While the consequences of cyberbullying victimization have received some attention in the literature, to date, little is known about the multiple types of strains in adolescents' lives, such as whether cyberbullying victimization and peer rejection increase their vulnerability to depression and anxiety. Even though some research found that adolescents with disabilities show higher risk for cyberbullying victimization, most research has focused on typically developing adolescents. Thus, the present study focused on examining the moderating effect of peer rejection in the relationships between cyberbullying victimization, depression, and anxiety among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. There were 128 participants (89% male; ages ranging from 11⁻16 years old) with autism spectrum disorder in the sixth, seventh, or eighth grade at 16 middle schools in the United States. Participants completed questionnaires on cyberbullying victimization, peer rejection, depression, and anxiety. Results revealed that cyberbullying victimization was associated positively with peer rejection, anxiety, and depression among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Further, peer rejection was linked positively with depression and anxiety. Peer rejection moderated the positive relationship between cyberbullying victimization and depression, but not anxiety. Implications for prevention programs and future research are discussed.

Department of Educational Studies University of Potsdam 14476 Potsdam Germany

Department of Psychology Pennsylvania State University PA 16802 USA

Faculty of Social Studies Masaryk University 60200 Brno Czech Republic

Zobrazit více v PubMed

Smahel D., Wright M.F., Cernikova M. Classification of online problematic situations in the context of youths’ development. Communications. 2014;39:233–260. doi: 10.1515/commun-2014-0111. DOI

Bauman S., Toomey R.B., Walker J.L. Associations among bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide in high school students. J. Adolesc. 2013;36:341–350. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.12.001. PubMed DOI

Campbell M., Spears B., Slee P., Butler D., Kift S. Victims’ perceptions of traditional and cyberbullying, and the psychosocial correlates of their victimisation. Emot. Behav. Difficul. 2012;17:389–401. doi: 10.1080/13632752.2012.704316. DOI

Hinduja S., Patchin J.W. Cyberbullying: An exploratory analysis of factors related to offending and victimization. Deviant Behav. 2008;29:129–156. doi: 10.1080/01639620701457816. DOI

Kowalski R.M., Limber S.P. Psychological, physical, and academic correlates of cyberbullying and traditional bullying. J. Adolesc. Health. 2013;53:13–20. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.09.018. PubMed DOI

Wright M.F. Cybervictimization and substance use among adolescents: The moderation of perceived social support. J. Soc. Work Pract. Addict. 2016;16:93–112. doi: 10.1080/1533256X.2016.1143371. DOI

Gámez-Guadix M., Orue I., Smith P.K., Calvete E. Longitudinal and reciprocal relations of cyberbullying with depression, substance use, and problematic internet use among adolescents. J. Adolesc. Health. 2013;53:446–452. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.03.030. PubMed DOI

Rose C.A., Tynes B.M. Longitudinal associations between cybervictimization and mental health among US adolescents. J. Adolesc. Health. 2015;57:305–312. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.05.002. PubMed DOI PMC

Wright M.F., Li Y. The association between cyber victimization and subsequent cyber aggression: The moderating effect of peer rejection. J. Youth Adolesc. 2013;42:662–674. doi: 10.1007/s10964-012-9903-3. PubMed DOI

American Psychiatric Association . Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. American Psychiatric Pub; Washington, DC, USA: 2013.

American Psychiatric Association Autism Spectrum Disorder. [(accessed on 13 September 2018)];2013 Available online: https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Practice/DSM/APA_DSM-5-Autism-Spectrum-Disorder.pdf.

Millea M.A., Shea N.M., Diehl J.J. Understanding the interaction of temperament and social skills in the development of social anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism. 2013;3:1–15.

Cappadocia M.C., Weiss J.A., Pepler D. Bullying experiences among children and youth with autism spectrum disorders. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2012;42:266–277. doi: 10.1007/s10803-011-1241-x. PubMed DOI

Heinrichs R. Perfect Targets: Asperger Syndrome and Bullying: Practical Solutions for Surviving the Social World. Autism Asperger Publishing Company; Shawnee Mission, KS, USA: 2003.

Sterzing P.R., Shattuck P.T., Narendorf S.C., Wagner M., Cooper B.P. Bullying involvement and autism spectrum disorders: Prevalence and correlates of bullying involvement among adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder. Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 2012;166:1058–1064. doi: 10.1001/archpediatrics.2012.790. PubMed DOI PMC

Heiman T., Olenik-Shemesh D., Eden S. Cyberbullying involvement among students with ADHD: Relation to loneliness, self-efficacy and social support. Eur. J. Spec. Needs Educ. 2015;30:15–29. doi: 10.1080/08856257.2014.943562. DOI

Kowalski R.M., Fedina C. Cyber bullying in ADHD and Asperger Syndrome populations. Res. Autism Spectr. Disord. 2011;5:1201–1208. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2011.01.007. DOI

Wells M., Mitchell K.J. Patterns of internet use and risk of online victimization for youth with and without disabilities. J. Spec. Educ. 2014;48:204–213. doi: 10.1177/0022466913479141. DOI

David-Ferdon C., Hertz M.F. Electronic media, violence, and adolescents: An emerging public health problem. J. Adolesc. Health. 2007;41:1–5. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.08.020. PubMed DOI

Kowalski R.M., Limber S.P. Electronic bullying among middle school students. J. Adoles. Health. 2007;41:22–30. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.08.017. PubMed DOI

Ybarra M.L., Diener-West M., Leaf P.J. Examining the overlap in internet harassment and school bullying: Implications for school intervention. J. Adolesc. Health. 2007;41:42–50. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.09.004. PubMed DOI

Walker C.M., Sockman B.R., Koehn S. An exploratory study of cyberbullying with undergraduate university students. Tech. Trends. 2011;55:31–38.

Wolak J., Mitchell K.J., Finkelhor D. Does online harassment constitute bullying? An exploration of online harassment by known peers and online-only contacts. J. Adolesc. Health. 2007;41:S51–S58. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.08.019. PubMed DOI

Ybarra M.L., Mitchell K.J. Online aggressor/targets, aggressors, and targets: A comparison of associated youth characteristics. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry. 2004;45:1308–1316. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00328.x. PubMed DOI

Gillespie A.A. Cyber-bullying and harassment of teenagers: The legal response. J. Soc. Welf. Fam. Law. 2006;28:123–136. doi: 10.1080/09649060600973772. DOI

Rideout V.J., Roberts D.F., Foehr U.G. Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8–18 Year-Olds. Executive Summary. A Kaiser Family Foundation Study. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation; Menlo Park, CA, USA: 2005.

Smith P.K., Mahdavi J., Carvalho M., Fisher S., Russell S., Tippett N. Cyberbullying: Its nature and impact in secondary school pupils. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry. 2008;49:376–385. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01846.x. PubMed DOI

Wright M.F. Cyber victimization and adjustment difficulties: The mediation of Chinese and American adolescents’ digital technology usage. Cyberpsychology. 2015;9 doi: 10.5817/CP2015-1-7. DOI

Didden R., Scholte R.H., Korzilius H., De Moor J.M., Vermeulen A., O’Reilly M., Lang R., Lancioni G.E. Cyberbullying among students with intellectual and developmental disability in special education settings. Dev. Neurorehabil. 2009;12:146–151. doi: 10.1080/17518420902971356. PubMed DOI

Wachs S., Junger M., Sittichai R. Traditional, cyber and combined bullying roles: Differences in risky online and offline activities. Societies. 2015;5:109–135. doi: 10.3390/soc5010109. DOI

Mazurek M.O., Shattuck P.T., Wagner M., Cooper B.P. Prevalence and correlates of screen-based media use among youths with autism spectrum disorders. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2012;42:1757–1767. doi: 10.1007/s10803-011-1413-8. PubMed DOI PMC

Kuo M.H., Orsmond G.I., Coster W.J., Cohn E.S. Media use among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Autism. 2014;18:914–923. doi: 10.1177/1362361313497832. PubMed DOI

Wright M.F. Parental mediation, cyber victimization, adjustment difficulties, and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Cyberpsychology. 2017;11 doi: 10.5817/CP2017-1-6. PubMed DOI PMC

Badaly D., Schwartz D., Gorman A.H. Social status, perceived social reputations, and perceived dyadic relationships in early adolescence. Soc. Dev. 2012;21:482–500. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9507.2011.00646.x. DOI

Schwartz D., Gorman A.H., Nakamoto J., McKay T. Popularity, social acceptance, and aggression in adolescent peer groups: Links with academic performance and school attendance. Dev. Psychol. 2006;42:1116–1127. doi: 10.1037/0012-1649.42.6.1116. PubMed DOI

Nesdale D., Duffy A. Social identity, peer group rejection, and young children’s reactive, displaced, and proactive aggression: Social group rejection and aggression. Br. J. Dev. Psychol. 2011;29:823–841. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-835X.2010.02012.x. PubMed DOI

Reijntjes A., Thomaes S., Kamphuis J.H., Bushman B.J., De Castro B.O., Telch M.J. Explaining the paradoxical rejection-aggression link: The mediating effects of hostile intent attributions, anger, and decreases in state self-esteem on peer rejection-induced aggression in youth. Personal. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 2011;37:955–963. doi: 10.1177/0146167211410247. PubMed DOI

Newcomb A.F., Bukowski W.M., Pattee L. Children’s peer relations: A meta-analytic review of popular, rejected, neglected, controversial, and average sociometric status. Psychol. Bull. 1993;113:99–128. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.113.1.99. PubMed DOI

Parkhurst J.T., Asher S.R. Peer rejection in middle school: Subgroup differences in behavior, loneliness, and interpersonal concerns. Dev. Psychol. 1992;28:231–241. doi: 10.1037/0012-1649.28.2.231. DOI

Volling B.L., Mackinnon-Lewis C., Rabiner D., Baradaran L.P. Children’s social competence and sociometric status: Further exploration of aggression, social withdrawal, and peer rejection. Dev. Psychol. 1993;5:459–483. doi: 10.1017/S0954579400004521. DOI

Brendgen M., Vitaro F., Doyle A., Markiewicz D., Bukowski W. Boyfriends, girlfriends, and same-sex peers: Relations to early adolescents’ emotional, behavioral, and academic adjustment. Merrill-Palmer Q. 2002;48:77–103. doi: 10.1353/mpq.2002.0001. DOI

Ostrov J.M. Forms of aggression and peer victimization during early childhood: A short-term longitudinal study. J. Abnormal Child Psychol. 2008;36:311–322. doi: 10.1007/s10802-007-9179-3. PubMed DOI

Pettit G.S., Lansford J.E., Malone P.S., Dodge K.A., Bates J.E. Domain specificity in relationship history, social-information processing, and violent behavior in early adulthood. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 2010;98:190–200. doi: 10.1037/a0017991. PubMed DOI PMC

Salmivalli C., Isaacs J. Prospective relations among victimization, rejection, friendlessness, and children’s self- and peer-perceptions. Child Dev. 2005;76:1161–1171. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2005.00841.x-i1. PubMed DOI

Veenstra R., Lindenberg S., Munniksma A., Dijkstra J.K. The complex relation between bullying, victimization, acceptance, and rejection: Giving special attention to status, affection, and sex differences. Child Dev. 2010;81:480–486. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01411.x. PubMed DOI

Hodges E.V., Perry D.G. Personal and interpersonal antecedents and consequences of victimization by peers. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 1999;76:677–685. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.76.4.677. PubMed DOI

Perry D.G., Kusel S.J., Perry L.C. Victims of peer aggression. Dev. Psychol. 1988;24:807–814. doi: 10.1037/0012-1649.24.6.807. DOI

Pijl S.J., Frostad P., Flem A. The social position of pupils with special needs in regular schools. Scand. J. Educ. Res. 2008;52:387–405. doi: 10.1080/00313830802184558. DOI

Symes W., Humphrey N. Peer-group indicators of social inclusion among pupils with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) in mainstream secondary schools: A comparative study. Sch. Psychol. Int. 2010;31:478–494. doi: 10.1177/0143034310382496. DOI

De Boer A., Pijl S.J., Minnaert A. Students’ attitudes towards peers with disabilities: A review of the literature. Int. J. Disabil. Dev. Educ. 2012;59:379–392. doi: 10.1080/1034912X.2012.723944. DOI

McDougall J., DeWit D.J., King G., Miller L.T., Killip S. High-school-aged youths’ attitudes toward their peers with disabilities: The role of school and student interpersonal factors. Int. J. Disabil. Dev. Educ. 2004;51:287–313. doi: 10.1080/1034912042000259242. DOI

Boneva B.S., Quinn A., Kraut R., Kiesler S., Shklovski I. Computers, Phones, and the Internet: Domesticating Information Technology. Oxford University Press; Oxford, UK: 2006. Teenage communication in the instant messaging era; pp. 201–218.

Fite P.J., Colder C.R., Lochman J.E., Wells K.C. Pathways from proactive and reactive aggression to substance use. Psychol. Addict. Behav. 2007;21:355. doi: 10.1037/0893-164X.21.3.355. PubMed DOI

Ialongo N.S., Vaden-Kieman N., Kellam S. Early peer rejection and aggression: Longitudinal relations with adolescent behavior. J. Dev. Phys. Disabil. 1998;10:199–213. doi: 10.1023/B:JODD.0000036976.48023.a6. DOI

Kupersmidt J.B., Coie J.D. Preadolescent peer status, aggression, and school adjustment as predictors of externalizing problems in adolescence. Child Dev. 1990;61:1350–1362. doi: 10.2307/1130747. PubMed DOI

London B., Downey G., Bonica C., Paltin I. Social causes and consequences of rejection sensitivity. J. Res. Adolesc. 2007;17:481–506. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2007.00531.x. DOI

Prinstein M.J., La Greca A.M. Childhood peer rejection and aggression as predictors of adolescent girls’ externalizing and health risk behaviors: A 6-Year longitudinal study. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 2004;72:103–112. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.72.1.103. PubMed DOI

Sandstrom M.J., Schanberg L.E. Brief report: Peer rejection, social behavior, and psychological adjustment in children with Juvenile Rheumatic Disease. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2004;29:29–34. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsh004. PubMed DOI

Wright M.F., Li Y., Shi J. Chinese adolescents’ social status goals: Associations with behaviors and attributions for relational aggression. Youth Soc. 2014;46:566–588. doi: 10.1177/0044118X12448800. DOI

Radloff L.S. The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Appl. Psychol. Meas. 1977;1:385–401. doi: 10.1177/014662167700100306. DOI

March J.S., Parker J.D.A., Sullivan K., Stallings P., Conners C.K. The multidimensional anxiety scale for children (MASC): Factor structure, reliability, and validity. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry. 1997;36:554–565. doi: 10.1097/00004583-199704000-00019. PubMed DOI

Bellmore A., Jiang X.L., Juvonen J. Utilizing peer nominations in middle school: A longitudinal comparison between complete classroom-based and random list methods. J. Res. Adolesc. 2010;20:538–550. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00640.x. DOI

Calvete E., Orue I., Estévez A., Villardón L., Padilla P. Cyberbullying in adolescents: Modalities and aggressors’ profile. Comput. Hum. Behav. 2010;26:1128–1135. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2010.03.017. DOI

DeRosier M.E., Mercer S.H. Perceived behavioral atypicality as a predictor of social rejection and peer victimization: Implications for emotional adjustment and academic achievement. Psychol. Sch. 2009;46:375–387. doi: 10.1002/pits.20382. DOI

Soper D. Interaction! Windows Software for Graphing and Analyzing Statistical Interactions. [(accessed on 3 December 2018)]; Available online: https://www.danielsoper.com/Interaction/

Nixon C.L. Current perspectives: The impact of cyberbullying on adolescent health. Adolesc. Health Med. Ther. 2014;5:143–158. doi: 10.2147/AHMT.S36456. PubMed DOI PMC

Espelage D.L. Bullying in Early Adolescence: The Role of the Peer Group. ERIC Digest. ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education; Children’s Research Center, University of Illinois; Urbana, IL, USA: 2002.

Pugliese C.E., Fritz M.S., White S.W. The role of anger rumination and autism spectrum disorder–linked perseveration in the experience of aggression in the general population. Autism. 2015;19:704–712. doi: 10.1177/1362361314548731. PubMed DOI PMC

Williamson S., Craig J., Slinger R. Exploring the relationship between measures of self-esteem and psychological adjustment among adolescents with Asperger syndrome. Autism. 2008;12:391–402. doi: 10.1177/1362361308091652. PubMed DOI

Cross-National Associations Among Cyberbullying Victimization, Self-Esteem, and Internet Addiction: Direct and Indirect Effects of Alexithymia