Connectivity as a Mediating Mechanism in the Cybervictimization Process
Department Psychology and Anthropology, Faculty of Education, University of Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain
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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(12), 4567; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124567
Received: 29 May 2020
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Revised: 22 June 2020
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Accepted: 23 June 2020
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Published: 24 June 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychosocial Impacts of New Technologies and the Internet)
This paper explores the relationship between social connectivity and cybervictimization as it is mediated by psychosocial variables such as social identity and self-esteem. Likewise, it analyses the moderating role in that relationship played by adolescents’ perception of cyberbullying. The sample consisted of 2072 adolescents (48.7% girls) aged between 14 and 18 (Mean = 15.78, Standard Deviation = 1.02) years. Through the use of five questionnaires, an explanatory model is constructed that shows the direct and indirect relationships between the factors analysed, the predictive values that social connectivity can reach when applied to the virtual environment, and the perception of cyberbullying in the victimization processes. The results indicate that self-esteem and social identity are protective factors in the establishment of healthy virtual relationships and avoidance of cybervictimization situations. Moreover, the equation of cyberbullying with aggressive or maladaptive styles of humour has an indirect influence on the link between connectivity and cybervictimization.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Cuadrado-Gordillo, I.; Fernández-Antelo, I. Connectivity as a Mediating Mechanism in the Cybervictimization Process. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 4567. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124567
AMA Style
Cuadrado-Gordillo I, Fernández-Antelo I. Connectivity as a Mediating Mechanism in the Cybervictimization Process. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(12):4567. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124567
Chicago/Turabian StyleCuadrado-Gordillo, Isabel, and Inmaculada Fernández-Antelo. 2020. "Connectivity as a Mediating Mechanism in the Cybervictimization Process" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 12: 4567. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124567
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