Examination of cyberbullying and victimization in terms of psychological symptoms and social support mechanisms

Cyberbullying is conceptualized as the intentional and repetitive use of information and communication technologies to inflict harm. Within the literature, cyberbullying has been examined through a range of individual, relational, and environmental factors. This study was designed to examine cyberbullying and cybervictimization in terms of psychological symptoms and social support mechanisms. In this study, the sample included 390 young adults within the 18–35 age range. Data were collected using the Personal Information Questionnaire, the Cyberbullying Inventory for University Students, the Symptom Checklist, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 27. The analyses revealed several findings. Although positive correlations were observed between cyberbullying and psychological symptoms, no significant association was detected between cyberbullying and social support. Significant positive associations were identified between cybervictimization and psychological symptoms. Cybervictimization was found to be significantly negatively correlated with social support. Findings indicated that, within the scope of cyberbullying and cybervictimization, significant differences emerged in relation to gender; however, no significant differences were identified in terms of age, educational background, employment, or marital status. The study considered multiple factors in predicting cyberbullying and cybervictimization, and the results were discussed in the context of the existing literature. As a result of the study, various recommendations were offered to practitioners and researchers, such as the development of awareness programs, the adoption of multidisciplinary approaches to cyberbullying, and the consideration of sample groups that could be utilized in cyberbullying research.