Cyberbullying Victimization and Interpersonal Communication Satisfaction among Pakistani University students: Examining the Mediating Role of Self-Esteem

Abstract

Background: Digital communication is now central to university life in the world, especially in Pakistan, and it emerged cyberbullying as an increasing psychosocial concern among students.

Aim: This study explored how being targeted online relates to students' satisfaction with their interpersonal communication, and also examining the mediating role of self-esteem.

Method: A quantitative correlational research design was employed and collected data from 200 university students, who completed standardized self-report measures of cyberbullying victimization, self-esteem, and communication satisfaction. Pearson correlations, multiple regression, and a mediation analysis were conducted to examine the proposed hypotheses.

Results: The findings reflected that cyberbullying victimization was negatively correlated with interpersonal communication satisfaction (r = -.15, p <.05), showing that students with higher cyberbullying victimization expressed lower interpersonal communication satisfaction. Cyberbullying victimization was negatively linked with self-esteem (r = -.14), but this association was not statistically significant. Self-esteem showed a positive but non-significant relationship with interpersonal communication satisfaction (r = .05). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that cyberbullying victimization significantly predicted interpersonal communication satisfaction (β = -

.15, p = .039), while self-esteem was non-significant in predictor (β = .03, p = .690). Overall regression model was not statistically significant and described 2.4% of the variance in interpersonal communication satisfaction (R2 = .024, F(2,197) = 2.40, p

= .093). Additionally, Mediation analysis revealed that self-esteem did not mediate the association between cyberbullying victimization and interpersonal communication satisfaction because the indirect effect was not significant (β = -.014, 95% CI (-.126, .049).

Conclusion: The results explain that cyberbullying victimization has a negative but significant relationship with interpersonal communication satisfaction. Although, self-esteem does not work as mediator in this association. The present study adds empirical evidence within the context of Pakistani culture and suggest to explore further psychological and social factors that may describe the outcome of cyberbullying on students’ interpersonal communication.