Relationships parental positive parenting and cyberbullying perpetration among adolescents: Role of self-esteem and smartphone addiction

Abstract

Abstract Background This cross-sectional study investigated the mediating effect of adolescent self-esteem and smartphone addiction in the relationship between positive parenting and adolescent cyberbullying perpetration. Methods This secondary analysis used data from the 2018 Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey. Data on parental positive parenting, adolescent self-esteem, smartphone addiction, and perpetration of cyberbullying of 2,394 Korean adolescents (boys: 1,297, 54.2%) were analyzed. Hayes’ PROCESS macro program was used to confirm the mediating role. Results The results revealed that 26.5% (n = 634) of the adolescents had experienced cyberbullying. Parental positive parenting was not directly correlated with cyberbullying. Adolescent self-esteem and smartphone addiction played a mediating role between positive parenting and adolescent cyberbullying. Conclusions Adolescents’ individual characteristics and parent/family system characteristics should be considered in policies aimed at preventing adolescent cyberbullying, preceded by the management of appropriate smartphone use. Improving the youth’s self-esteem and teaching them how to use smartphones correctly can help prevent cyberbullying.