International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering (IJRTE) ISSN: 2277-3878, Volume-8 Issue-2S10, September 2019 Cyberbullying Victimization and Cyberbullying Perpetration with Self-Esteem as the Moderator Tan Kim Hua, Nicholas Sia Heng Hwa, Sheau Tsuey Chong Abstract: Cyberbullying is a growing phenomenon with masked [4] and the inherent ability of the act to reach a many negative and long-term effects. Past literature has bigger group of people with minimal effort or consequence not been consistent in the findings with regard to the due to the accessibility of the medium [5]. This may pose relationship between cyberbullying victimization and added risks to the victim where it further limits actions of perpetration. The role of self-esteem in its interaction retaliation and defence in response to the bullying act. from both aspects of cyberbullying has also been The psychological and emotional damage caused inconclusive. This study therefore sought to examine the by cyberbullying could be immense and equal, if not more relationship between cyberbullying victimization, detrimental than to that of traditional bullying. A survey cyberbullying perpetration with self-esteem as its that asked adolescent victims of cyberbullying found that moderating factor. 120 participants (aged 18 to 25 years over 93% reported feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and old) were recruited to complete the surveys comprising the powerlessness [6] and also significant psychosocial, Cyberbullying and Online Aggression Survey and the affective and academic problems in their day-to-day lives Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Hierarchical multiple regression was run to analyse the predictive relationship [7]. Moreover, reference [8] also highlighted the fact that of the variables. One finding shows that cyberbullying exposure to cyberbullying may impact and increase suicidal victimization and cyberbullying perpetration have positive behaviours among high school students while both correlation which may explain the propagation of the cyberbullying victimisation and perpetration were found to vicious cycle. The other finding did not seem to highlight be positively correlated with depression [9]. Furthermore, the role of self-esteem in mediating the perpetration and effects of cyberbullying are not just restricted to victimization of cyberbullying. This study nevertheless psychological damage as found in a meta-analysis [10] that provides valuable insights to the nature of cyberbullying both bullies and victims pose a significantly increased risk which can assist in the management of this pervasive for psychosomatic issues compared with their peers who are social ill in community programmes. uninvolved in bullying. In addition to the aforementioned, witnesses of cyberbullying could also undergo a process of Keywords: cyberbullying, self-esteem, perpetration, desensitization engendering lower levels of empathy due to victimization its exposure to the act [11]. With regard to motives, previous studies have found factors such as revenge, boredom, curiosity and I. INTRODUCTION jealousy to be driving the cyberbullying phenomenon [12]- With the advent of social media and the digitalisation of [14]. communication, cyberbullying has inevitably been a This study specifically sought to examine the growing phenomenon. Despite the various definitions and factors of victimisation and perpetration in relation to nature of cyberbullying, the general characteristic cyberbullying. Previous literature has maintained a researchers have unanimously agreed on is that it takes connection between the two thus demonstrating that place in the realm of electronic text [1], [2]. However, for individuals who are involved in bullying victimization may the purpose of this study, one definition will be used where also be involved in bullying perpetration [15]-[17]. This Smith et. al [3] refers cyberbullying as ‘an aggressive act or could also be the reason why the phenomenon of behaviour that is carried out using electronic means by a cyberbullying could be a vicious cycle. group or an individual repeatedly and over time against a Self-esteem relates to how an individual perceives victim who cannot easily defend him or herself’. and views himself. Much research has focused on the Characteristics of cyberbullying absent in traditional connection of self-esteem and how it is in conjunction with bullying include the degree of anonymity contained in the cyberbullying. As reported by researchers, middle-school former where the identity of the perpetrator could be students involved in cyberbullying, both as victims and perpetrators, to be linked with significantly low self-esteem ratings [18]. They further contend that the lack of self- esteem may contribute to both cyberbullying victimization Revised Manuscript Received on September 25, 2019 Tan Kim Hua, Center of Literacy and Socio-Cultural Transformation, and perpetration hence being both the effect and cause of Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan the issue. This continued to be echoed by study [19] where Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Malaysia. they found loneliness, empathy and self-esteem levels Nicholas Sia Heng Hwa, Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, HELP University, 15, Jalan Semantan, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur. predicted cyberbullying victimization and perpetration. Sheau Tsuey Chong, Centre for Youth Empowerment, Faculty of Furthermore, study [20] Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 reported that in addition to low Bangi, Malaysia. self-esteem levels, high Published By: Retrieval Number: B10140982S1019/2019©BEIESP Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering DOI:10.35940/ijrte.B1014.0982S1019 88 & Sciences Publication Cyberbullying Victimization with Cyberbullying Perpetration with Self-Esteem as Moderator narcissism was also deemed to predict both aspects of they have experienced cyberbullying (the cyber cyberbullying. However, a study [21] found low self-esteem victimization scale), while items 10-18 refer to the number levels did not produce a predictive factor for cyberbullying of times they have perpetrated cyberbullying (the cyber victimization and perpetration. Another study which further offending scale). A 4-point Likert scale ranging from expounds the complicated relationship between self-esteem “Never” (denoted as 1) to “Many times” (denoted as 4) is and cyberbullying is where they wrote that students with used for items 1-18. The higher the accumulation of points high levels of self-esteem predicted bullying perpetration denotes the higher the involvement in cyberbullying. The when being bullied while students with lower self-esteem victimization scale has a Cronbach's alpha range of 0.867- reported lower probability in bullying perpetration [22]. 0.935 while the offending scale has a Cronbach's alpha Therefore, there exist multiple discrepancies on the topic range of 0.793-0.969. hence necessitating the current study. Based on the The second scale utilised in this study is the aforementioned, studies on cyberbullying have focused Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale measuring the moderating mainly on children and adolescents where little has been variable of self-esteem [23]. It is a 10-item scale that done to explore other demographics with regard to this measures self-worth by identifying how one feels about subject. This study aims to bridge this gap by using college oneself, whether positive or negative. A 4-point Likert scale students as participants. Therefore, this study aims to format is used, ranging from “Strongly agree” (denoted as answer the following questions: is there a relationship 4) to “Strongly disagree” (denoted as 1). Higher scores between cyberbullying victimization, cyberbullying indicate higher self-esteem. The Rosenberg self-esteem perpetration and self-esteem. The hypotheses in this study scale has an internal consistency of 0.88. include a) cyberbullying victims are likely to be cyberbullying perpetrators and b) self-esteem weakens the Procedure likelihood of people who are cyberbullying victims also being cyberbullying perpetrators. The data was collected via the distribution of questionnaires on the University grounds. Firstly, participants were II. METHODOLOGY approached and asked to read and sign a letter of consent, informing them of the terms and conditions of the survey. Design The participants were then asked to complete the questionnaire, which consisted of 3 sections, namely A: This study utilised a non-experimental correlational design Demographic information, B: Cyberbullying and Online to examine the association between the variables of Aggression survey and finally C: Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem cyberbullying victimization, cyberbullying perpetration, and Scale. This process took approximately 10-15 minutes. self-esteem. Cyberbullying victimization is defined as the Subsequently, participants were thanked for their degree to which an individual has been cyberbullied while participation and informed that they could contact the cyberbullying perpetration is the degree to which an researcher if they had any further questions. individual has been involved in cyberbullying others. Self- esteem is defined as the way people see themselves, Statistical Analysis whether positive or negative. The predictor variable of cyberbullying victimization and the criterion variable of Hierarchical multiple regressions were used where the cyberbullying perpetration was measured by the relationship between cyberbullying victimisation and Cyberbullying and