Associations between Negative Friendship Qualities, Cyber-Victimization from Friends, and Depressive Symptoms Among Early Adolescents

Background and Purpose: An alarming number of adolescents (ages 11 to 14) are experiencing cyber-victimization given that many youth are regularly online with their smart phones and social media accounts. Adolescents may experience cyber-victimization from various people, including their friends, which can have negative mental health and social ramifications. Understanding cyber-victimization from friends is critical as early adolescents are heavily influenced by their peer groups and interactions. Also, youth may be particularly vulnerable to cyber-victimization from their friends when they are in friendships with negative qualities such as criticism, conflict, and exclusion. The current study examined the associations between negative friendship qualities, cyber-victimization from friends, and depressive symptoms among a sample of early adolescents.

Methods: 554 sixth (50.7%) and seventh graders from a large, public middle school in the Midwestern United States participated in a survey in the fall of 2019. Students identified as male (49%), female (50%), or transgender/gender non-binary (1%), and were racially and ethnically diverse (41% African American/Black, 36% White, 20% Hispanic, 6% Asian or Asian American, 5% Multiracial, and 11% Other). The majority of students were from low-income families (75%). A latent variable was calculated for negative friendship quality, which included five factors (i.e., pressure, conflict, criticism, dominance, and exclusion). Next, a structural equation model (SEM) was run in Mplus to examine the associations between negative friendship quality, cyber-victimization from friends, and depressive symptoms.

Results: Approximately 37% of students reported that they experienced cyber-victimization from a friend in the past year, and 33% of students indicated clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms. The SEM showed strong model fit, Χ²(17) = 12.32, p = .78, CFI = 1.00, RMSEA = 0.00, SRMR = .018. Negative friendship qualities was associated with cyber-victimization from friends (β = .36) and depressive symptoms (β = .30). Cyber-victimization from friends was also associated with depressive symptoms (β = .10). In addition, the indirect association between negative friendship quality and depressive symptoms via cyber-victimization from friends was statistically significant (β = .036).

Conclusions and Implications: The results of the study provide evidence of the importance of enhancing friendship qualities and increasing cyber-victimization prevention programs in middle schools. Friendship qualities are important in understanding the dynamics between adolescents, particularly as negative aspects of friendships may make early adolescents vulnerable to increased levels of cyber-victimization and depressive symptoms. This presentation will conclude with recommendations for research and practice particularly in middle school settings. For example, this research articulates that preventing cyber-victimization and depressive symptoms among early adolescents is critical, and increasing positive and supportive friend relationships may be an important focus of school programming.