Cyberbullying Victimization and Adolescent Drinking Behavior: Deviant Peer Affiliation as a Mediator and Personal Growth Initiative as a Moderator

Abstract

Research has demonstrated a robust positive association between cyberbullying victimization and adolescent drinking behavior; however, the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship remain largely unexplored. Grounded in the social development model and person-environment interactions model, our study explored whether deviant peer affiliation mediated the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and adolescent drinking behavior and whether this mediating effect was moderated by personal growth initiative. A sample of 1,006 adolescents (M age = 13.16 years; SD = 0.67) anonymously completed self-report questionnaires. Structural equation modeling indicated that the positive association between cyberbullying victimization and drinking behavior was partly mediated by deviant peer affiliation for both girls and boys. Further, this mediating process was stronger for adolescents with low personal growth initiative than for those with high personal growth initiative. There were no significant gender differences for this moderating effect. These findings underline the importance of deviant peer affiliation and personal growth initiative in understanding how and when cyberbullying victimization impacts adolescent drinking behavior.

The Moderating Role of Deviant Peer Affiliation in the Relation between Cyber-Victimization, Tobacco and Alcohol Use, and Age Differences

“…Firstly, consistent with previous findings, our results showed that cyber-victimization was positively correlated with tobacco and alcohol use among elementary, middle, and high school students [22,27]. This may suggest that after being cyberbullied, children and adolescents may adopt negative or even self-medicating strategies (tobacco and alcohol use) to cope with the distress caused by victimization [37,38].…”

“…For elementary school students, apart from their family members, they may be less exposed to tobacco and alcohol, and deviant peers may represent one of their "windows" for exposure to cigarettes and alcohols [39]. The model role of deviant peers enhances their positive attitude towards and potential engagement in similar behaviors [27,42]. Therefore, when elementary school students who have affiliated with deviant peers experience cyber-victimization, they are likely to smoke and drink to cope with this interpersonal pressure.…”

“…Regarding the association between cyber-victimization and tobacco and alcohol use, affiliating with deviant peers may make victims develop a positive attitude regarding problem behaviors [27]. After being bullied online, victims with deviant peers are more likely to cope with this interpersonal pressure with negative behaviors such as smoking and drinking.…”

Predicting Adolescent Internet Gaming Addiction from Perceived Discrimination, Deviant Peer Affiliation and Maladaptive Cognitions in the Chinese Population: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study

“…In other words, deviant peer affiliation may mediate the relationship between perceived discrimination and IGA. Several studies have indicated that deviant peer affiliation mediates negative interpersonal interactions and problem behaviors [ 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”

“…On the one hand, adolescents who perceive discrimination or unfair treatment from the mainstream peer group may seek emotional support from other alternative groups, such as deviant youths who are also rejected by the mainstream peer group [ 16 ]. For example, Brody et al [ 17 ] found that perceived discrimination predicts greater affiliations with substance-using peers and, in turn, greater substance use.…”