Sociopsychological Analysis of a Highly Vulnerable Category of Adolescents: Victim-Perpetrators of Cyberbullying from a Wide National Survey of Italian Adolescents

The increase in screen time observed in recent years has exposed adolescents to a heightened risk of involvement in cyberbullying, negatively affecting their relational and psychological well-being. This study analyses data from a 2022 representative survey of Italian adolescents employing an interd...

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Main Authors: Antonio Tintori, Giulia Ciancimino, Loredana Cerbara
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Societies
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/2/25
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author Antonio Tintori
Giulia Ciancimino
Loredana Cerbara
author_facet Antonio Tintori
Giulia Ciancimino
Loredana Cerbara
author_sort Antonio Tintori
collection DOAJ
description The increase in screen time observed in recent years has exposed adolescents to a heightened risk of involvement in cyberbullying, negatively affecting their relational and psychological well-being. This study analyses data from a 2022 representative survey of Italian adolescents employing an interdisciplinary approach. Through bivariate analyses and logistic regression models, it investigates the key sociodemographic characteristics of perpetrators, victims, and victim-perpetrators, alongside the sociological and psychological factors associated with these roles. The findings reveal that cyberbullying victimisation disproportionately affects girls and foreign adolescents, though it spans across various family backgrounds, age groups, and school types. Of particular concern are those who are both perpetrators and victims (14.2%), as they represent the most vulnerable group. These adolescents, who react to online and offline violence with further online aggression, suffer from poor-quality relationships, adherence to racist stereotypes, tolerance for violence, and scarce psychological well-being, in terms of low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies, highlighting the crucial role of teachers and parents in in addressing and mitigating the impact of cyberbullying.
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spelling doaj-art-6bd690a7197e4b77b65a219d8c774b4a2025-08-20T02:03:27ZengMDPI AGSocieties2075-46982025-01-011522510.3390/soc15020025Sociopsychological Analysis of a Highly Vulnerable Category of Adolescents: Victim-Perpetrators of Cyberbullying from a Wide National Survey of Italian AdolescentsAntonio Tintori0Giulia Ciancimino1Loredana Cerbara2Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council of Italy, 00185 Rome, ItalyInstitute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council of Italy, 00185 Rome, ItalyInstitute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council of Italy, 00185 Rome, ItalyThe increase in screen time observed in recent years has exposed adolescents to a heightened risk of involvement in cyberbullying, negatively affecting their relational and psychological well-being. This study analyses data from a 2022 representative survey of Italian adolescents employing an interdisciplinary approach. Through bivariate analyses and logistic regression models, it investigates the key sociodemographic characteristics of perpetrators, victims, and victim-perpetrators, alongside the sociological and psychological factors associated with these roles. The findings reveal that cyberbullying victimisation disproportionately affects girls and foreign adolescents, though it spans across various family backgrounds, age groups, and school types. Of particular concern are those who are both perpetrators and victims (14.2%), as they represent the most vulnerable group. These adolescents, who react to online and offline violence with further online aggression, suffer from poor-quality relationships, adherence to racist stereotypes, tolerance for violence, and scarce psychological well-being, in terms of low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies, highlighting the crucial role of teachers and parents in in addressing and mitigating the impact of cyberbullying.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/2/25cyberbullyingadolescentsvictim-perpetratorssocial deviance
spellingShingle Antonio Tintori
Giulia Ciancimino
Loredana Cerbara
Sociopsychological Analysis of a Highly Vulnerable Category of Adolescents: Victim-Perpetrators of Cyberbullying from a Wide National Survey of Italian Adolescents
Societies
cyberbullying
adolescents
victim-perpetrators
social deviance
title Sociopsychological Analysis of a Highly Vulnerable Category of Adolescents: Victim-Perpetrators of Cyberbullying from a Wide National Survey of Italian Adolescents
title_full Sociopsychological Analysis of a Highly Vulnerable Category of Adolescents: Victim-Perpetrators of Cyberbullying from a Wide National Survey of Italian Adolescents
title_fullStr Sociopsychological Analysis of a Highly Vulnerable Category of Adolescents: Victim-Perpetrators of Cyberbullying from a Wide National Survey of Italian Adolescents
title_full_unstemmed Sociopsychological Analysis of a Highly Vulnerable Category of Adolescents: Victim-Perpetrators of Cyberbullying from a Wide National Survey of Italian Adolescents
title_short Sociopsychological Analysis of a Highly Vulnerable Category of Adolescents: Victim-Perpetrators of Cyberbullying from a Wide National Survey of Italian Adolescents
title_sort sociopsychological analysis of a highly vulnerable category of adolescents victim perpetrators of cyberbullying from a wide national survey of italian adolescents
topic cyberbullying
adolescents
victim-perpetrators
social deviance
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/2/25
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