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Exploring Multivariate Profiles of Psychological Distress and Empathy in Early Adolescent Victims, Bullies, and Bystanders Involved in Cyberbullying Episodes

Author

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  • Matteo Angelo Fabris

    (Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, 10124 Turin, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Claudio Longobardi

    (Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, 10124 Turin, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Rosalba Morese

    (Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Università della Svizzera italiana, Via Buffi 13, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
    Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Via Buffi 13, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland)

  • Davide Marengo

    (Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, 10124 Turin, Italy)

Abstract

(1) Background: Adolescents may be involved in cyberbullying as victims, perpetrators, or to a lesser extent, victim–perpetrators simultaneously. The present research investigated differences between participants acting in different bullying roles—namely, bully, victim, or bully/victim—and bystander roles—namely, defending, passive bystander, and passive/defending; (2) Methods: We used multivariate analysis of covariance to determine how, in the same individuals, direct involvement in cyberbullying episodes compares to participating in them as by-standers in relation to both psychological distress and empathy; (3) Results: Both victims and bully/victims were found to be at increased risk for suicidal ideation, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and emotional dysregulation compared with students who were neither victims nor perpetrators of cyberbullying episodes. Additionally, victims showed higher empathy scores when compared with bullies and bully/victims. All bystander roles showed increased emotional dysregulation compared with uninvolved students, but no differences emerged on other psychological distress measures. Finally, defending bystanders showed increased cognitive empathy. (4) Conclusions: During early adolescence, the direct experience of cyberbullying, as a bully or a victim (or both), show a stronger association with psychological distress than the mere participation in cyberbullying as a witness, regardless of the witness acting defensive toward the victim, or passive. However, both cyberbullying and bystanding roles provide a similar (small) explicative power over empathy variables.

Suggested Citation

  • Matteo Angelo Fabris & Claudio Longobardi & Rosalba Morese & Davide Marengo, 2022. "Exploring Multivariate Profiles of Psychological Distress and Empathy in Early Adolescent Victims, Bullies, and Bystanders Involved in Cyberbullying Episodes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-14, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:16:p:9871-:d:885061
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wong, Dennis S.W. & Chan, Heng Choon (Oliver) & Cheng, Christopher H.K., 2014. "Cyberbullying perpetration and victimization among adolescents in Hong Kong," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 133-140.
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    4. Allison, Kimberley R. & Bussey, Kay, 2016. "Cyber-bystanding in context: A review of the literature on witnesses' responses to cyberbullying," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 183-194.
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    6. Longobardi, C. & Settanni, M. & Fabris, M.A. & Marengo, D., 2020. "Follow or be followed: Exploring the links between Instagram popularity, social media addiction, cyber victimization, and subjective happiness in Italian adolescents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
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    2. Ildefonso Álvarez-Marín & Alicia Pérez-Albéniz & Beatriz Lucas-Molina & Vanesa Martínez-Valderrey & Eduardo Fonseca-Pedrero, 2022. "Assessing Cyberbullying in Adolescence: New Evidence for the Spanish Version of the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (ECIP-Q)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-14, October.

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