Socio-demographic factors, cyberbullying victimization, and digital resilience among adolescents in Pakistan

The paradigm of resilience is multifaceted, encapsulating the diverse mechanisms through which individuals navigate stress, adversity, and complex life circumstances. In the digital era, effectively managing online risks requires the deliberate development of digital resilience. This study sought to examine the socio-demographic characteristics of adolescents experiencing cyberbullying and to assess their coping strategies, with a particular focus on fostering digital resilience within the context of Lahore, Pakistan. Employing a cross-sectional research design, the study collected quantitative data through structured interviews (n = 384) with adolescents enrolled in 9th and 10th grades across public and private schools in Lahore, selected using a simple random sampling method. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and both bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted for data analysis. The results revealed that over 55% of respondents reported experiencing cyberbullying victimization. Cyberbullying victimization was found to be significantly associated with school sector, religion, hurtful content and threatened online. Coping strategies are significant associated with the father government employee. Perceived digital resilience are significant associated with gender, religion, wealth index quintile, and the use of the “report abuse” button. More than 40% of adolescents reported employing coping mechanisms, while approximately 48% demonstrated a strong sense of digital resilience. These findings underscore the necessity of cultivating digital resilience in response to the dynamic nature of the digital landscape, thereby fostering a society equipped to navigate and adapt to rapid technological advancement.