What the study found
The study found that the Cyberbullying Coping Scale is supported by a six-factor structure for adolescents and young adults. The authors conclude that coping with cyberbullying involves cognitive, emotional, interpersonal, and digital dimensions.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say the findings indicate that cyberbullying coping is multidimensional, and that the scale offers a psychometrically supported tool for assessing coping strategies in adolescents and young adults. They also suggest the results show a complex relationship between coping responses and well-being in digital contexts.
What the researchers tested
The researchers developed and validated a multidimensional Cyberbullying Coping Scale using a two-stage design with independent samples. They used exploratory factor analysis in 789 participants and confirmatory factor analysis in 1,153 participants, then examined internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha and associations with flourishing and digital well-being using Pearson correlations.
What worked and what didn't
The six-factor model showed acceptable to good fit, and the overall scale had high internal consistency. The six factors were seeking social support, reactive/risky behaviours, preventive digital awareness, social and moral engagement, cognitive reappraisal, and emotional regulation. Adaptive coping strategies were positively associated with flourishing and digital well-being, while reactive/risky coping was negatively associated with digital well-being but positively associated with flourishing; the abstract says this positive link with flourishing should be interpreted cautiously.
What to keep in mind
Subscale reliability varied from moderate to high, with alpha values ranging from .54 to .82. The abstract also notes that the positive association between reactive/risky coping and flourishing may reflect short-term or role-dependent perceptions of empowerment rather than a consistently adaptive outcome.
Key points
- The scale was supported as a six-factor measure for cyberbullying coping.
- The six factors included social support, risky reactions, digital awareness, moral engagement, cognitive reappraisal, and emotional regulation.
- The overall scale showed high internal consistency, while subscales ranged from moderate to high reliability.
- Adaptive coping was positively associated with flourishing and digital well-being.
- Reactive/risky coping was negatively associated with digital well-being but positively associated with flourishing, cautiously interpreted by the authors.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Cyberbullying coping scale shows six-factor structure
- Authors:
- Elif Öznur Tokgöz, Metin Kocatürk, Hüseyin Serin
- Institutions:
- Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Türksat (Turkey)
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-25
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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