Examining the Cyberbullying Victim-Offender Overlap: Mediation by Negative Emotions and Moderation by Low Self-Control

Using a sample of undergraduate students from a midwestern university in the United States (N = 840), this study applied principles from general strain theory to examine if negative emotions mediated the cyberbullying victimization-cyberbullying perpetration relationship, and if these processes varied by low self-control. Results show that higher levels of cyberbullying victimization related to higher levels of cyberbullying perpetration, but, contrary to expectations, this relationship was not mediated by negative emotions (depression, anxiety, and stress). However, in accordance with expectations, this study found that the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and cyberbullying perpetration was stronger at higher levels of low self-control. Given these findings, bullying prevention policies should emphasize improving self-control among individuals as a means to address the cyberbullying victimization–perpetration relationship.