Exploring Traditional and Cyberbullying Profiles in Omani Adolescents: Differences in Internalizing/Externalizing Symptoms, Prosocial Behaviors, and Academic Performance

In the digital age, adolescents spend considerable time online, heightening their exposure to both cyberbullying and traditional bullying. However, few studies have investigated both forms of victimization simultaneously, particularly regarding their impact on adolescents in Middle Eastern countries...

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Main Authors: Ahmed Al Saidi, Claudio Longobardi, Matteo Angelo Fabris, Sofia Mastrokoukou, Shanyan Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/6/100
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author Ahmed Al Saidi
Claudio Longobardi
Matteo Angelo Fabris
Sofia Mastrokoukou
Shanyan Lin
author_facet Ahmed Al Saidi
Claudio Longobardi
Matteo Angelo Fabris
Sofia Mastrokoukou
Shanyan Lin
author_sort Ahmed Al Saidi
collection DOAJ
description In the digital age, adolescents spend considerable time online, heightening their exposure to both cyberbullying and traditional bullying. However, few studies have investigated both forms of victimization simultaneously, particularly regarding their impact on adolescents in Middle Eastern countries such as Oman. This study used latent profile analysis to identify victimization profiles based on indicators of verbal, social, physical, and cyberbullying victimization. The participants included 1204 Omani students (604 girls, 50.2%; <i>M</i> = 14.04, <i>SD</i> = 0.20, aged 14–15). Three victimization profiles emerged: (1) non-victims (<i>n</i> = 989, 82.1%), (2) traditional victims (<i>n</i> = 156, 13.0%), and (3) dual victims (<i>n</i> = 59, 4.9%). The BCH approach revealed that adolescents in the non-victims profile, with the lowest levels of both traditional and cyberbullying victimization, reported the lowest levels of internalizing (<i>M</i> = 10.14, <i>SD</i> = 0.11) and externalizing symptoms (<i>M</i> = 10.36, <i>SD</i> = 0.10) and the highest academic performance (<i>M</i> = 4.59, <i>SD</i> = 0.02), whereas their prosocial behaviors were relatively low (<i>M</i> = 4.71, <i>SD</i> = 0.08). Adolescents in the traditional victims’ profile had moderate levels on nearly all outcomes. Adolescents in the dual victims’ profile, who experienced both traditional and cyberbullying, reported the highest levels of behavioral symptoms (<i>M<sub>internalizing</sub></i> = 11.94, <i>SD<sub>internalizing</sub></i> = 0.34; <i>M<sub>externalizing</sub></i> = 12.81, <i>SD<sub>externalizing</sub></i> = 0.38) and prosocial behaviors (<i>M</i> = 5.63, <i>SD</i> = 0.36), along with the lowest academic performance (<i>M</i> = 4.37, <i>SD</i> = 0.11). These findings underscore the need for culturally sensitive, multi-level interventions to protect Omani adolescents from both traditional and cyberbullying and to support their academic and psychosocial well-being.
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spelling doaj-art-adb186bb65954086bdff3be7d0675eea2025-08-20T03:27:18ZengMDPI AGEuropean Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education2174-81442254-96252025-06-0115610010.3390/ejihpe15060100Exploring Traditional and Cyberbullying Profiles in Omani Adolescents: Differences in Internalizing/Externalizing Symptoms, Prosocial Behaviors, and Academic PerformanceAhmed Al Saidi0Claudio Longobardi1Matteo Angelo Fabris2Sofia Mastrokoukou3Shanyan Lin4Department of Behavioral Sciences Methodology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Psychology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Political and Social Scineces, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, ItalyIn the digital age, adolescents spend considerable time online, heightening their exposure to both cyberbullying and traditional bullying. However, few studies have investigated both forms of victimization simultaneously, particularly regarding their impact on adolescents in Middle Eastern countries such as Oman. This study used latent profile analysis to identify victimization profiles based on indicators of verbal, social, physical, and cyberbullying victimization. The participants included 1204 Omani students (604 girls, 50.2%; <i>M</i> = 14.04, <i>SD</i> = 0.20, aged 14–15). Three victimization profiles emerged: (1) non-victims (<i>n</i> = 989, 82.1%), (2) traditional victims (<i>n</i> = 156, 13.0%), and (3) dual victims (<i>n</i> = 59, 4.9%). The BCH approach revealed that adolescents in the non-victims profile, with the lowest levels of both traditional and cyberbullying victimization, reported the lowest levels of internalizing (<i>M</i> = 10.14, <i>SD</i> = 0.11) and externalizing symptoms (<i>M</i> = 10.36, <i>SD</i> = 0.10) and the highest academic performance (<i>M</i> = 4.59, <i>SD</i> = 0.02), whereas their prosocial behaviors were relatively low (<i>M</i> = 4.71, <i>SD</i> = 0.08). Adolescents in the traditional victims’ profile had moderate levels on nearly all outcomes. Adolescents in the dual victims’ profile, who experienced both traditional and cyberbullying, reported the highest levels of behavioral symptoms (<i>M<sub>internalizing</sub></i> = 11.94, <i>SD<sub>internalizing</sub></i> = 0.34; <i>M<sub>externalizing</sub></i> = 12.81, <i>SD<sub>externalizing</sub></i> = 0.38) and prosocial behaviors (<i>M</i> = 5.63, <i>SD</i> = 0.36), along with the lowest academic performance (<i>M</i> = 4.37, <i>SD</i> = 0.11). These findings underscore the need for culturally sensitive, multi-level interventions to protect Omani adolescents from both traditional and cyberbullying and to support their academic and psychosocial well-being.https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/6/100bullying victimizationcyberbullyingOmani adolescentinternalizing symptomsexternalizing symptomsprosocial behaviors
spellingShingle Ahmed Al Saidi
Claudio Longobardi
Matteo Angelo Fabris
Sofia Mastrokoukou
Shanyan Lin
Exploring Traditional and Cyberbullying Profiles in Omani Adolescents: Differences in Internalizing/Externalizing Symptoms, Prosocial Behaviors, and Academic Performance
European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education
bullying victimization
cyberbullying
Omani adolescent
internalizing symptoms
externalizing symptoms
prosocial behaviors
title Exploring Traditional and Cyberbullying Profiles in Omani Adolescents: Differences in Internalizing/Externalizing Symptoms, Prosocial Behaviors, and Academic Performance
title_full Exploring Traditional and Cyberbullying Profiles in Omani Adolescents: Differences in Internalizing/Externalizing Symptoms, Prosocial Behaviors, and Academic Performance
title_fullStr Exploring Traditional and Cyberbullying Profiles in Omani Adolescents: Differences in Internalizing/Externalizing Symptoms, Prosocial Behaviors, and Academic Performance
title_full_unstemmed Exploring Traditional and Cyberbullying Profiles in Omani Adolescents: Differences in Internalizing/Externalizing Symptoms, Prosocial Behaviors, and Academic Performance
title_short Exploring Traditional and Cyberbullying Profiles in Omani Adolescents: Differences in Internalizing/Externalizing Symptoms, Prosocial Behaviors, and Academic Performance
title_sort exploring traditional and cyberbullying profiles in omani adolescents differences in internalizing externalizing symptoms prosocial behaviors and academic performance
topic bullying victimization
cyberbullying
Omani adolescent
internalizing symptoms
externalizing symptoms
prosocial behaviors
url https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/6/100
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