The Family Context in Cybervictimization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

The use of Information and Communication Technologies is clearly widespread among adolescents from a young age. Although it poses a significant contribution at the academic, social, and emotional levels, it can also involve a set of important risks, including cyberbullying and, therefore, cybervictimization. Previous studies have pointed out the importance of family context since parental control and family communication emerge as contributors to this phenomenon. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of family communication on cybervictims and the moderating role of different sociodemographic variables (age, gender, nationality, and culture), as well as social, emotional, and personality variables. In this context, a meta-analysis was performed with a random effects model, using a total meta-sample of 29,093 adolescents (mean age: 14.50 years) distributed in k = 20 samples belonging to nine studies on cybervictimization published in English in Q1 journals between 2015 and 2020. The results showed that family offensive communication is related to cybervictimization. This could be because the affected individuals often use social media to compensate for the deficiencies they perceive within their families, as well as to obtain support, which increases their time spent on the Internet and their exposure to this phenomenon. These findings highlight the need for family and community interventions, not only school-based or individual interventions.

Parental Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Bullying Victimization in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

“…Our results revealed that only the dimensions of parental rejection were relevant in protecting or putting children at risk of being bullied in the online context and are in line with those previously reported in a systematic review, where parental warmth was shown to be a protective factor (Elsaesser et al, 2017), and with those reported in a recent meta-analysis, where parental aversiveness, in the form of parental offensive communication, was found to be a risk factor (Lozano-Blasco et al, 2023). A parent child-relationship characterized by a warmth and affection may create an environment in which children are more likely to disclose bullying incidents (Liu et al, 2020).…”

Examining the association of family environment and children emotional/behavioral difficulties in the relationship between parental anxiety and internet addiction in youth

“…In such an environment, if the family lacks organization and rules are unclear, adolescents may feel a lack of guidance and structure ( 39 ), thus more likely to become immersed in the online world to seek self-organization and rules. Simultaneously, we will also explore the relationship between family environment and adolescent internet addiction in the dimensions of cohesion ( 40 ), conflict resolution ( 41 ), achievement orientation ( 42 ), cultural interest ( 43 ), and recreational activities ( 44 ). Therefore, this paper also aims to investigate the relationship between family environment and adolescent internet addiction across these dimensions, seeking to identify family environmental factors that predict adolescent internet addiction.…”