Positive Perceived School Climate and Cyberbullying in Chinese Adolescents

A Moderated Mediation Model From the Perspective of Internet Characteristics

Bibliographic Data

ID11670606
AuthorsHui-fen Shi (0000-0002-0506-6426, Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China), Cuiying Fan (0000-0002-8755-8917, Central China Normal University, corresponding author), Cui-Ying Fan (Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China), Xiaowei Chu (0000-0002-4430-8731, Central China Normal University), Xiao-Wei Chu (Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China), Xue-Chen Zhang (Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China), Lingling Wu (0000-0002-5069-3277, Central China Normal University), Ling-Ling Wu (Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China)
Year2021
Volume41
Issue8
Pages1177-1202
Publication date2021-01-29
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Early Adolescence (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0272-4316 • E-ISSN: 1552-5449
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0272431621989816
OpenAlexW3128182273
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited67

Although substantive research has shown that a positive perceived school climate is an essential protective factor for cyberbullying among adolescents, little research revealed the mechanisms underlying this relationship. This study examined whether normative beliefs about aggression mediate the association between a positive perceived school climate and cyberbullying and whether this process is moderated by Internet morality. Anonymous questionnaires measuring these variables were administered to 649 junior high school students in China. After controlling for traditional bullying, mediation analysis indicated that normative beliefs about aggression played a full mediating role in the relationship between a positive perceived school climate and cyberbullying. Moderated mediation analysis further revealed that Internet morality moderated the predictive effect of normative beliefs about aggression on cyberbullying. The mediating effect of normative beliefs about aggression was stronger in individuals with lower levels of Internet morality. These findings provide insight into making existing interventions more suitable for cyberbullying

Aggression · Developmental psychology · Mediation · Moderated mediation · Moderation · Morality · Normative · Normative social influence · Perspective (graphical · Psychological intervention · The Internet · Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression · Child Development and Digital Technology · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection · Psychology · Social Psychology

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