Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Mar 2;18(5):2427.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052427.

Cybervictimization and Adolescent Internet Addiction: A Moderated Mediation Model

Mucheng Xin  1 , Pei Chen  1 , Qiao Liang  1 , Chengfu Yu  1 , Shuangju Zhen  2 , Wei Zhang  2
Affiliations

Cybervictimization and Adolescent Internet Addiction: A Moderated Mediation Model

Mucheng Xin et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Previous research indicates that cybervictimization can lead to adolescent Internet addiction; however, there is a gap in the knowledge about the mediating and moderating variables facilitating this relationship. This study examines the role of rejection sensitivity as a mediator in this relationship and the role of parent-adolescent communication as a moderator for this mediation effect among Chinese adolescents. Participants were 1006 adolescents (M = 13.16 years, SD = 0.67), who completed the questionnaires anonymously. The questionnaires assessed the four variables of interest. Descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling were used for data analysis. The results show that the positive association between cybervictimization and adolescent Internet addiction is mediated by rejection sensitivity. Moreover, this indirect effect is stronger for adolescents with low parent-adolescent communication than for those with high parent-adolescent communication.

Keywords: adolescent; cybervictimization; internet addiction; parent–adolescent communication; rejection sensitivity.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The proposed mediated moderation model. Note: CV = Cybervictimization, PAC = parent–adolescent communication.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mediation model of rejection sensitivity between cybervictimization and Internet addiction. Note: CV = cybervictimization. The values outside the brackets are unstandardized coefficients, those in parentheses are standard errors, and those in brackets are standardized coefficients. Paths between gender, age, impulsivity, and each of the variables in the model are not displayed. Of those paths, the following were significant: gender (b = −0.18, SE = 0.02, β = −0.41, t = −7.06, p < 0.01, 95% CI [−0.22, −0.13]), and impulsivity (b = 0.29, SE = 0.03, β = 0.27, t = 9.29, p < 0.01, 95% CI [0.23, 0.36]) to rejection sensitivity; gender (b = 0.26, SE = 0.07, β = 0.21, t = 3.60, p < 0.01, 95% CI [0.12, 0.40]), and impulsivity (b = 0.79, SE = 0.09, β = 0.25, t = 8.49, p < 0.01, 95% CI [0.61, 0.98]) to Internet addiction. ** p < 0.01.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Model of the moderating role of parent–adolescent communication on the indirect relationship between Cybervictimization and Internet addiction. Note: CV = cybervictimization, PAC = parent–adolescent communication. The values outside the brackets are unstandardized coefficients, those in parentheses are standard errors, and those in brackets are standardized coefficients. Paths between gender, age, impulsivity, and each of the variables in the model are not displayed. Of those paths, the following were significant: gender (b = −0.18, SE = 0.02, β = −0.41, t = −7.23, p < 0.01, 95% CI [−0.23, −0.13]), and impulsivity (b = 0.28, SE = 0.03, β = 0.26, t = 8.29, p < 0.01, 95% CI [0.21, 0.34]) to rejection sensitivity; gender (b = 0.26, SE = 0.07, β = 0.21, t = 3.59, p < 0.01, 95% CI [0.12, 0.40]), and impulsivity (b = 0.74, SE = 0.10, β = 0.24, t = 7.63, p < 0.01, 95% CI [0.55, 0.93]) to Internet addiction. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Rejection sensitivity among adolescents as a function of cybervictimization and parent–adolescent communication. Note: CV = cybervictimization, PAC = parent–adolescent communication.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Internet addiction among adolescents as a function of rejection sensitivity and parent–adolescent communication. Note: CV = cybervictimization, PAC = parent–adolescent communication.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Block J.J. Issues for DSM-V: Internet addiction. Am. J. Psychiatry. 2008;16:306–307. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07101556. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Wang P., Lei L., Yu G., Li B. Social networking sites addiction and materialism among Chinese adolescents: A moderated mediation model involving depression and need to belong. Front. Psychol. 2020;11:3373. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.581274. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. China Internet Network Information Center “The 47th Statistical Report on Internet Development in China”. [(accessed on 3 February 2020)]; Available online: http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2021-02/03/content_5584518.htm.
    1. Demir Y., Kutlu M. Relationships among Internet addiction, academic motivation, academic procrastination and school attachment in adolescents. Int. Online J. Educ. Sci. 2018;10:315–332. doi: 10.15345/iojes.2018.05.020. - DOI
    1. Kostak M.A., Dindar İ., Dinçkol R.Z. Loneliness, depression, social support levels, and other factors involving the Internet use of high school students in Turkey. Int. J. Ment. Health Addic. 2019;17:1521–1534. doi: 10.1007/s11469-018-9927-3. - DOI

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources