Online hate speech victimization and depressive symptoms among adolescents
- Online hate speech has become a widespread problem in the daily life of adolescents. Despite growing societal and academic interest in this online risk, not much is known about the relationship between online hate speech victimization (OHSV) and adolescents' mental well-being. In addition, potential factors influencing the magnitude of this relationship remain unclear. To address these gaps in the literature, this study investigated the relationship between OHSV and depressive symptoms and the buffering effects of resilience in this relationship. The sample consists of 1,632 adolescents (49.1% girls) between 12 and 18 years old (M-age = 13.83, SDage = 1.23), recruited from nine schools across Spain. Self-report questionnaires were administered to assess OHSV, depressive symptoms, and resilience. Regression analyses revealed that OHSV was positively linked to depressive symptoms. In addition, victims of online hate speech were less likely to report depressive symptoms when they reported average or high levels of resilienceOnline hate speech has become a widespread problem in the daily life of adolescents. Despite growing societal and academic interest in this online risk, not much is known about the relationship between online hate speech victimization (OHSV) and adolescents' mental well-being. In addition, potential factors influencing the magnitude of this relationship remain unclear. To address these gaps in the literature, this study investigated the relationship between OHSV and depressive symptoms and the buffering effects of resilience in this relationship. The sample consists of 1,632 adolescents (49.1% girls) between 12 and 18 years old (M-age = 13.83, SDage = 1.23), recruited from nine schools across Spain. Self-report questionnaires were administered to assess OHSV, depressive symptoms, and resilience. Regression analyses revealed that OHSV was positively linked to depressive symptoms. In addition, victims of online hate speech were less likely to report depressive symptoms when they reported average or high levels of resilience (i.e., social competence, personal competence, structured style, social resources, and family cohesion) compared with those with low levels of resilience. Our findings highlight the need for the development of intervention programs and the relevance of focusing on internal and external developmental assets to mitigate negative outcomes for victims of online hate speech.…
Author details: | Sebastian WachsORCiDGND, Manuel Gamez-GuadixORCiD, Michelle F. WrightORCiDGND |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2022.0009 |
ISSN: | 2152-2715 |
ISSN: | 2152-2723 |
Pubmed ID: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35639126 |
Title of parent work (English): | Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking |
Subtitle (English): | the protective role of resilience |
Publisher: | Liebert |
Place of publishing: | New Rochelle |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of first publication: | 2022/07/11 |
Publication year: | 2022 |
Release date: | 2024/04/23 |
Tag: | adolescents; cyberhate; depression; hate speech; resilience |
Volume: | 25 |
Issue: | 7 |
Number of pages: | 8 |
First page: | 416 |
Last Page: | 423 |
Funding institution: | Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (Spanish Government); [RTI2018-101167-B-100] |
Organizational units: | Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Strukturbereich Bildungswissenschaften / Department Erziehungswissenschaft |
DDC classification: | 1 Philosophie und Psychologie / 15 Psychologie / 150 Psychologie |
3 Sozialwissenschaften / 37 Bildung und Erziehung / 370 Bildung und Erziehung | |
Peer review: | Referiert |
License (German): | Keine öffentliche Lizenz: Unter Urheberrechtsschutz |