Cyberbullying and quality of life: The role of social support as mediator

Cyberbullying represents a form of digital harassment that poses a significant risk to adolescents’ quality of life. However, its negative impact does not always occur directly but may be shaped by protective factors within the social environment. This study aims to examine the mediating role of social support in the relationship between cyberbullying and adolescents’ quality of life. Participants consisted of 207 adolescents aged 14–19 years (101 females and 106 males) who had regular access to the internet and social media. The instruments employed were the Youth Quality of Life – Short Form (YQOL-SF), the Cyberbullying Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Data were analyzed using mediation analysis technique. The results reveal that cyberbullying does not significantly affect quality of life directly (β = – 0.111, p = 0.069). In contrast, social support shows a significant and positive effect on quality of life (β = 0.460, p < .001), serving as the primary pathway mediating the relationship between cyberbullying and quality of life. The findings highlight that social support plays a crucial role in sustaining adolescents’ quality of life amidst the prevalence of cyberbullying.