Conceptualization, Measurement, Predictors, and Theoretical Models of LGBTQphobic Cyberbullying: A Scoping Review

This scoping review, conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR protocol, analyzed the scientific literature on LGBTQphobic cyberbullying published between 2015 and 2025, with the aim of examining how the phenomenon has been conceptualized, operationalized, and empirically investigated. A total of 37 studies, including empirical, review, and theoretical articles published in English and Spanish, were included, addressing cyberbullying against LGBTQIA+ populations in online environments. The results reveal marked conceptual heterogeneity in the field: 81.1% of the studies did not provide an explicit definition of LGBTQphobic cyberbullying, instead relying on diverse terms and measures, often used interchangeably. This lack of conceptual clarity compromises comparability across studies, the consistency of prevalence estimates, and the theoretical advancement of the phenomenon. Although the studies indicate consistent negative impacts on the mental health, behavior, and educational contexts of LGBTQIA+ populations, the ways in which these effects are defined, measured, and explained remain fragmented. The identified predictors are distributed across individual, relational, institutional, and sociocultural levels, with particular emphasis on discriminatory and normative factors. It is concluded that progress in the field depends on greater conceptual standardization, the development of multi-item measures, and disaggregated analyses by LGBTQIA+ subgroups, to strengthen the evidence base and inform more precise interventions.