Internet addiction mediates the association between cyber victimization and psychological and physical symptoms:moderation by physical exercise

Abstract

Background: The potential mechanisms underlying cyber victimization and the resulting psychological and physical symptoms remain unclear. Thus, the present study investigated whether Internet addiction mediates the association between peer victimization (e.g., cyberbullying) and psychological and physical symptoms. Furthermore, it was assessed whether physical exercise moderates the hypothetical mediation. Methods: 1854 students from 11 middle and high schools in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, were sampled for this study. Psychological and physical symptoms were assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF, while Internet addiction was evaluated using the Internet addiction test by Young. Cyber victimization was measured using a single question. In addition, this study examined whether Internet addiction mediated the association between cyber victimization and both psychological and physical symptoms. Additional work was conducted to test if physical exercise played a moderating role in the mediation hypothesized above. Mediation and moderation were analyzed using PROCESS macro for SPSS. Results: Regression analysis showed that both cyber victimization (β = − 0.102, p < 0.05) and Internet addiction (β = − 0.278, p < 0.05) significantly predicted psychological and physical symptoms and demographic variables were controlled. Further mediation analysis suggested that Internet addiction mediated the relationship between cyber victimization and psychological and physical symptoms. The 95% CI (confidence interval) of the direct effect was (− 4.283, − 1.696) and the indirect effect (− 1.904, − 0.820), respectively, excluding zero. Finally, moderation analysis indicated that physical exercise moderated the relationship between Internet addiction and psychological and physical symptoms (p = 0.047). Conclusions: Internet addiction plays a mediating role in the association between cyber victimization and both psychological and physical symptoms, Thus, addressing Internet addiction among cyberbullying victims is worthwhile. Furthermore, physical exercise alleviates negative impacts on health and should thus be promoted.

Cybervictimization, Depression, and Adolescent Internet Addiction: The Moderating Effect of Prosocial Peer Affiliation

“…Compared with traditional victimization, cybervictimization involves more extreme violations of personal privacy, coupled with the perpetrators ability to remain anonymous as well as to harass others without being constrained by time and place (Kowalski et al, 2018), which may lead to more psychological and behavioral problems for the victim (Sourander et al, 2010). Some empirical evidence has supported the view that cybervictimization has a high correlation with adolescents' IA (Gamez-Guadix et al, 2013;Chang et al, 2015;Lin et al, 2020). For example, using a longitudinal study, Gamez-Guadix et al (2013) found that cybervictimization significantly predicted problematic internet use 6 months later among adolescents.…”

Relationship Between Social Anxiety and Internet Addiction in Chinese College Students Controlling for the Effects of Physical Exercise, Demographic, and Academic Variables

“…Pan (2020) found that exercise intervention mixed with psychological means decreased IA in teenagers. Lin et al (2020) demonstrated that physical exercise could mediate the relationship between IA and psychological and physical symptoms. Indeed, the impact path from PE to IA or SA was through exercise time, intensity, or frequency ( Chen et al, 2020 ).…”

Analisis Hubungan Antara Internet Addiction dan Self Efficacy dengan Perilaku Cyberbullying Remaja: Studi Literatur

“…Terdapat tujuh studi yang membahas mengenai keterkaitan antara cyberbullying dan internet addiction serta terdapat tiga studi yang membahas mengenai keterkaitan cyberbullying dengan self efficacy. Hubungan antara Internet Addiction dan Self Efficacy dengan perilaku Cyberbullying pada remaja Hubungan internet addiction dan perilaku cyberbullying pada remaja dibahas dalam tujuh studi (Jung et al, 2014;Chang et al, 2015;Gámez-Guadix, Borrajo and Almendros, 2016;Stodt, Wegmann and Brand, 2016;Tsimtsiou et al, 2018;Şimşek, Şahin and Evli, 2019;Lin et al, 2020). Terdapat lima studi yang menyatakan bahwa hubungan internet addiction dan perilaku cyberbullying memiliki hubungan yang positif.…”

“…Studi juga menjelaskan bahwa lebih banyak remaja yang menjadi korban cyberbullying daripada menjadi pelaku tindakan cyberbullying. Selain itu juga dijelaskan bahwa korban cyberbullying memiliki tingkat kecanduan internet yang lebih tinggi dan merupakan salah satu jalur pada korban cyberbullying dalam mendapatkan kekerasan fisik dan mental (Lin et al, 2020). Remaja dengan kecanduan internet dan menjadi korban perilaku cyberbullying akan menimbulkan depresi pada individu tersebut (Chang et al, 2015).…”