The Relationship between Cyberbullying Victimization and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Suicide Behaviors in Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation

Non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal behaviors are prevalent issues among adolescents globally. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of emotion regulation in the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and non-suicidal self-injury and suicide behaviors among adolescents.

This research was fundamental and descriptive-correlational. The statistical population consisted of all adolescents in Mashhad city in 2022. The research sample comprised 551 adolescents who completed the research instruments online. They completed the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI), Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and Cyberbullying Victimization Scale (CVS). Research data were analyzed using SPSS and Lisrel software, as well as the structural equation modeling method.

The study findings indicated a significant correlation between being a victim of cyberbullying and the regulation of emotions with non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal behaviors (p < 0.05). The model examining the mediating role of emotion regulation in the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and non-suicidal self-injury and suicide behaviors among adolescents demonstrates a good fit (CFI= 0.96, NFI= 0.97, IFI= 0.97, GFI= 0.93, RMSEA= 0.077). The indirect impact of cyberbullying victimization on suicide behaviors, mediated by the suppression emotion regulation strategy, is significant (p < 0.05).

The results indicate that emotion regulation indirectly amplifies the impact of cyberbullying victimization on suicidal behaviors. Paying attention to these structures in the field of psychopathology and formulating prevention and intervention programs for them can be beneficial.