Social Network Sites Usage, Cyberbullying Perpetration, and Adolescent Depression: A Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis

Abstract

Objective: Existing research on the relationships between social network sites (SNS) usage, cyberbullying perpetration, and adolescent depression has predominantly employed cross-sectional methodologies. Limited studies have delved into the bidirectional dynamics among these variables. This study aimed to fill this gap by employing a longitudinal approach to examine the reciprocal associations between SNS usage, cyberbullying perpetration, and adolescent depression. Method: A sample of 424 Chinese adolescents (55.9% boys; Mage = 17.07, SD = 0.64 at baseline) was followed over a period of 6 months, utilizing a crosslagged panel model to analyze the data. Results: Cyberbullying perpetration was found to positively predict SNS usage and depression 6 months later, while depression positively predicted cyberbullying perpetration 6 months later. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the bidirectional associations between cyberbullying perpetration and depression, and the unidirectional associations between cyberbullying perpetration and SNS usage. This study extends cross-sectional observations by confirming the unique longitudinal associations between SNS usage, cyberbullying perpetration, and adolescent depression.