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AJHE: American Journal of Health Education



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  May / June 2025 (Volume 56, Issue 3)

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Table of Contents

Free Access Article
Association Between Self-Esteem and Cyber Victimization: The Mediating Roles of Digital Game Playing and Cyberbullying

– Ali Eryilmaz, E. Scott Huebner, Hacer Yildirim-Kurtulus & Ahmet Kara

Background: Today, the intensive use of technology necessitates more research on cyberbullying and victimization among adolescents.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a proposed model of the associations between self-esteem, digital game playing, cyberbullying, and victimization in early adolescents.

Methods: A total of 312 early adolescents participated based on the criterion sampling method. The age range of the adolescents was 10–14 years (Mean = 12.63; SD = 0.60). Two-stage structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Bootstrapping analysis was used to test mediation effects.

Results: The findings revealed the serial mediating relations of digital game playing and cyberbullying in the association between early adolescents’ self-esteem and cyber victimization.

Discussion: The results emphasize the role of individual differences in adolescents’ self-esteem as a significant factor in cyber victimization. This relationship operates through the behavioral pathways of digital game use and cyberbullying.

Translation to Health Education Practice: Based on the research findings, health educators can encourage students in this developmental period to establish healthier relationships in the digital world and develop strategies to protect mental health. In this direction, health educators should aim to develop healthy digital gaming habits in students by considering the negative effects of digital game addiction on cyber victimization. For this purpose, educators can organize awareness-raising educational programs against digital game addiction and guide students in determining balanced play times.

Research Articles

Drug-Related Violence, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Challenges in a Southeastern American Indian Tribe

 

Sense of Purpose, Reduced Stress, and Connection as Protective Factors for Longevity: An Exploration of Barriers

 

Customer Perceptions of a Restaurant-Based Healthy Eating Program and Factors Associated with Healthy Food Selection in Restaurants

 

Implementing PDSA Cycles to Expand Reach of Self-Management Education in the Post-COVID Era

 

Assessing Nutrition Awareness and Education Within Active Population in MENA and Its Effect on Professional Performance

 

Enhancing the Education Of Community Health Workers on Health Literacy and Cultural Humility in Times of COVID-19

 

Participatory Theory Building: A Methodological Review and Conceptualization