Sleep Quality as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Cyber Victimization and Depression

Purpose Cyber victimization is a national mental health concern, especially among adolescents who are digital natives. The current study examined sleep quality as a mediator of the association between cyber victimization and depressive symptoms among adolescents. Design and Method A prospective study design was utilized with a community sample of adolescents (N = 801; 57% female; mean age = 14.45, SD = .85) from the eastern United States. Participants completed (a) the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; (b) the Cyber Victimization Scale; and (c) the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised via online surveys at baseline and 6-month follow-up. The inter-relationship between variables was analyzed by Hayes' mediation approach. Findings Cyber victimization was not directly associated with having depressive symptoms 6 months later when controlling for adolescents' poor sleep quality, sex, and age (direct effect [c'] = .012, t(676) = 1.12, p < .05, confidence interval [CI] -.008, .036). The mediation analysis indicated a significant indirect effect of poor sleep quality on the relationship between cyber victimization and depressive symptoms (ab = .005, bootstrapped standard error [SE] = .003, bootstrapped CI .001, .011; a is the effect of cyber victimization on poor sleep quality; b is the effect of poor sleep quality on depressive symptoms). Specifically, adolescents' cyber victimization led to poor sleep quality (a = .039, SE = .041, p < .05), which also led to increased depressive symptoms (b = .116, SE = .019, p < .001), after controlling for depressive symptoms at baseline, sex, and age. The indirect effect of cyber victimization on depressive symptoms was estimated through poor sleep quality (a*b = .039(.116) = .0045). Conclusions The findings suggest that poor sleep quality may be a mechanism through which cyber bullying is related prospectively to depressive symptoms. Interventions for cyber-victimized adolescents should include assessment of sleep quality and incorporate sleep hygiene education. Clinical Relevance Adolescents should be screened for cyber victimization and sleep quality. Moreover, promotion of sleep hygiene among cyber-victimized adolescents may help to reduce depression.