Cyberbullying As A Threat To Adolescent Well-Being: A Study On Emotional And Behavioral Outcomes

Abstract

This research examines the emotional and behavioral effects of cyberbullying, which is a serious danger to teenage wellbeing.  A validated Likert-scale questionnaire measuring exposure to cyberbullying, anxiety, aggressiveness, and depression levels was used to gather data from a representative sample of 384 teenagers using a quantitative research technique.  SPSS was used for statistical analysis, while AMOS was used for structural equation modeling (SEM), which examined the connections between important variables.  The results show that among teenagers, cyberbullying is linked to increased levels of anxiety, sadness, and violent behavior.  The relationship between cyberbullying and behavioral consequences was shown to be mediated by emotional reactions, including anxiety and sadness. This suggests that unresolved emotional distress may eventually result in maladaptive behaviors.  The necessity for gender-sensitive therapies was highlighted by the finding that gender was a moderating factor, with female adolescents demonstrating a stronger emotional effect than male adolescents.  The report promotes all-encompassing school-based tactics to lessen the negative impacts of cyberbullying, such as peer support networks, awareness campaigns, instruction on digital citizenship, and easily available mental health resources.  In the end, this study advances our knowledge of how teenage development is impacted by online interactions and emphasizes the need of taking preventative action to protect adolescents' emotional and mental health.