Cyberspace and Tendency toward Drug Addiction in Adolescents: The Central Role of Cyberbullying Victimization and Psychological Dysregulation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explain tendency toward drug addiction in adolescents based on the cyberbullying victimization and psychological dysregulation. In this descriptive-correlational study 356 (197 boys and 159 girls) high school students of Miandoab city were selected in the 2018/2019 academic year, by cluster-random sampling method and completed the Iranian addiction potential scale, the psychological dysregulation inventory, as well as the cyber-aggression and cyber-victimization scale. Data were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation coefficient as well as multiple linear regression. The results showed that there were significant correlations between cyber-aggression, cyber-victimization, and psychological dysregulation (behavioral, cognitive, and emotional) and tendency toward drug addiction in the adolescents. Also, the cyberbullying victimization and psychological dysregulation could favorably predict the tendency toward drug addiction in the adolescents. Findings of this study showed the need to pay attention to cyberbullying victimization and psychological dysregulation as important etiological factors in the tendency towards drug addiction in adolescents.

Keywords

• adolescents
• cyber-aggression
• cyber-victimization
• psychological dysregulation
• substance -related disorders