The longitudinal influence of cyberbullying victimization on depression, self-esteem and academic burnout among Chinese adolescents: mindfulness as a mediator
Yanping Lu, Longxin Dang, Yuan Tao
Frontiers in Psychiatry May 8, 2025 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1607473 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,421 |
| Population | Chinese high school students |
| Duration | Two time points approximately six months apart |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Cyberbullying victimization Self-esteem Academic burnout |
| Key findings | Mindfulness partially mediated the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and both depression and academic burnout, and fully mediated the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and self-esteem. The authors suggest these findings support the potential value of school-based mindfulness interventions for mitigating the effects of cyberbullying. |
Abstract
Cyberbullying victimization (CV) has been linked to numerous adverse psychological outcomes among adolescents. While previous research has established associations between CV and negative outcomes including depression, diminished self-esteem, and academic burnout, the potential protective mechanisms in these relationships remain underexplored. This longitudinal study investigated the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationships between CV and these psychological outcomes among Chinese adolescents. A sample of 1,421 Chinese high school students participated in this study. The participants were asked to complete self-report measures of CV, mindfulness, depression, self-esteem, and academic burnout at two time points, approximately six months apart. Structural equation modeling revealed that mindfulness partially mediated the relationship between CV and both depression and academic burnout. Mindfulness fully mediated the relationship between CV and self-esteem. The results highlight the potential value of mindfulness-based interventions in school settings to mitigate the detrimental effects of CV. Limitations of the current investigation and directions for future research and intervention development are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metacognitive awareness and prevention of relapse in depression: Empirical evidence. Residually depressed patients and nondepressed controls; recovered depressed patients | 2002 | Observational cohort with intervention components | |
| Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: fMRI-measured brain mechanisms. Patients with treatment-resistant depression | 2017 | Observational cohort | n = 19 |
| Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder | 2015 | Observational study | |
| Concomitant BDNF and sleep slow wave changes indicate ketamine-induced plasticity in major depressive disorder Patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder | 2012 | Observational cohort | n = 30 |
| Altered peripheral immune profiles in treatment-resistant depression: response to ketamine and prediction of treatment outcome Healthy controls and actively depressed patients with treatment-resistant depression... | 2017 | Observational cohort | n = 59 |
Citations in the library
Cites 5
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Dispositional mindfulness mediates the relationships of parental attachment to posttraumatic stress disorder and academic burnout in adolescents following the Yancheng tornado. European Journal of Psychotraumatology May 17, 2018
- The direct and indirect benefits of dispositional mindfulness on self-esteem and social anxiety. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping March 1, 2011