing problems. Furthermore, perceived social support did not moderate the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and externalizing problems. However, results did show that global self-esteem moderated the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and externalizing problems. Study results have implications for the development of cyberbullying prevention and intervention programs.
Subject Area
Social psychology
Recommended Citation
Viviano, Thomas Francis, "Global self-esteem, perceived social support, and the psychosocial adjustment of adolescents exposed to cyberbullying" (2014). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI3632136.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3632136
