Examining the relationship between adolescents' social media addiction levels and cyberbullying experiences

Abstract

Objective: The present study examines the relationship between social media addiction and cyberbullying among adolescents. Method: This descriptive study was conducted with the participation of 1,058 adolescents aged 14 to 17, between September 1, 2018, and January 1, 2019, in the Central Anatolian region of Türkiye. Data were collected using the Adolescent Data Collection Form, the Revised Cyber Bullying Inventory II, and the Social Media Disorder Scale for Adolescents – Short Form. Data were evaluated with a Pearson’s Chi-square Test, Spearman’s Correlation, and Logistic Regression analysis. Results: Of the adolescents in the study group, 23.3% were addicted to social media. Female sex and spending more time on social media increased the risk of the development of a social media addiction. Spending more time on social media increased the risk of becoming a victim of cyberbullying and cyber victimization. A strong and positive relationship was identified between social media addiction among adolescents on the one hand, and cyberbullying and victimization on the other. Conclusion: The more time spent on social media, the greater the risk of development of social media addiction, cyberbullying, and victimization.