Abstract
BACKGROUND: Negative bystander behaviors significantly impact the trajectory of cyberbullying incidents. Previous research has established a link between cyber victimization experience and negative bystander behavior in cyberbullying. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms of this relationship. To address this gap, the current study investigated the mediating role of uncertainty stress and the moderating role of internet self-efficacy between cyber victimization experience and negative bystander behavior in cyberbullying. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a total of 826 Chinese senior high school students (M(age)=15.82 years, SD(age)=0.68, age range: 14-17 years) recruited via a cluster sampling strategy. Validated self-report measures were used to assess cyber victimization experience, uncertainty stress, internet self-efficacy, and negative bystander behavior in cyberbullying. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the proposed model in which uncertainty stress mediates the relationship between cyber victimization experience and negative bystander behavior in cyberbullying, with internet self-efficacy moderating the relationship between uncertainty stress and negative bystander behavior in cyberbullying. RESULTS: This study revealed that cyber victimization experience was significantly and positively associated with negative bystander behavior in cyberbullying among adolescents. Mediation modeling indicated that cyber victimization experience directly affected negative bystander behavior in cyberbullying and indirectly affected negative bystander behavior in cyberbullying through the mediating role of uncertainty stress. Furthermore, the mediation role of uncertainty stress was moderated by internet self-efficacy. Specifically, adolescents with lower internet self-efficacy had a stronger association between uncertainty stress and negative bystander behavior in cyberbullying, compared to those with higher self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: This study enriches existing literature by elucidating that the mediating effect of uncertainty stress and the moderating effect of internet self-efficacy represent additional explanations of the association between cyber victimization experience and negative bystander behavior in cyberbullying among adolescents. It also provides empirical support for formulating the intervention measures in cyberbullying among adolescents from a bystander's perspective.