Adolescent Cyberbullying: Using Negative Treatment by Others as the Intervening Mechanism Between Weak Commitment and Cyberbullying

• In Event: Correlates and Consequences of Cyberbullying

Abstract

Cyberbullying is a relatively new area of research which has developed over the last decade. Although its popularity has taken off recently, more research is needed to discern cyberbullying behavior. This paper seeks to address whether negative treatment by others, in the form of cyberbullying victimization, is the intervening mechanism between weak commitment to school and cyberbullying. Using data from two middle schools in the United States, the findings suggest that weak commitment to school and cyberbullying victimization predicted cyberbullying offending. In addition, cyberbullying victimization partially mediated the effect between weak commitment to school and cyberbullying offending.

Author

• Charern Lee, University of Minnesota Duluth