The role of family support and conflict in cyberbullying and subjective well-being among Chilean adolescents during the Covid-19 period

Abstract

Introduction: Life satisfaction plays a crucial role in integral development and mental health during childhood and adolescence. Recently, it has been shown that cyberbullying has severe consequences for the mental health and wellbeing of victims such as increased anxiety, depressive symptoms and even suicide risk. Although the role of the family in life satisfaction and cyberbullying behaviors has been studied, there is limited information on its impacts during the current pandemic period.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the role of family variables regarding students' levels of life satisfaction and cyberbullying victimization during the pandemic period.

Method: Structural equation modeling was done using data from a cross-sectional study (n = 287; age ranged 14-18) conducted in six schools in Santiago, Chile during 2020.

Results: The tested model has a good fit and parsimonious adjustment. It explained 25.9% of the life satisfaction and 9% of the variance of cyberbullying victimization. Family support was positively associated with life satisfaction (p < 0.001) and negatively associated with cyberbullying victimization (p < 0.05). Likewise, family conflict was positively associated with levels of cyberbullying victimization (p < 0.05) and negatively associated with life satisfaction levels (p < 0.001). Finally, family visits were only positively associated with life satisfaction (p < 0.01).

Conclusions: Generating interventions on several levels focused on positive family bonds has become essential and urgent. This is especially important considering their protective impacts on cyberbullying victimization in promotion of adolescent well-being and quality of life.

Keywords: Cyberbullying; Family conflict; Family support; Life satisfaction; Well-being.