The Moderating Effect of Peer Attachment on Associations Between Children’s and Adolescents’ Cyberbullying Victimization, Bystanding, and Depressive Symptoms

The primary objective of this short-term longitudinal study was to investigate how age groups affect the relationships between cyberbullying victimization, bystanding, and depression among a convenience sample of students across different educational levels; there was a total of 234 elementary school students (fourth and fifth graders), 363 middle school students (sixth to eighth graders), and 341 high school students (ninth to twelfth graders) from the United States who completed self-reported questionnaires on cyberbullying, depression, and peer attachment during 2020. Additionally, this study examined whether peer attachment acted as a moderator in these relationships. The results revealed that strong peer attachment significantly moderated the connections between cyberbullying involvement and depression, as measured six months later, with particularly pronounced effects among middle school students. In contrast, weaker peer attachment intensified the positive correlations between cyberbullying victimization, bystanding, and subsequent depression. These findings highlight the crucial role of cultivating strong peer relationships, especially during pivotal developmental phases such as middle school. Implementing programs that promote positive peer interactions and supportive networks can be effective at alleviating the psychological effects of cyberbullying.