An investigation into the relationship between middle school students' levels of digital citizenship and their tendencies toward cyberbullying

The primary aim of this study is to examine the relationship between middle school students' levels of digital citizenship and their tendencies toward cyberbullying. The increasing influence of digital technologies on children's lives has made it necessary to explore these issues more deeply in the field of education. This research was designed within the framework of a relational survey model and employed a quantitative research approach. The population of the study consists of a total of 7,704 students enrolled in public middle schools located in the Nazilli district of Aydın province during the 2024–2025 academic year. Within this scope, students from 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade levels were taken into consideration. The sample of the study was determined through a convenience sampling method and was limited to 647 students attending six different middle schools. During the data collection process, the "Digital Citizenship Scale" and the "Cyberbullying Tendency Scale" were employed, and the data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS 26.0 software program. The results revealed a statistically significant negative correlation between students' digital citizenship levels and their cyberbullying tendencies. In other words, students with higher digital citizenship competencies tended to exhibit lower levels of cyberbullying behaviors. Additionally, significant differences were found based on gender, grade level, and daily internet usage. Male students showed higher tendencies toward cyberbullying, while students who spent more time online displayed lower digital citizenship levels. These findings highlight the importance of integrating digital citizenship education into the primary school curriculum and equipping students at an early age with awareness of digital ethics, responsibility, and appropriate online behavior. This study provides practical implications for educators and policymakers, aiming to contribute to the development of more conscious digital citizens in an increasingly digitized society.