Mindfulness, Cyberbullying and Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Adolescents

Background: Adolescence is a critical period marked by increased vulnerability to cyberbullying and emotional challenges. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between cyberbullying and cognitive emotion regulation among adolescents. Methods: This correlational study included approximately 500 male and female first-grade high school students in Amol City during the 2022-2023 academic years. A sample of 235 students was selected through cluster random sampling. The cyberbullying scale, cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ), and five facet mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ) were used for data collection. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with PLS software, version 4, was utilized for data analysis. Results: The results indicated that the model of cyberbullying’s effect on cognitive emotion regulation, with the mediating role of mindfulness, fits well (standardized root mean square residual=0.079, goodness-of-fit=0.47). Mindfulness played a significant mediating role in the relationship between cyberbullying and cognitive emotion regulation (P<0.01). Cyberbullying significantly decreased positive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (β=-0.604, P<0.001) and increased negative cognitive emotion regulation strategies (β=0.440, P<0.001) by reducing mindfulness (β=-0.530, P<0.001). The mediating role of mindfulness was significant for both positive (β=-0.130, P=0.001) and negative (β=0.11, P=0.004) cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the significant mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between cyberbullying and cognitive emotion regulation among adolescents. These results highlight the importance of mindfulness in the context of adolescents’ online experiences and emotional regulation processes, providing a foundation for understanding the complex interplay between cyberbullying, mindfulness, and cognitive emotion regulation.