Mediating processes in the relations of parental monitoring and school climate with cyberbullying: The role of moral disengagement

Abstract

In recent years, studies have extensively explored both personal and environmental predictors of cyberbullying. Among these predictors, parental monitoring and school climate were often expected to be associated with cyberbullying behaviors. However, little is known about the mediating mechanisms through which these relations may develop. The present study aimed to expand the current research by testing a theoretical model including the mediating role of moral disengagement in the relations between parental monitoring (including less collaborative vs. more collaborative strategies), school climate, and cyberbullying behaviors. Five hundred and seventy-one Italian adolescents (54.5% male) aged 14 to 20 years were recruited from high schools. Measures included demographics and parental monitoring, school climate, moral disengagement and cyberbullying scales. To test the hypothesized model, we estimated full and partial mediation models by structural equation modeling. Results showed negative indirect links of parental monitoring (but only the more collaborative strategies) and school climate with cyberbullying via moral disengagement. Less collaborative strategies of parental monitoring were neither directly nor indirectly related to cyberbullying. The findings revealed moral disengagement as an important process in explaining how ecological factors, such as parenting behaviors and school environments, are associate with cyberbullying. Limitations, strengths, and implications for practice are presented.

Self-esteem and adolescent bullying/cyberbullying and victimization/cybervictimization behaviours: A person-oriented approach

“…Finally, we only considered gender and age as variables related to bullying/cyberbullying and victimization/cybervictimization behaviours in addition to self-esteem profiles. Nevertheless, the literature suggests the need to consider other factors as well ( Bartolo et al, 2019 ; Cook, Williams, & Guerra, 2010 ).…”

“…New relationships with family, school, and peers, and new issues related to peer acceptance and physical appearance make adolescents more susceptible to experiences and views that can largely influence their self-image (see Twenge & Campbell, 2001 ) and, consequently, their personal and social assets (e.g., skills and competencies). In view of this, since bullying/cyberbullying and victimization/cybervictimization phenomena may originate from diverse ecological conditions in different contexts ( Bartolo, Palermiti, Servidio, Musso, & Costabile, 2019 ), it may be critical to investigate how different domains of self-esteem (e.g., family, school, peer relations) can be specifically linked with diverse forms of active and passive aggressive behaviour.…”

Cybervictimisation and Well-Being during the Outbreak of COVID-19: The Mediating Role of Depression

“… to develop support and prevention programmes for cybervictims that consider other variables, such as peer friendships, the family context, and support and coping strategies. As adolescents spent all their time at home with their families, we believe that reasonable parental control may have been able to mitigate the direct effects of cybervictimisation on well-being, acting as a resource against the negative impact of cybervictimisation [ 72 , 73 , 74 ]. …”

Algılanan Ebeveyn İzlemesi, Siber Zorbalık ve Yaşam Doyumu Arasındaki İlişkiler Ergenin Cinsiyetine Göre Farklılaşıyor mu?

“…İnternet ortamında, genellikle doğrudan ve yüz yüze iletişimin olmaması kimi zaman karşıdaki kişiye nezaket gösterilmesi gibi sosyal sorumluluk hissini azaltabilmekte ve ahlaki muhakemenin askıya alınması söz konusu olabilmektedir (Kowalski ve ark., 2014;Wachs, 2012). Örneğin, yakın zamanlı bir araştırmada, bu ahlaki geri çekilmenin (moral disengagement) ebeveyn izlemesi ve okul iklimi ile siber zorbalık arasındaki ilişkiye aracılık ettiği gösterilmiştir (Bartolo, Palermiti, Servidio ve Musso, 2019). Buna göre, ebeveyni tarafından izlendiğinin bilincinde olan ergen, diğerlerine karşı daha az sosyal sorumluluk hissetse bile, ebeveynine olan sorumluluğu devam edebilir.…”