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

Does Sensation Seeking Lead to Adolescents' Cyberbullying Perpetration? The Mediating Role of Moral Disengagement and The Moderating Role of Perceived Social Support

Based on the general aggression model, the current study examined the mediating role of moral disengagement in the association between sensation seeking and cyberbullying perpetration and the moderating role of perceived social support. A total of 2,286 Chinese adolescents aged 11-16 years completed the questionnaires regarding sensation seeking, cyberbullying perpetration, moral disengagement, and perceived social support. After gender and age were controlled, sensation seeking was significantly and positively associated with cyberbullying perpetration and this relationship was partially mediated by moral disengagement. Moderated mediation analysis further indicated that perceived social support moderated the relationship between sensation seeking and moral disengagement as well as sensation seeking and cyberbullying perpetration. These two relationships became weaker for adolescents with high perceived social support. Specifically, adolescents with higher levels of sensation seeking were more likely to develop moral disengagement and further engaged in cyberbullying perpetration, when they perceived less social support.

Are mindful people less involved in online trolling? A moderated mediation model of perceived social media fatigue and moral disengagement

Online trolling is aggressive online behavior that has severe consequences for the mental health of internet users. Online trolling can be influenced by personal factors and psychological states. Based on the General Aggression Model, moral disengagement was examined as a moderator of the direct and indirect relations between mindfulness and online trolling via social media fatigue. A total of 1123 college students completed questionnaires regarding their experience with online trolling, mindfulness, social media fatigue, and moral disengagement. The results showed that individuals with high mindfulness were less likely to troll others online, which was mediated by their social media fatigue. Furthermore, moral disengagement moderated the indirect relationship between mindfulness and online trolling. Specifically, the relationship between mindfulness and social media fatigue became weaker for individuals with high moral disengagement. The relationship between social media fatigue and online trolling became strengthened for individuals with high moral disengagement. These findings elucidate the role of personal factors and the present internal state in online trolling and suggest that comprehensive intervention programs may be promising for reducing online trolling.