A Model of Personal Relationships and Cyberbullying Perpetration Among Adolescents: A Person*environment Model

Published In

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

Document Type

Citation

Publication Date

2-12-2024

Abstract

Although cyberbullying is relational by nature, prior models focused on individual explanations for cyberbullying rather than integrating contextual processes. We present the Relational Model of Cyberbullying Motivation and Regulation (RMC). This model applies the concepts of proximal processes (e.g., interactions with parents, teachers, peers) from ecological systems theory and the concepts of psychological resources (e.g., autonomy, competency, and relatedness) from self determination theory to explain youth motivation and self-regulation of cyberbullying. First, we review theoretical foundations for the theories involved and outline postulates for youths’ proximal influences, motivations for, and regulation against cyberbullying perpetration. Then, we present a pathway by which the most proximal social influences on youth impact the development of psychological resources, which then may impact cyberbullying. We also present pathways by which autonomy, competence, and relatedness have an indirect impact on cyberbullying via motivation and self-regulation. The RMC informs intervention efforts by identifying proximal contexts and leverage points to disrupt processes that lead to competence and/or autonomy to cyberbully others.

Rights

Copyright © 2024 by SAGE Publications

DOI

10.1177/02654075241227394

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/41676

Publisher

Sage Publications

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