Sociopsychological Analysis of a Highly Vulnerable Category of Adolescents: Victim-Perpetrators of Cyberbullying from a Wide National Survey of Italian Adolescents

Antonio Tintori, Giulia Ciancimino () and Loredana Cerbara
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Antonio Tintori: Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council of Italy, 00185 Rome, Italy
Giulia Ciancimino: Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council of Italy, 00185 Rome, Italy
Loredana Cerbara: Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council of Italy, 00185 Rome, Italy

Societies, 2025, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-17

Abstract: The increase in screen time observed in recent years has exposed adolescents to a heightened risk of involvement in cyberbullying, negatively affecting their relational and psychological well-being. This study analyses data from a 2022 representative survey of Italian adolescents employing an interdisciplinary approach. Through bivariate analyses and logistic regression models, it investigates the key sociodemographic characteristics of perpetrators, victims, and victim-perpetrators, alongside the sociological and psychological factors associated with these roles. The findings reveal that cyberbullying victimisation disproportionately affects girls and foreign adolescents, though it spans across various family backgrounds, age groups, and school types. Of particular concern are those who are both perpetrators and victims (14.2%), as they represent the most vulnerable group. These adolescents, who react to online and offline violence with further online aggression, suffer from poor-quality relationships, adherence to racist stereotypes, tolerance for violence, and scarce psychological well-being, in terms of low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies, highlighting the crucial role of teachers and parents in in addressing and mitigating the impact of cyberbullying.

Keywords: cyberbullying; adolescents; victim-perpetrators; social deviance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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