Work

Modeling Romanian K–12 teachers' perceptions of cyberbullying's academic, social, and behavioral consequences: The role of perceived individual risk markers, contextual risk factors, perceived readiness to identify cyberbullying, intervention beliefs, and perceived student health impacts

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Cyberbullying is often examined through student reports, whereas less is known about how teachers interpret the factors associated with it and its consequences in school settings. The present research examined Romanian K–12 teachers’ perceptions of individual risk markers, contextual risk factors, perceived readiness to identify cyberbullying, teacher intervention beliefs, perceived student health impacts, and academic, social, and behavioral consequences attributed to cyberbullying. Data from 736 Romanian K–12 teachers were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, with gender, age, residence, teaching level, and seniority as control variables. The research model accounted for 60.7% of the variance in teachers’ evaluations of academic, social, and behavioral consequences. Perceived mental health impact was the construct most closely associated with teachers’ evaluations of cyberbullying consequences, with a weaker contribution from perceived physical health impact. Perceived readiness to identify cyberbullying was associated with teacher intervention beliefs and, through them, with teachers’ evaluations of consequences, whereas its direct association with these evaluations was not significant. Individual risk markers and contextual risk factors were associated with perceived health impacts, which were further related to teachers’ evaluations of cyberbullying consequences. Because the design is cross-sectional and all constructs reflect teachers’ perceptions, the results describe associations among teachers’ appraisals rather than effects on students. These findings suggest that teacher training should connect the identification of cyberbullying with intervention beliefs and with attention to students’ perceived well-being.

Source: Computers in Human Behavior Reports

DOI: 10.1016/j.chbr.2026.101415

Authors: Elena Ancuța Zăvoianu, Maria Diana Piele, Dumitru Daniel Ionașcu, Ion Ovidiu Pânișoară, Iuliana Mihaela Lazăr

Institution: University of Bucharest

Language: English

Topic: Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,880