Cybervictimization, Depression, and Adolescent Internet Addiction: The Moderating Effect of Prosocial Peer Affiliation

Zhenhai Wang; Qi Xie; Mucheng Xin; Chang Wei; Chengfu Yu; Shuangju Zhen; Sha Liu; Jianping Wang; Wei Zhang

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.572486

Cybervictimization, Depression, and Adolescent Internet Addiction: The Moderating Effect of Prosocial Peer Affiliation

Front Psychol. 2020 Sep 29:11:572486. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.572486. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Zhenhai Wang¹, Qi Xie², Mucheng Xin², Chang Wei¹, Chengfu Yu², Shuangju Zhen¹, Sha Liu³, Jianping Wang⁴, Wei Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ Center for Studies of Psychological Application, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
² Department of Psychology and Research Center of Adolescent Psychology and Behavior, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
³ School of Health Management, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
⁴ School of Politics and Public Administration, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.

Abstract

Although vast research has shown that cybervictimization is a significant risk factor of adolescent's internet addiction (IA), little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms behind this relationship. The current study examined whether depression mediated the relationship between cybervictimization and adolescent's IA, and whether the direct and indirect effect was moderated by prosocial peer affiliation (PPA). A sample of 1,006 adolescents (Mean_age = 13.16; SD = 0.67) anonymously completed the questionnaires. The results revealed that the positive association between cybervictimization and adolescent's IA was mediated by depression. Moderated mediation analysis further showed that PPA moderated the association between cybervictimization and adolescent's IA. However, this indirect effect was stronger for adolescents with high PPA than for those with low PPA, which means that the protective effects of PPA are limited. These findings highlight the mediating and moderating mechanisms between cybervictimization and adolescent's IA, and provide guidance for the prevention and intervention in adolescent's IA.

Keywords: adolescent; cybervictimization; depression; internet addiction; prosocial peer affiliation.