Cyberbullying Prepetration and Victimization among Chinese Adolescents

Abstract

Cyberbullying is a prevalent phenomenon among Chinese adolescents and has severe consequences. The common forms of cyberbullying engagement include cyberbullying victimization and cyberbullying perpetration. Previous studies focused more on cyberbullying victimization. Thus, the current study reviews research concerning cyberbullying among Chinese adolescents to summarize the correlates of the two forms of cyberbullying engagement and compare them with each other. The main findings of the current review include that: (1) male adolescents are more likely to cyberbully others while the gender difference in cyberbullying victimization is still on the debate; (2) traditional bullying victimization is the strongest predictor of cyberbullying victimization and a moderate predictor of cyberbullying perpetration; (3) parental psychological control predicts both cyberbullying victimization and cyberbullying perpetration while the predictive effect is mediated by avoidance motivation and revenge motivation respectively; (4) cyberbullying victimization is positively correlated with depression while the positive correlation between cyberbullying perpetration and depression is even stronger. Cyberbullying victimization and perpetration may be intertwined with each other to present an integrative effect on the individual. Prevention strategies at different levels to reduce cyberbullying engagement are raised and a 'whole-school anti-bullying approach' is suggested.