Positive Perceived School Climate and Cyberbullying in Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model From the Perspective of Internet Characteristics

Although substantive research has shown that a positive perceived school climate is an essential protective factor for cyberbullying among adolescents, little research revealed the mechanisms underlying this relationship. This study examined whether normative beliefs about aggression mediate the ass...

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Published inThe Journal of early adolescence Vol. 41; no. 8; pp. 1177 - 1202
Main Authors Shi, Hui-fen, Fan, Cui-ying, Chu, Xiao-wei, Zhang, Xue-chen, Wu, Ling-ling
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.10.2021
SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
Subjects
Aggression
Beliefs
Bullying
Computer Mediated Communication
Cyberbullying
Early Adolescents
Educational Environment
Foreign Countries
Grade 7
Grade 8
Internet
Junior High School Students
Moral Values
Morality
School environment
Student Attitudes
Teenagers
China
cyberbullying
positive perceived school climate
normative beliefs about aggression
Internet morality
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Summary:Although substantive research has shown that a positive perceived school climate is an essential protective factor for cyberbullying among adolescents, little research revealed the mechanisms underlying this relationship. This study examined whether normative beliefs about aggression mediate the association between a positive perceived school climate and cyberbullying and whether this process is moderated by Internet morality. Anonymous questionnaires measuring these variables were administered to 649 junior high school students in China. After controlling for traditional bullying, mediation analysis indicated that normative beliefs about aggression played a full mediating role in the relationship between a positive perceived school climate and cyberbullying. Moderated mediation analysis further revealed that Internet morality moderated the predictive effect of normative beliefs about aggression on cyberbullying. The mediating effect of normative beliefs about aggression was stronger in individuals with lower levels of Internet morality. These findings provide insight into making existing interventions more suitable for cyberbullying.
ISSN:0272-4316
1552-5449
DOI:10.1177/0272431621989816