Cybersecurity awareness factors among adolescents in Jordan: Mediation effect of cyber scale and personal factors

Abstract

Cybersecurity for Jordanians’ adolescents/teens has become a complicated phenomenon representing complex socio-technical concerns for the personalities of adolescents in Jordanian society. Recent cyberattacks have had a significant impact on teens in Jordan, both personally and in terms of their quality of life. As such, it is important to develop strategies to increase cybersecurity awareness among teens in Jordan. This research was conducted in both planned and random areas in Jordan, with the aim of understanding the differences in risk-aware cultures and teens’ opinions and activities after introducing cybersecurity awareness in cyberspace. The study was based on 400 responses, and numerous statistical analyses were applied to the responses from each area, including the validity and reliability test, feasibility test of a variable, correlation test, and carried out using SPSS. Moreover, multiple coefficients of determination, hypothesis testing and partial statistical tests were carried out. The research hypotheses indicate that there is a mediation effect of the cyber scale and personal factors (planned/random) with a 76% acceptance rate. This suggests that understanding the significant association between the cyber scale and the quality-of-life scale is important, and that effective cyber-risk management is critical to realizing the importance of cybersecurity awareness. As such, it is recommended that national cybersecurity programs be launched in all sectors in Jordan. Overall, this research highlights the importance of increasing cybersecurity awareness among teens in Jordan. It is essential that teens are educated on the risks associated with cyberattacks, and that effective strategies are developed to protect them from such attacks. By doing so, teens in Jordan can be better equipped to protect themselves and their society from the dangers of cyberattacks.