Peer and cyber aggression in secondary school students: the role of moral disengagement, hostile attribution bias, and outcome expectancies

The role of moral disengagement in youth bullying behaviour

Moral disengagement, a term coined by Bandura, explains how people can hurt others and behave immorally, contradicting their beliefs and values and yet live peaceably with themselves. He developed a conceptual model of moral disengagement based on the Social Cognitive Theory of moral agency. By activating moral disengagement mechanisms, people can disregard their moral standards and behave immorally without any self-censure. This paper synthesises the extensive research on moral disengagement in a youth bullying context to demonstrate the conceptual strength of moral disengagement theory for research and interventions on bullying. It advances the understanding of the contextual basis of moral disengagement by examining its diverse role in bullying episodes that includes bullying perpetration, bullying victimisation and bullying bystanders. The analysis of the different components of moral disengagement representing the loci of the disengagement mechanisms sheds light on how the disengagement processes function in the youth bullying context. Its role as both a moderator and mediator further advances its divergent functioning in the youth bullying context. Finally, implications of the review for advancing knowledge on the moral basis of youth bullying are discussed with suggestions for the development of interventions to attenuate the use of moral disengagement.

Cyberbullying among secondary school students: Analyzing prediction and relationship with background, social status, and ICT use

This study explored the predictions of and relationships between background, social status, and the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in cyberbullying among 2430 secondary school students from schools affiliated with Thailand's Office of the Basic Education Commission. The stratified sampling method was used along with the Cyberbullying Questionnaire, Sociometric Status Questionnaire, Perceived Popularity Questionnaire, and ICT Use Questionnaire and data were collected through the CU Smart Sociometry web application and Google Forms. Data analysis was conducted to determine 1) demographic data using descriptive statistics; 2) correlation analysis of students' backgrounds, sociometric status, and ICT use against cyberbullying using the chi-square test; and 3) variables that predict cyberbullying among secondary school students using multinomial logistic regression. Results showed a link between cyberbullying and secondary school students' backgrounds, social status, and ICT use. Students with different backgrounds (sex and academic performance), social statuses (social preference and perceived popularity), and ICT use partook in different cyberbullying roles. Independent variables of sex, academic performance, social preference, perceived popularity, and ICT use all predicted cyberbullying by 33.3 % with statistical significance. Male students were noted to have a higher likelihood of being cyberbullies than female students, whereas female students were more likely to be cybervictims and bystanders. Moreover, students with low academic performance were more likely to be cyberbullies and cybervictims than high-performing students, with rejected students having the highest likelihood of being cyberbullies. Interestingly, the higher a student's popularity, the higher was their likelihood of being cyberbullies. Finally, cyberbullies had the highest average daily internet use, and students who had never had their guardians monitor their internet usage were more likely to be cyberbullies; students with moderate and good social media behavior were mostly bystanders.

Neural Correlates of Positive Outcome Expectancy for Aggression: Evidence from Voxel-Based Morphometry and Resting-State Functional Connectivity Analysis

Positive outcome expectancy is a crucial cognitive factor influencing aggression, yet its neural basis remains unclear. Therefore, the present study combined voxel-based morphometry (VBM) with a resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analysis to investigate the brain correlates of positive outcome expectancy in aggression in young people. In the VBM analysis, multiple linear regression was conducted to explore the relationship between individual differences in aggressive positive outcome expectancy and regional gray matter volume (GMV) among 325 undergraduate students. For the RSFC analysis, seed regions were selected based on the results of the VBM analysis. Subsequently, multiple linear regression was employed to examine whether a significant correlation existed between individual differences in aggressive positive outcome expectancy and the RSFC of seed regions with other brain regions in 304 undergraduate students. The findings indicated that aggressive positive outcome expectancy was positively correlated with GMV in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), right temporoparietal junction (TPJ), and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). Moreover, it was also positively associated with RSFC between the PCC and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The prediction analysis indicated robust relationships between aggressive positive outcome expectancy and the GMV in the PCC, right TPJ, as well as the RSFC between the PCC and the left DLPFC. Our research provides the initial evidence for the neural basis of positive outcome expectancy in aggression, suggesting the potential role of the PCC as a hub in its neural network.

Agreeableness and adolescents' cyberbullying perpetration: A longitudinal moderated mediation model of moral disengagement and empathy

OBJECTIVE

The current study explored whether agreeableness predicted cyberbullying perpetration across 3 years and extended previous studies by exploring the mediating effect of moral disengagement and the moderating effects of empathy and gender.

METHOD

The participants included 2407 adolescents from 7 middle schools in China. They were recruited to complete the Big Five Personality Inventory, Bullying Scale and Empathy Scale at Time 1, Moral Disengagement Scale at Time 1 and Time 2, and Cyberbullying Perpetration Scale at Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3.

RESULTS

Agreeableness at Time 1 predicted cyberbullying perpetration at Time 3 and moral disengagement at Time 2 mediated this relationship. The relationship between moral disengagement at Time 2 and cyberbullying perpetration at Time 3 was stronger for low cognitive empathy adolescents than high cognitive empathy adolescents at Time 1. The relationship between agreeableness at Time 1 and cyberbullying perpetration adolescents at Time 3 was stronger for low affective empathy than high affective empathy adolescents at Time 1. The link between moral disengagement at Time 2 and cyberbullying perpetration at Time 3 was weaker for females than males.

CONCLUSIONS

Low agreeableness adolescents are more likely to use moral disengagement, which in turn leads to more cyberbullying perpetration.

Social networks and aggressive attitudes: who is who. Scoping review of the scientific production on their relationships

Introduction

In the current world, an increasing number of people use social networks as a scenario for socialization, which have come to stay as a part of human development. During this socialization process, violent situations occur all too often, despite their virtuality, and seriously compromises the emotional well-being of the other participants. Based on the work conducted on this subject, the following systematic review aims to establish the state of the art regarding the relationship between moral disengagement, disruptive behavior and emotional intelligence of social network users.

Method

A scoping review is carried out, according to the PRISMA-ScR criteria, consulting the WoS, Scopus, Education database, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, PLOS one and ScienceDirect databases, from 2021 up to the present day.

Results

A total of 999 articles related to the research topic were collected, although the result of research responding to the specific search criteria was reduced to 10.

Discussion

The research identified shows that there is a relationship between the level of moral development of social network users and their participation in aggressive online behavior. However, more research is needed, as it has not been demonstrated whether it is the networks that develop or favor the emergence of these attitudes, or simply act as facilitators for their amplified expression.

Development of a measure of aggressive behavior expectancies in adults: The Aggression Expectancy Questionnaire

According to sociocognitive theories, aggression is learned and elicited through a series of cognitive processes, such as expectancies, or the various consequences that an individual considers more or less likely following aggressive behavior. The current manuscript describes a measurement development project that ultimately yielded a 16-item measure of positive and negative aggression expectancies suitable for use in adult populations. Across two content generation surveys, two preliminary item refinement studies, and three full studies, we took an iterative approach and administered large item pools to several samples and refined item content through a combination of empirical (i.e., factor loadings, model fit) and conceptual (i.e., content breadth, non-redundancy) considerations. The Aggression Expectancy Questionnaire displays a four-factor structure, as well as evidence of convergent and divergent validity with self-reported aggression and relevant basic (e.g., antagonism, anger) and complex (e.g., psychopathy) personality variables. It is posited that this type of cognitive mechanism may serve as an intermediary link between distal characterological predictors of aggression and its proximal manifestation, which is in line with several prominent theories of personality and may ultimately hold clinical utility by providing a framework for aggression interventions.

Generating a Moderated Mediation Model of Positive Outcome Expectancy and Aggression

According to previous theories of aggression, positive outcome expectancy for aggression can predict aggression, while moral disengagement and negative outcome expectancy for aggression may, respectively, serve as mediators and moderators in this prediction process. To test the hypothesis, Study 1 first developed the Aggression Outcome Expectancy Questionnaire and examined its two-factor structure, which consists of positive and negative outcome expectancy for aggression. Next, 677 college students were recruited to participate in Study 2 and were asked to complete the Aggression Outcome Expectancy Questionnaire, Civic Moral Disengagement Questionnaire, and Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. The findings indicated the following: (1) The Aggression Outcome Expectancy Questionnaire for college students demonstrated acceptable reliability and construct validity, confirming the two-factor structure of aggression outcome expectancy. (2) After controlling for sex and age, moral disengagement partially mediated the relationship between positive outcome expectancy and aggression. (3) Negative outcome expectancy for aggression moderated the effect of positive outcome expectancy on aggression, as well as moral disengagement. Specifically, negative outcome expectancy for aggression attenuated the positive predictive effect of positive outcome expectancy on aggression and moral disengagement. In conclusion, the present study extends our understanding of the motivational mechanism of aggression, offering a theoretical reference for preventing and intervening in aggressive behavior among college students.

The Effects of Covert Narcissism on Chinese College Students Cyberbullying: The Mediation of Hostile Attribution Bias and the Moderation of Self-Control

Purpose

The prevalence of cyberbullying has increased along with the growth of social media, which has brought about many adverse effects on individual development. The current study aimed to explore the connection between covert narcissism and cyberbullying and to test the roles of hostile attribution bias and self-control in the relationship between covert narcissism and cyberbullying.

Materials and Methods

A total of 672 Chinese college students filled up questionnaires measuring covert narcissism, cyberbullying, hostile attribution bias, and self-control.

Results

The results indicated that covert narcissism positively and significantly predicted cyberbullying. Hostile attribution bias partially mediated the relationship between covert narcissism and cyberbullying. Additionally, self-control moderated the relationship between covert narcissism and cyberbullying. Specifically, the positive predictive effect of covert narcissism on cyberbullying gradually weakened as self-control improved.

Conclusion

This study explored the underlying mechanism of cyberbullying and found that covert narcissism could affect cyberbullying through hostile attribution bias. Self-control moderated the relationship between covert narcissism and cyberbullying. The results have significant implications for the intervention and prevention of cyberbullying and additional evidence for the relationship between covert narcissism and cyberbullying.

Adolescent Cyberbullies' Attributions: Longitudinal Linkages to Cyberbullying Perpetration

The aim of the present study was to examine cyberbullies' attributions pertaining to their perpetration of cyberbullying, and how such attributions relate to their cyberbullying behaviors six months later. Participants were 216 adolescents (M = 13.46, SD = 0.62 years; 55% female) from the suburbs of a large Midwestern city in the United States. They were interviewed face-to-face in the fall of 2018 concerning why they acted in negative ways toward peers online or through text messages. They also answered questionnaires regarding how often they perpetrated face-to-face bullying and cyberbullying during the fall of 2018 and spring of 2019. The attributions of revenge, convenience, anger, and anonymity each predicted cyberbullying at the second time point while controlling for face-to-face bullying perpetration. Results from this study provide important information to the literature regarding cyberbullies' attributions for perpetrating cyberbullying, and how such attributions predict future cyberbullying perpetration. These findings are important for the development of antibullying programs that might aim to change adolescents' attributions for cyberbullying perpetration to reduce continued engagement in these behaviors.

The Effect of Everyday Moral Sensitivity on Bullying Bystander Behavior: Parallel Mediating Roles of Empathy and Moral Disengagement

The higher moral sensitivity to bullying a student has, the more likely they are to help the victim or inhibit bullying rather than ignore it. Research has mainly focused on particular sensitivity to bullying, and it remains unknown whether sensitivity to everyday moral issues functions similarly. The present study aimed to examine the effect of everyday moral sensitivity (EMS) on bullying bystander behaviors. We included a range of school children (n = 1,655, Grades 3-12, 27.6% girls) in Southwest China. The results show 6.10% have been a victim-only, 0.48% have been a bully-only, 0.85% have been the bullying victim, 92.57% have been neither a bully nor a bullying victim, and 45.86% have observed bullying. Students in lower grades are more likely to be bullied. After controlling for covariates (i.e., gender, grade, and social desirability), EMS is positively associated with positive bystander behaviors. Moreover, empathy and moral disengagement (MD) play a mediating role in the relationship between EMS and positive bystander behaviors. The results reveal two parallel processes of EMS influenced bystander behaviors (i.e., empathy and MD). The findings indicate the possibility of cultivating EMS and highlight the role of morality development in preventing school bullying.

Cyberbullying Involvement and Depression among Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and University Students: The Role of Social Support and Gender

One aim of this study was to investigate differences in cyberbullying involvement (i.e., victimization, bystanding, perpetration) across four age groups, including 234 elementary school students (4th and 5th grades; 51% female), 363 middle school students (6th through 8th grades; 53% female), 341 high school students (9th through 12th grade; 51% female), and 371 university students (all four years; 60% female). Another aim was to examine the age group differences in the associations between cyberbullying involvement and depression, as well as the moderating effect of social support from parents and friends. Participants completed questionnaires on cyberbullying involvement, depression, and social support from parents and friends. Findings revealed that middle school students were more often involved in cyberbullying as victims, bystanders, and perpetrators, followed by high school and university students, and elementary school students. High school and university students did not differ on their cyberbullying involvement. Gender moderated these relationships for elementary school students, with boys more often involved in cyberbullying perpetration and victimization than girls. In addition, female university students witnessed cyberbullying more so than males. Social support from parents buffered against the negative effects of cyberbullying involvement on depression across all age groups. Results were similar for social support from friends, but only for middle school and high school students. Gender did not influence the associations among age groups, cyberbullying involvement, and depression. The results have implications for designing prevention and intervention programs and ensuring that such programs consider age.

Onset risk factors for youth involvement in cyberbullying and cybervictimization: A longitudinal study

Introduction

Cyberbullying and cybervictimization are spread worldwide, and due to COVID-19, an increasing number of children and adolescents have been impacted. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, research has investigated and highlighted the key risk factors for cyberbullying and cybervictimization, and numerous anti-cyberbullying prevention and intervention programs have been developed and assessed for their efficacy. Despite this, no studies have specifically focused on the individual, relational, and contextual risk factors associated with the onset of youth involvement in cyberbullying and cybervictimization.

Methods

To address this lacuna, 333 Italian students aged 10-16 years (M = 12.16, SD = 1.35) were involved in a year-long longitudinal study and filled in the anonymous online actuarial Tabby Improved Checklist two times with a 6-month interval. Onset risk factors for cyberbullying and cybervictimization have been separately analyzed by excluding all students involved in cyberbullying from the original sample or in the cybervictimization baseline (T1).

Results

The results showed that being male, being involved in school bullying, having low levels of awareness of online risk, and having high levels of affective empathy were all significant onset risk factors for cyberbullying. Similarly, being male, being involved in school bullying and victimization, having high levels of affective empathy, and moral disengagement were onset risk factors for cybervictimization.

Conclusion

Given the negative psychological and behavioral consequences of cyberbullying and cybervictimization, this article includes discussions on practical and policy implications for future research, stressing the need to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of primary prevention programs addressing and managing onset risk factors for cyberbullying and cybervictimization.

The relation between college students' neuroticism and loneliness: The chain mediating roles of self-efficacy, social avoidance and distress

Background

Recently, identifying the psychological mechanism of college students' loneliness has attracted wide attention because the maladjustment caused by college students' loneliness is increasingly common. This study explored the relationship and potential mechanism between college students' neuroticism and loneliness in a large sample.

Methods

A total of 4,600 college students completed the Big Five Personality Scale, Loneliness Scale, Self-efficacy Scale and Social Avoidance and Distress Scale.

Results

By examining the chain mediating roles of self-efficacy, social avoidance and distress (SAD) in the relation between neuroticism and loneliness, the present study found that college students' neuroticism was positively associated with loneliness via self-efficacy and SAD, respectively, and sequentially.

Conclusions

The results suggest a significant positive association between neuroticism and loneliness, which is influenced by the mediating effects of both self-efficacy and social avoidance and distress (SAD), as well as the chained mediating effects of self-efficacy and SAD.

Did They Deserve It? Adolescents' Perception of Online Harassment in a Real-Case Scenario

Online harassment, particularly cyberbullying and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, is a widespread phenomenon among adolescents and young adults. Descriptive research was carried out to investigate any differences among Italian school classes in the perception of cybercrime through a real-case scenario. Following the Italian school system, the final sample of 1777 adolescents (Mage = 15.37, SD = 1.65; Male = 52%) was divided into three groups based on the school class attended: middle school (N = 562; Mage = 13.37, SD = 0.48); high school biennium (N = 728; Mage = 15.55, SD = 0.50), and triennium (N = 487, Mage = 17.40, SD = 0.71). Participants completed a self-report questionnaire investigating the use of the Internet and the perception of a real case scenario involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and cyberbullying received by the National Centre for Combating Child Pornography Online (NCPO). Results showed differences among the three groups' perceptions of the event's features, motivations underlying the offense, victim-blaming and harassment justification (e.g., cyberbullying, in particular non-consensual sharing of intimate images, is recognized as a crime as age increases). The findings provide significant insights for future research and age-specific factors to consider when developing prevention programs for online risks.

A Narrative Review about Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior in Childhood: The Relationship with Shame and Moral Development

We conducted a literature review aimed at identifying the origins of shame as well as its effects on moral development, especially in terms of behavioral outcomes, and we reflected on the practical implications of our findings. We explored the role of shame in moral development through cultural differences and parental influences, collecting evidence of psychopathological consequences of primary moral emotion dysregulation. These studies showed a dichotomous feature of shame, as a prosocial behavior enhancer in morally relevant situations and, simultaneously, a risk factor for aggressive and antisocial behaviors on other occasions. Dysregulated shame leads to maladaptive interpersonal behaviors, which could evolve towards psychopathological paths. Therefore, an integrated intervention is recommended in children with emotional/behavioral problems.

Is This WhatsApp Conversation Aggressive? Adolescents' Perception of Cyber Dating Aggression

This study investigated adolescents' understanding of cyber dating aggression in terms of frequency and aggressiveness: how prevalent they perceived cyber dating aggression among adolescents and how aggressive they perceived such behaviors to be. To do so, different WhatsApp scenarios were presented to adolescents, controlling for the typology of cyber dating aggression (verbal/emotional, controlling, or sexual) and its publicity (public or private cyber dating aggression). The moderating effect of gender and moral disengagement (MD) was also analyzed. A total of 262 adolescents (56.5% girls; mean age of 14.46 years) participated in the study and answered a computer-based questionnaire. General linear models revealed that adolescents consider cyber dating aggression to be present in most adolescent romantic relationships. Controlling online behavior was perceived as the most frequent and the least aggressive behavior. Adolescents rated private cyber aggression as more frequent and less aggressive than public cyber aggressions. Controlling for gender, girls reported that cyber dating aggression was more common and more severe than boys. Moreover, participants with high levels of MD perceived cyber dating aggressions to be less aggressive than participants with medium-low MD. This study reveals the significance of the type of cyber dating aggression, the public/private dimension, gender, and MD as variables that influence adolescent understanding of cyber dating aggression. These results have implications not only for the design of cyber dating aggression prevention programs but also for future research on cyber dating aggression.

Moral Disengagement as a Self-Regulatory Cognitive Process of Transgressions: Psychometric Evidence of the Bandura Scale in Chilean Adolescents

Moral disengagement is a process of cognitive restructuring that allows individuals to disassociate from their internal moral standards and behave unethically without feeling distressed. It has been described as a key predictor of maladaptive behaviors (e.g., delinquency, aggression, and cyberbullying) and as a mediator between individual variables and unethical outcomes (e.g., empathy and aggression). We aimed to provide evidence of validity based on the internal structure, reliability, and correlations with other constructs of the most used instrument to measure disengagement from moral self-sanctions: Bandura's Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement Scale (MMDS). A non-probabilistic national sample of 528 Chilean adolescents from 14 to 18 years participated in the study. The results showed that the 10-item version of the MMDS had a unidimensional structure and good internal consistency. As expected, the MMDS-10 showed positive and medium correlations with abusive, violent antisocial, and delinquent behaviors and negative and medium associations with prosocial behavior and empathy. Additionally, moral disengagement fully mediated the relationship between empathy and violent antisocial behavior, supporting the hypothesis on moral disengagement as a self-regulatory cognitive process. The results confirm previous research, and the findings are discussed in terms of their implications for reducing the use of moral disengagement strategies in adolescence.

How Does Parent-Adolescent Conflict and Deviant Peer Affiliation Affect Cyberbullying: Examining the Roles of Moral Disengagement and Gender

Purpose

With the widespread use of the Internet and mobile phone, cyberbullying has become a new type of bullying among adolescents. It is of great practical significance to explore the relevant factors affecting cyberbullying for prevention and intervention of adolescents’ cyberbullying. However, few studies have considered the effect of both the family and social factors on cyberbullying. Therefore, the current study examines whether the parent-adolescent conflict as a family factor and deviant peer affiliation as a social factor have an effect on adolescents’ cyberbullying, as well as the role of moral disengagement and gender.

Methods

A total of 777 middle school students (females = 336; mean age = 13.57; SD = 0.98) were surveyed by using the Parent-child Relationship Questionnaire, Deviant Peer Affiliation Questionnaire, Moral Disengagement Questionnaire and Cyber Bullying Behavior Questionnaire. SPSS21.0 was used to conduct descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis and T-test, PROCESS were used to conduct significance test of moderated mediation effect on the data.

Results

Parent-adolescent conflict does not directly predict cyberbullying. Moral disengagement played a complete mediating role between parent-adolescent conflict and cyberbullying, and gender played a moderating role between moral disengagement and cyberbullying. Deviant peer affiliation directly predict cyberbullying. Moral disengagement played a partially mediating role between parent-adolescent conflict and cyberbullying, and gender played a moderating role between moral disengagement and cyberbullying.

Conclusion

Attention should be paid to the effect of moral disengagement on cyberbullying in family and social factors, as well as the role of gender.

The effect of the cyberbullying awareness program on adolescents' awareness of cyberbullying and their coping skills

Due to the prevalence of cyberbullying in adolescence and its association with a number of negative psychosocial consequences, there is a need to develop programs to prevent this phenomenon. In this study, the aim was to examine the effect of the Cyberbullying Awareness Program on adolescents' awareness of cyberbullying and their coping skills. A total of 38 adolescents were included in the study, where 17 adolescents were assigned to the intervention group and 21 to the control group. The mean age of the adolescents was 13.8 (SD = 0.44). The Cyberbullying Awareness Program was administered to the intervention group in 10 sessions. The Cyberbullying Awareness Scale for Adolescents and Coping with Cyberbullying Scale were used as data collection tools in the study. As a result of the study, it was determined that the Cyberbullying Awareness Program was effective in increasing the awareness level of the adolescents in the intervention group about cyberbullying, as well the development of their skills to cope with cyberbullying. In line with the results of the study, suggestions are presented to educators and policy makers. It is recommended that policy makers include cyberbullying prevention programs in their national curriculums in order to increase the awareness of adolescents about cyberbullying and improve their coping skills, and these programs should be implemented by educators to children and adolescents nationwide.

Participant Role Behavior in Cyberbullying: an Examination of Moral Disengagement Among College Students

The current study examined the role of moral disengagement in cyberbullying participant role behavior among college-aged individuals. Participants included 434 students who completed surveys measuring their participation in cyberbullying, including online bystander role behaviors, as well as their moral disengagement. Regression analysis results indicated that moral disengagement was positively associated with cyberbullying perpetration, cyberbullying victimization, passive bystanding online behavior, and reinforcing online behavior. The current study furthers knowledge on the associations between online bullying-related behavior and moral disengagement and could lead to necessary cyberbullying prevention and intervention support for young adults.

Stay Safe and Strong: Characteristics, Roles and Emotions of Student-Produced Comics Related to Cyberbullying

The present study aimed at giving voice to students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds using a co-participatory approach. Participants were 59 adolescents (52.5% males) aged between 14 and 16 from five European countries who created ten comics to illustrate cyberbullying for a broader audience of peers. We analyzed texts and images according to four primary themes: cyberbullying episodes (types, platforms, co-occurrence with bullying), coping strategies, characters (roles, gender, and group membership), and emotions. The content analysis showed that online denigration on social media platforms was widely represented and that cyberbullying co-existed with bullying. Social strategies were frequently combined with passive and confrontational coping, up to suicide. All roles (cyberbully, cybervictim, bystander, reinforcer, defender) were portrayed among the 154 characters identified, even if victims and defenders appeared in the vignettes more often. Males, females, peers, and adults were represented in all roles. Among the 87 emotions detected, sadness was the most frequently expressed, followed by joy, surprise, anger, and fear. Emotions, mainly represented by drawings or drawings with text, were most often represented in association with cybervictims. The results are discussed in terms of their methodological and practical implications, as they emphasize the importance of valorizing young peoples’ voices in research and interventions against cyberbullying.

Adaptation and validation of the European cyberbullying intervention project questionnaire with and for Chinese adolescents

Cyberbullying is a global and growing phenomenon, which affects the wellbeing of millions of adolescents around the world including Chinese adolescents. However, there is a lack of valid and reliable measures of cyberbullying behaviours in Chinese. To address this research gap, this study aims to adapt and validate a well-known, reliable and validated instrument: the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (ECIPQ) among Chinese adolescents. A 14-item (seven for cyber aggression and seven for cyber victimisation) of the Chinese version of ECIPQ was developed based on its relevance and appropriateness to the Chinese culture. After its cultural and linguistic adaptation, the measure was norm with a sample of Chinese adolescents. A total sample of 452 adolescents was randomly split into two evenly subsamples for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The EFA results indicated that the Chinese version of ECIPQ had a good convergent validity and satisfactory discriminant validity, and a two-factor model was identified. CFA results showed a good fit of the measurement model in assessing cyber aggression and cyber victimisation. This adapted Chinese version of ECIPQ can be used to facilitate future research on cyberbullying screening, and that research may in turn promote proactive screening and better coordination of community responses for victims as well as perpetrators. Future comparative studies may use the validated scale to assess the prevalence of cyberbullying and the results of interventions to reduce cyberbullying among Chinese adolescents.

The effects of childhood maltreatment on cyberbullying in college students: The roles of cognitive processes

Previous studies suggested that childhood maltreatment was associated with cyberbullying. However, it's not clear the internal cognitive processes of how maltreatment causes cyberbullying. Therefore, the current study aims to explore the effect of childhood maltreatment on cyberbullying and the mediating effects of hostile attribution bias and anger rumination. A sample of 528 college students completed the measures of childhood maltreatment, cyberbullying, hostile attribution bias, and anger rumination. Multiple mediation analysis and bootstrapping showed that hostile attribution bias and anger rumination mediated the link between child maltreatment and cyberbullying. The results of this study suggested that childhood maltreatment increased the risk of cyberbullying, which was caused by a co-effect of hostile attribution bias and anger rumination, and it provides an intervention direction for effectively preventing the cyberbullying in abused individuals.

Social Interaction With an Anonymous Opponent Requires Increased Involvement of the Theory of Mind Neural System: An fMRI Study

An anonymous interaction might facilitate provoking behavior and modify the engagement of theory of mind (TOM) brain mechanisms. However, the effect of anonymity when processing unfair behavior of an opponent remains largely unknown. The current functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study applied the Taylor aggression paradigm, introducing an anonymous opponent to this task. Thirty-nine healthy right-handed subjects were included in the statistical analysis (13 males/26 females, mean age 24.5 ± 3.6 years). A player winning the reaction-time game could subtract money from the opponent during the task. Participants behaved similarly to both introduced and anonymous opponents. However, when an anonymous opponent (when compared to the introduced opponent) subtracted money, the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) demonstrated an increased BOLD signal and increased functional connectivity with the left IFG. Further, increased functional connectivity between the right IFG, the right temporal parietal junction and precuneus was observed during the perception of high provocation (subtracting a large amount of money) from the anonymous compared to the introduced opponent. We speculate that the neural changes may underlie different inferences about the opponents’ mental states. The idea that this reorganization of the TOM network reflects the attempt to understand the opponent by “completing” socially relevant details requires further investigation.

How is Trait Anger Related to Adolescents' Cyberbullying Perpetration? A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Although trait anger has been shown to play an important role in cyberbullying perpetration, little is known about mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship. In the present study, we examined whether moral disengagement mediated the relationship between trait anger and cyberbullying perpetration, and whether this mediating process was moderated by empathy. Four hundred and fifty-five Chinese adolescents completed the measures of trait anger, moral disengagement, cyberbullying perpetration, and empathy. The results indicated that trait anger was significantly and positively associated with cyberbullying perpetration and this relationship was partially mediated by moral disengagement. Moderated mediation analysis further indicated that empathy moderated the relationship between moral disengagement and cyberbullying perpetration. This relationship became weaker for adolescents with higher levels of empathy. Results highlight the significance of identifying the mechanisms that moderate the mediated paths between trait anger and adolescents' cyberbullying perpetration.

Adolescent bystanders’ moral emotions in cyberbullying

The purpose of the current study was to extensively investigate not only bystander roles but also individual bystanders’ moral emotional responses in the context of cyberbullying based on the perpetrator's perceived popularity and the message type. Data from 566 adolescents in grade 7 attending six middle schools in South Korea were used to identify their bystander behavior and moral emotions in response to vignettes about cyber scenarios. Using latent profile analysis, the current study identified five types of bystanders: limited bystanders, pro-bullies, outsiders, defenders, and inconsistent bystanders. Moreover, multinomial logistic regressions were performed to determine the predictive power of the moral emotions of each bystander type. The findings indicated the importance of understanding bystanders’ roles for designing effective intervention strategies regarding moral emotions, leading to adolescents’ improved moral sensitivity.

Linking violent video games to cyberaggression among college students: A cross-sectional study

To explore the relationship between exposure to violent video games and college students' cyberaggressive behavior and its internal mechanism, a cross-sectional survey was carried out with a sample of 1141 college students who completed the Violent Video Game Listing Questionnaire (VVLQ), Adolescent Online Aggressive Behavior Scale (AOABS), Beliefs Supportive of Violence Scale (BSVS), and Trait Anger Scale (TAS). The results showed that (1) exposure to violent video games was positively associated with college students' cyberaggressive behavior; (2) trait anger moderated the positive relationship between exposure to violent video games and college students' cyberaggressive behavior; (3) trait anger moderated the positive relationship between exposure to violent video games and college students' attitude toward violence; (4) attitude toward violence acted as a partial mediator in the positive relationship between exposure to violent video games and college students' cyberaggressive behavior; and (5) through attitude toward violence, trait anger plays a mediated moderating role in the positive relationship between exposure to violent video games and college students' aggressive behavior.

Why the Victims of Bullying Are More Likely to Avoid Involvement When Witnessing Bullying Situations: The Role of Bullying Sensitivity and Moral Disengagement

Recent studies have suggested a link between bullying victimization and passive bystander behaviors, such as more outsider behaviors and fewer defender behaviors. However, little is known about the internal mechanism underpinning this relation. The present study aimed to examine the direct and indirect relationships between bullying victimization and two types of bystander behaviors (defender behavior and outsider behavior), considering the possible mediator role of bullying sensitivity and moral disengagement among Chinese adolescents. Participants were 435 primary school students aged from 11 to 13 years (M = 12.27, SD = 0.69) who completed measurements of bullying victimization, bullying sensitivity, moral disengagement, and bystander behaviors. The results of the total effect model indicated that bullying victimization was positively related to outsider behavior and negatively related to defender behavior. The results from the structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis showed that bullying sensitivity mediated the relationship between bullying victimization and defender behavior. The relationship between bullying victimization and outsider behavior was mediated by moral disengagement, as well as the multiple mediation of bullying sensitivity and moral disengagement. These results highlight the roles of bullying sensitivity and moral disengagement in explaining the relation between bullying victimization and bystander behavior among adolescent students. The findings provide important implications for developing intervention programs aiming at school bullying prevention.

Cyberbullying and its protective and risk factors among Polish adolescents

BACKGROUND

Cyberbullying has recently attracted attention because of its increasing occurrence and serious consequences for victims. The purpose of the study was to examine the prevalence rates of cyberbullying and the association between cyberbullying and protective/risk factors (cognitive empathy, assertiveness, cooperation, pro-social behaviour, and social support) among Polish adolescents.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

Participants (822 students, 448 girls and 374 boys, M = 12.97, SD = 1.02) completed a computer-based online questionnaire.

RESULTS

The majority of respondents did not experience cyberbul-lying in the last six months, while a significant group still experienced cyberbullying regularly (28.1%). Engaging in cyberbullying appeared to be even less common: it was reported by 12.3% of respondents. Family and peer social support appeared to be the strongest protective factor against experiencing cyberbullying while assertiveness was a characteristic that makes a person more likely to engage in cyberbullying.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study can serve as guidance for preventive interventions against cyberbullying.

Dysfunctional personality, Dark Triad and moral disengagement in incarcerated offenders: implications for recidivism and violence

It is particularly important to study the underlying processes of the dysfunctional personality patterns and of antisocial behaviour in the prison population, to identify them and to analyse the functioning of the psychological mechanisms involved in these constructs. The main goal of this study was to analyse dysfunctional personality patterns, Dark Triad, moral disengagement mechanisms and their relationship with violence and recidivism. Participants were 63 incarcerated offenders in two prisons. The study found a higher degree of moral disengagement in the participants convicted for crimes involving the use of violence. The results indicated that antisocial and aggressive-sadistic tendencies were the dysfunctional personality traits most strongly associated with moral disengagement. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that the variables, which influenced recidivism in criminal behaviour, were the use of violence in the crime committed, antisocial personality traits, and advantageous comparison and dehumanisation as mechanisms of moral disengagement.

Sex differences of parental phubbing on online hostility among adolescents: A moderated mediation model

To explore the relationship between parental phubbing (PP) and adolescent online hostility and its' psychological mechanism, 689 Chinese adolescents were recruited to complete a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. We took cyber flaming (CF) as an overall category for hostile online communication to investigate the relationship between PP and CF and the mediating role of perspective-taking (PT) in this relationship and examined whether there is a sex difference in this process. After controlling the average daily online time, the results showed that PP predicted adolescent CF positively. The relationship between PP and CF was partially mediated by PT. The effect of PP on PT was moderated by sex, with the result being significant only for boys. Related findings and future directions were discussed.

A Meta-Analytic Review of Moral Disengagement and Cyberbullying

With the development of technology, cyberbullying prevalence rates are increasing worldwide, and a growing body of the literature has begun to document cyberbullying behavior. Moral disengagement is often considered a key correlate factor in cyberbullying. This article aims to conduct a meta-analysis review of the relationship between moral disengagement and cyberbullying and some psychosocial and cultural variables. Based on the PRISMA method, a random-effects meta-analysis is employed in this study to obtain reliable estimates of effect sizes and examine a range of moderators (age, gender, measure method, and cultural background). Relevant studies, published from 2005 to February 30, 2021, were identified through a systematic search of the Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Pubmed, EBSCO, and Wiley Online Library. Finally, 38 studies (N=38,425) met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis conclusion demonstrated that moral disengagement positively correlated medium intensity with cyberbullying (r=0.341). Age, gender, and cultural background had moderated the relationship between moral disengagement and cyberbullying.

A Systematic Review of Negative Work Behavior: Toward an Integrated Definition

The objective of this systematic review was to identify the overlapping and unique aspects of the operationalizations of negative work behaviors (NWBs) to specify a new integrative definition of NWB. More specifically, we examined (1) how many operationalizations and conceptualizations of NWB can be identified, (2) whether these operationalizations can be categorized into facets, i. e., the nature of NWB, harm, actor types, and roles, with subcategories, (3) what the meaningful overlap in these operationalizations was, (4) whether the operationalizations tapped unique and meaningful elements, i.e., positive labels and dynamic processes, and (5) how the overlapping and unique elements of the operationalizations could be integrated into a new theory-based research model for NWB for future research. In the literature search based on the Prisma framework, Pubmed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar, we identified k = 489 studies that met the inclusion criteria of our review. The results of these studies revealed 16 frequently studied NWB labels, e.g., bullying and aggression. Many of these could be categorized in the same way, namely, in terms of the type of behavior, type of harm, and type of actor involved in the NWB. In our new definition of NWB, we integrated the content of the overlapping and meaningful unique elements of the 16 labels.

Adolescent School Bullying and Life Skills: A Systematic Review of the Recent Literature

The health consequences of being involved in bullying and cyberbullying are well described for adolescents, but many questions related to the role played by their life skills remain unanswered. Accordingly, this systematic review aims to provide a clear overview of research on the relationships between bullying involvement as a bully, victim, bully-victim or bystander, and adolescents' life skills. This article systematically reviewed 71 relevant empirical studies that met the inclusion criteria, extracted from the PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Sage, Wiley, and SpringerLink databases. Their main findings were categorized according to the three types of life skills described by the World Health Organization: decision-making/problem-solving skills, interpersonal and communication skills, and self-management skills. Results showed relatively consensual outcomes for communication and interpersonal skills (empathy, moral disengagement) and skills for managing stress (coping strategies). Other decision-making or interpersonal skills, such as executive function or theory of mind, were poorly explored, and require further research, if we are to understand how life skills may be involved in bullying. Taken together, our findings highlight methodological heterogeneity and measurement problems in bullying studies that make their results difficult to interpret. Recommendations for prevention/education health researchers and professionals are provided, emphasizing the importance of considering the sociocognitive development of adolescents in bullying prevention.

Aggression, Moral Disengagement and Empathy. A Longitudinal Study Within the Interpersonal Dynamics of Bullying

Moral disengagement and empathy have been linked to aggression in traditional bullying. A number of longitudinal studies have focused on how these variables predict aggressive behavior within the dynamics of bullying. However, no conclusive results have been produced as to whether aggressive behavior in bullying can predict lower levels of empathy, and to date, no studies have explored in depth the mediating role of moral disengagement strategies in this relationship, which is the aim of this study. A total of 1,810 students (51.0% girls; M_age = 14.50; SD = 1.05) completed a survey in three waves at 6-month intervals. The results showed that aggressive behavior in bullying at Time 1 was inversely related to affective and cognitive empathy at Time 3. Minimization of responsibility, distortion of consequences and dehumanizing mediated in the aggressive behavior exhibited by the bullying aggressors and in cognitive empathy, while cognitive restructuring and the distortion of consequences mediated in affective empathy. We discuss the impact on moral and emotional sensitivity of the continued aggression occurring in the interpersonal dynamics of bullying, as well as the relationship between certain strategies of moral disengagement and the different types of empathy. We also comment on the need to design intervention programs to address the lowering of moral criteria and empathy in young people and adolescents involved in traditional bullying.

The Combined Roles of Moral Emotion and Moral Rules in Explaining Acts of Violence Using a Situational Action Theory Perspective

The roles of shame and guilt, and their relationships to empathy, have not been modeled adequately as key factors in moral decision-making in the study of violence. The role of moral emotion has been neglected in existing criminological research and this study seeks to develop current explanations of the comprehensive myriad of factors that play a role in moral crime decision-making. This research will test the different roles of empathy, shame, and guilt in violence decision-making using a situational action theory (SAT) perspective. Data taken from the Peterborough Adolescent and Young Adult Development Study (PADS+), a longitudinal study with a large representative sample, provide quantitative questionnaire indices to enable comparison of a persistent and frequent violent offender subsample (N = 48) with the remaining PADS+ study sample (N = 607). A striking majority of violent offenders report that they do not think it is wrong to commit violence, and do not care about it, that is, they lack shame and guilt, and report that violence comes as a morally acceptable and natural action alternative. Furthermore, violent offenders do not register the predicament of their victims; there is a distinct lack of empathy. This article demonstrates a key finding which has rarely been explored to date; regression analyses reveal an interaction effect whereby individuals with weak shame and guilt, combined specifically with weak moral rules, are more likely to commit acts of violence. The study findings provide strong support for the SAT of the role of weak morality in violence decision-making. To reduce the possibility of crime being seen as an action alternative, moral development programs should be developed and administered in childhood.

Psychosomatic Symptoms and Neuroticism following COVID-19: The Role of Online Aggression toward a Stigmatized Group

The present study investigated the effect of interpersonal mistreatment on the perpetrators' mental health. We proposed that the threat of COVID-19 will increase people's mental health problems through their on-line aggression toward stigmatized groups accused of spreading the disease and that there might be potential gender differences in such effects. We tested our predictions among a sample of U.S. residents (Study 1) and a large sample of Chinese residents living out of Hubei province (Study 2) during a heightened period of concern about COVID-19, February 2020. Specifically, we measured U.S. residents' on-line aggressive behaviors toward Chinese people (Study 1) and Chinese non-Hubei residents' on-line aggressive behaviors toward Hubei residents (Study 2) as well as their neuroticism (Study 1) and mental health states (Study 2). In line with our predictions, both studies showed that perceived infection of COVID-19 can induce on-line aggression toward stigmatized groups, thereby increasing people's mental health problems. Moreover, the relationship between COVID-19 vulnerability, on-line aggression, and psychosomatic symptoms was more prominent in men than in women. These results offer insights into people's responses toward COVID-19 and add to the understanding of people's mental and physical health during the epidemic stage of contagious diseases.

Empathy and authenticity online: The roles of moral identity, moral disengagement, and parenting style

OBJECTIVES

Research suggests that the Internet could be considered an arena for both virtuous and vicious behaviors, with observations of enhanced perspective-taking and honest self-reflections occurring alongside evidence of cyberbullying and deceptive communications. In the current study, we explore the role of three widely recognized sources of moral behavior-moral identity, moral disengagement, and authoritative parenting-in predicting adolescents' online empathy and online authenticity.

METHOD

In total, 788 UK adolescents aged 11-18 years (66% male) completed measures of these key constructs.

RESULTS

Structural equation modeling results suggest that parental responsiveness and autonomy granting are positively related to adolescents' moral identity. In turn, moral identity was positively related to both online empathy and online authenticity. Having a stronger moral identity also meant that adolescents were less likely to morally disengage, and moral disengagement was negatively related to online authenticity in adolescent females. Partial invariance across gender and age was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that moral identity encourages moral thoughts, feelings, and actions in the online environment, including being authentic and empathic. As the formation and accessibility of one's moral identity can be promoted, we discuss the implications of these findings for cultivating prosocial behavior in the online environment as well as future research avenues.

To Help or Not to Help: Intervening in Cyberbullying Among Chinese Cyber-Bystanders

Cyberbullying has become a serious concern among Internet users worldwide. However, relatively little is known about individuals who witness cyberbullying and how they behave. A bystander is someone who sees bullying or other forms of aggressive or violent behavior that targets someone else and who may choose to respond by either being part of the problem (a hurtful bystander), or part of the solution (a helpful bystander). Few studies examined the phenomena of cyber-bystanders in Chinese populations. Guided by the five-step bystander theoretical model and the theory of planned behavior, this study, addressed this gap to understand how the characteristics of cyber-bystanders explained their intervention in cyberbullying in a Chinese population. This study tested two preregistered hypotheses: (1) controlling for age and gender, awareness of cyberbullying, attitudes, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control to intervene; plus past experience with cyberbullying (measured as past experience in cyberbullying perpetration and victimization), felt responsibility, and self-efficacy to intervene with regard to cyberbullying would explain the intention of cyber-bystanders to intervene in cyberbullying, and (2) the intention of cyber-bystanders to intervene cyberbullying would positively explain their intervening behavior. A total of 581 college students with experience of witnessing cyberbullying were included in the analysis. Applying structural equation modeling with observed variables, a path analysis model was built to test the hypotheses; this study also conducted exploratory analyses by including direct paths from the characteristics of cyber-bystanders to explain intervening behavior. Results found that only awareness of cyberbullying, a subjective norm, and self-efficacy to intervene positively explained intention to intervene cyberbullying; therefore, hypothesis 1 was partly supported. Also, intention to intervene cyberbullying positively explained intervening behavior; therefore, hypothesis 2 was supported. For the exploratory analysis, intention to intervene partially mediated the relation between a subjective norm to intervene and intervening behavior; and intention to intervene also partially mediated the relation between self-efficacy to intervene and intervening behavior. In addition, past experience in cyberbullying victimization also positively and directly predicted intervening behavior. Findings provided a foundation for designing future intervention programs to mobilize cyber-bystanders to become “upstanders.”