Pandemic Stress and Cyberbullying Among Adolescents During China’s Outbreak of Omicron: Examining the Roles of Perceived Safety and Family Cohesion

The COVID-19 pandemic posed risks to the psychosocial development of children and adolescents in the digital age. Under such a background, this study aims to examine the effects of pandemic stress on cyberbullying perpetration and victimization among Chinese adolescents, and to explore the mediator of perceived safety and the moderator of family cohesion underlying this association, during China’s outbreak of Omicron. A sample of 822 adolescents was obtained from Taizhou in Zhejiang Province, China, based on a multistage cluster random sampling method. The results showed that pandemic stress was positively associated with cyberbullying perpetration and victimization. Moreover, pandemic stress negatively predicted perceived safety, which in turn, increased the probability of cyberbullying perpetration and victimization. Furthermore, family cohesion moderated the effects of pandemic stress on cyberbullying perpetration and victimization. This study contributes to practical implications for policy making and social work practices regarding how to protect adolescents from cyberbullying during the pandemic.