Interpersonal Functioning Mediates the Link Between Psychological Distress, Internet Addiction, and Cyberbullying in Gifted and Non-Gifted Adolescents

Objective: This study examines the direct and indirect effects of psychological distress on internet addiction and cyberbullying, with interpersonal functioning as a mediator, among gifted and non-gifted adolescent girls. Methods and Materials: This descriptive-correlational study included 310 female high school students (152 non-gifted, 158 gifted) from Tehran, selected through cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42), Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Cyberbullying Scale, and the Interpersonal Functioning Scale (Ryff, 1995). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted in AMOS 24, alongside ANOVA for group comparisons. Findings: Psychological distress was positively associated with both internet addiction (β= 0.334, p< 0.01) and cyberbullying (β = 0.244, p<0.01). Interpersonal functioning significantly mediated these relationships, reducing the impact of distress on internet addiction (β= 0.119, p<0.01) and cyberbullying (β= 0.113, p<0.01). Gifted students reported lower psychological distress and internet addiction compared to non-gifted students (p<0.05). Conclusion: Psychological distress contributes to higher internet addiction and cyberbullying, with interpersonal functioning partially buffering these effects. Intervention programs should focus on enhancing social skills and emotional resilience to mitigate problematic internet behaviors among adolescents.