Application of Routine Activity Theory to the Context of Cyberbullying in Korean Schools: Testing Multi-Year Consistency Between Groups

Although cyberbullying victims and perpetrators often overlap, few studies tested the temporal stability of Routine Activity Theory (RAT) models across victim, perpetrator, and overlap groups. Using three waves of nationwide South Korean data, this study estimated group-specific RAT regression models and tested stability using Chow and Z-tests. About 37% reported victimization, 21% perpetration, and 16% both. Cyberbullying Friends, Harmful Content Exposure, and Cyberbullying Witness were significant predictors across all groups and years, while Internet Usage predicted victimization and perpetration but not overlap membership. Parental Guardianship showed no consistent effect, whereas School Guardianship was a stable negative predictor for the overlap group. Chow tests showed structural stability for the overlap and perpetrator groups but instability for the victim model overall across the three years and specifically between 2022 and 2024. These findings suggest RAT applies most consistently to the overlap group, underscoring the value of school-based guardianship for intervention.