Poster #237 - Does Social Support and School Climate Protect Adolescents from the Harmful Effects of Cyber Victimization?

• In Event: 1-005 - Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Section - Technology, Media & Child Development

Integrative Statement

While accumulating research highlights the adverse effects of cyber victimization on adolescent’s mental health (Kowalski et al., 2014), little is known about the factors that may protect adolescents from the harmful effects of cyber victimization. The social ecological theory of development asserts that adolescent’s social environments play a significant role in the experience of victimization and can determine the extent to which negative consequences impact their development over time (Bronfenbrenner 1979; Hong & Espelage, 2012). The peer group, family, and school represent important social contexts for adolescents that may impact the severity of cyber victimization experiences. Emerging evidence suggests that peer and family support networks operate as protective factors against internalizing symptoms (e.g., anxiety and depression) associated with traditional victimization (Burke, Sticca, & Perren, 2017). However, it is unclear whether this buffer extends to adolescents who experience cyber victimization. In the current study, we examine whether social support (peer and family) and school climate moderate the association between cyber victimization and internalizing symptoms.

Participants included 1,151 adolescents (568 males) aged 10 to 16 who were recruited from nine middle schools in two Midwestern cities. Participants filled out questionnaires that included measures of cyber victimization, peer and family support, perceptions of school climate, and internalizing symptoms.

A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to determine whether peer and family support, and school climate moderated the association between cyber victimization and internalizing symptoms. Step 1 of the model that included the covariates of age, gender, and technology use was significant, F (3,965) = 18.72, p < .001. Girls (β = 2.54, p < .001) and higher technology use (β = .328, p < .001) was associated with more internalizing symptoms. Adding cyber victimization, peer support, family support, and school climate in Step 2 of the model resulted in both a significant increase to R2: Finc (4,961) = 114.92, p < .001, and a significant overall model, F (7,961) = 77.47, p < .001. More experiences of cyber victimization (β = 1.037, p < .001) were associated with more internalizing symptoms. Greater peer support (β = -.183, p = .001), greater family support (β = -.153, p < .001), and more positive perceptions of school climate (β = -.197, p = .015) were all associated with less internalizing symptoms. Step 3 of the model that included two-way interactions of cyber victimization by peer support, family support, and school climate, as well as exploratory two-way interactions of gender by cyber victimization, peer support, family support, and school climate was significant, F (7,954) = 2.171, p < .001 and was a significant increase to R2: F (14,954) = 40.15, p < .001. Specifically, the two-way interactions between cyber victimization and peer support (β = -.021, p = .046), as well as cyber victimization and school climate (β = .033, p = .017), were significant. Findings highlight the importance of adolescent’s social contexts, particularly peer support, in preventing and reducing the effect of cyber victimization on internalizing symptoms.

Authors

• Rachel Baitz, University of British Columbia
  Presenting Author

• Brett Holfeld, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland
  Non-Presenting Author