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Healthcare
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The Relationship of Social Media and Cyberbullying with Mental Health
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The Relationship of Social Media and Cyberbullying with Mental Health

A Special Issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2027 | Viewed by 5283

Editors

Prof. Dr. Fernando Fajardo-Bullón

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Interests: mental health; health promotion; subjective well-being; child welfare; homelessness
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Joaquim Armando Gomes Alves Ferreira

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: psychosocial transitions; contextual-developmental perspectives; subjective well-being
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In 2022, the WHO published the study ‘World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All’ which showed that about one in eight people in the world live with a mental disorder, showing the focus and relevance of mental health for the well-being of the world's population. As a result of these reports and scientific advances, WHO member states have adopted the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030. In turn, in 2023, the European Commission adopted the Communication on a global approach to mental health, which will help Member States to take action to address mental health challenges. In 2023, the Eurobarometer survey on mental health revealed that 46% of Europeans have experienced emotional or psychosocial problems, such as feelings of depression or anxiety, in the last 12 months.

As a result of these initiatives, there is an interest in the prevention and detection of factors that may be related to the adequate mental health of the individual. The relationship between mental health and the use of social media is of great interest for today's society, with an open debate based on studies that advocate the negative impact of social media on mental health or other recent studies that claim not to find this relationship. Similarly, cyberbullying has become one of the major scourges to be avoided. Although it has been widely studied, it continues to maintain an alarming presence, with one in six school-aged children experiencing cyberbullying, according to the WHO in 2024.

This Special Issue is open to studies involving participants of any age and aims to highlight innovative research and reviews that align with the journal’s scope, specifically on the relationship between social media and cyberbullying with mental health. This Special Issue aims to publish original, high-quality research papers as well as systematic reviews that present innovative approaches to guide mental health research, practice, and policy in addressing this challenge collaboratively.

In this Special Issue, research areas can include (but are not limited to) the following:

- The relationship between problematic internet use and mental health.

- Psychosocial interventions to detect and prevent cyberbullying situations and mental health impact.

- The relationship between gaming disorder and mental health.

- The relationship between online aggressions and mental health.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Fernando Fajardo-Bullón
Guest Editor

Prof. Dr. Joaquim Armando Gomes Alves Ferreira
Co-Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mental health
  • well-being
  • social media
  • cyberbullying
  • risk factors
  • developmental and educational psychology
  • problematic internet use
  • internet addiction

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 658 KB  
Article
Internet Gaming Disorder, Problem Gambling Symptoms and Mental Health in Spanish Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Role of Microtransactions and Loot Boxes
by Juan Manuel Díaz Peña, Richard Kjellgren, Joaquim A. Ferreira and Fernando Fajardo Bullón
Healthcare 2026, 14(13), 1846; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14131846 - 25 Jun 2026
Viewed by 595
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Adolescent mental health problems have increased in recent years, with growing concern about the impact of digital behaviors such as problematic video game use and gambling. Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and Problem Gambling Symptoms may share psychological risk markers, but evidence [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Adolescent mental health problems have increased in recent years, with growing concern about the impact of digital behaviors such as problematic video game use and gambling. Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and Problem Gambling Symptoms may share psychological risk markers, but evidence in Spanish adolescents is limited. This study aimed to examine the relationship between IGD, problem gambling symptoms, and mental health, and to identify sociodemographic, psychological, and behavioral factors associated, including microtransactions and loot boxes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with secondary education students from Extremadura (Spain). The final sample included 343 participants. Measures included an ad hoc questionnaire on video game use, the IGDS9-SF, SOGS-RA, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Descriptive analyses, Spearman correlations, and multivariable regression (Poisson and negative binomial) were performed. Results: IGD and gambling were positively correlated (Spearman’s ρ = 0.386, p < 0.001) and associated with higher mental health difficulty scores (IGD: ρ = 0.299, p < 0.001; gambling: ρ = 0.214, p < 0.001). Male gender was associated with both outcomes (IGD: incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.21 [95% Confidence Interval: 1.13–1.30]; gambling: IRR = 2.90 [1.85–4.60]). Microtransactions were associated with both behaviors (IGD: IRR = 1.17 [1.09–1.25]; gambling: IRR = 1.74 [1.19–2.54]), while loot box use was related only to IGD (IRR = 1.13 [1.05–1.21]). Total SDQ score was positively associated with both IGD (IRR = 1.02 [1.02–1.03]) and gambling (IRR = 1.10 [1.06–1.13]). Younger age was associated with higher IGD scores (IRR = 0.97 [0.96–0.99]). Conclusions: There are similarities in the associations among the examined factors and increased scores of IGD and gambling in adolescents, particularly male gender, higher mental health difficulties scores, and involvement in monetized gaming systems. School-based, family, and public health prevention strategies may benefit from addressing the importance of psychological well-being and increase awareness of the potential risks associated with digital gaming practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship of Social Media and Cyberbullying with Mental Health)
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15 pages, 950 KB  
Article
Usability and Feasibility of a School-Based Digital Framework for Bullying Prevention
by Christopher Murray, Claudia G. Vincent, Dorothy L. Espelage, Luis Anunciacao, Hill Walker, Rita Svanks, Alberto Valido and Brion Marquez
Healthcare 2026, 14(3), 412; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14030412 - 6 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1757
Abstract
Bullying and school violence contribute directly to mental health difficulties among youth in the United States. Background/Objectives: This study describes the development and initial evaluation of a technology-enabled, multi-component school safety framework designed to support bullying prevention in middle and high schools. [...] Read more.
Bullying and school violence contribute directly to mental health difficulties among youth in the United States. Background/Objectives: This study describes the development and initial evaluation of a technology-enabled, multi-component school safety framework designed to support bullying prevention in middle and high schools. Methods: Students (n = 46), school personnel (n = 79), and parents/caregivers (n = 28) participated in three waves of usability and feasibility testing focused on a mobile application (Speak Out with Advocatr), companion classroom instructional materials, and guidelines for a school-wide safety campaign. Quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics and benchmark comparisons, and group differences across respondent roles were examined using analysis of variance with post hoc pairwise tests. Given small and unequal sample sizes, bootstrap resampling with 1000 resamples was used to obtain robust estimates of group means and confidence intervals. Qualitative responses were analyzed using content analysis. Results: Across waves, mean ratings generally met or exceeded predefined usability benchmarks, indicating favorable perceptions of the system. Findings indicated strong student acceptance and engagement with the framework. Adult participants expressed particular interest in restorative approaches to addressing student conflict, as well as concerns about preventing the recurrence of bullying behaviors. Conclusions: Findings provide initial support for the usability and feasibility of a multi-component, technology-enabled approach to school-based bullying prevention. Results also highlight the value of role-specific feedback for refining integrated mental health and safety interventions within school settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship of Social Media and Cyberbullying with Mental Health)
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12 pages, 258 KB  
Article
Problematic Internet Use and Psychological Distress in High School Students
by Irati Becerril-Atxikallende, Joana Jaureguizar and Nuria Galende
Healthcare 2025, 13(24), 3231; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13243231 - 10 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1902
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The frequent and uncontrolled use of digital devices has resulted in phenomena such as technological addiction and problematic ICT use, especially after the pandemic. This has been associated with several factors related to psychological distress in young adults, but less is [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The frequent and uncontrolled use of digital devices has resulted in phenomena such as technological addiction and problematic ICT use, especially after the pandemic. This has been associated with several factors related to psychological distress in young adults, but less is known about the subject in adolescents. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between problematic Internet use and psychological distress factors in high school students and examine whether these variables differed when gender and academic grade level were considered. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive–correlational study was employed. A total of 2048 students from the Basque Country, aged between 11 and 17 years old, completed an online self-report questionnaire composed of demographics and ad hoc items, the Problematic Internet Use Scale (PIUS), and selected subscales from the Child and Adolescent Assessment System (anxiety, social anxiety, and depression). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analyses, independent-sample ANOVA, Bonferroni post hoc tests, and independent-sample t tests were conducted. Results: Even though no differences were found between males and females when PIUS was analyzed, significant differences were found between students from different academic grade levels, whereby those from higher levels presented higher rates of problematic Internet use. Significant correlations were found between PIUS and depression, anxiety, and social anxiety. Furthermore, those who showed more problematic Internet use also presented higher anxiety, social anxiety, and depression levels. Conclusions: Adolescents in higher grade levels tend to exhibit a higher incidence of problematic Internet use. Consequently, intensive and uncontrolled Internet usage has been linked to poorer mental health. The findings underline the importance of promoting digital literacy among adolescents. These results highlight the importance of approaching psychological distress through prevention initiatives and emphasize the protective role that both schools and families play in promoting healthier and more balanced Internet use among adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship of Social Media and Cyberbullying with Mental Health)
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