Comparison of Mental Health and Quality of Life Symptom Networks in Adolescents Exposed and Not Exposed to Cyberbullying: Evidence from Chinese High School Students

With the widespread use of the internet, cyberbullying has become a significant issue affecting adolescents’ mental health and quality of life. This study utilized propensity score matching (PSM) and network analysis to compare the mental health and quality of life symptom networks of Chinese high school students who had experienced cyberbullying and those who had not. A total of 9066 students were assessed using the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) and the Chinese Quality of Life Scale for Primary and Secondary School Students (QLSCA). Network comparison tests revealed significant structural differences (M = 0.2136, p < 0.05), with the cyberbullying group showing higher global network strength (11.985 vs. 10.700, p < 0.05), indicating a more densely connected symptom network. In both groups, “self-satisfaction” was the most central node, but the cyberbullying group exhibited higher centrality for “negative emotion” and “self-concept” compared to anxiety and depression in the non-cyberbullying group. Key bridging symptoms differed: “academic attitude” in the non-cyberbullying group and “opportunity for activity” in those who had experienced cyberbullying. Moreover, the connection strength between “interpersonal sensitivity” and “negative emotion” was stronger in the cyberbullying group. These findings suggest that targeted interventions should focus on emotional regulation and social activity to disrupt the symptom network cycle.