Correlates of direct and indirect forms of cyberbullying victimization involving South Korean adolescents: An ecological perspective

Abstract The aim of the study is to explore the correlates of indirect and direct forms of cyberbullying victimization across individual, microsystem, mesosystem, and macrosystem contexts in a nationally representative sample of South Korean youth. Data were derived from the Korean Children and Youth Rights Study, and the total sample was 10,453 adolescents. The hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted separately for both direct and indirect cyberbullying victimization. At the individual level, no variables were found to be associated with indirect cyberbullying victimization, but male sex and depression were positively related to direct cyberbullying victimization. At the microsystem level, parental neglect was related to indirect cyberbullying victimization, while parental abuse, parental neglect, and family dysfunction were associated with direct cyberbullying victimization. Poor peer relations was significant for both indirect and direct cyberbullying victimization, and teacher abuse and school victimization were associated with victims of both types of cyberbullying. Perceived neighborhood safety had negative association with indirect and direct cyberbullying victimization. At the mesosystem level, higher levels of parental abuse and poor peer relations was related to higher risk of indirect cyberbullying victimization. Also, higher levels of family dysfunction and poor peer relations were associated with higher risk of indirect cyberbullying victimization. An assessment of the risk factors for cyberbullying victimization across multiple domains is the first necessary steps towards the development of effective intervention strategies.