While research has established a strong link between traditional bullying and mental health problems, far less is known about how cyberbullying impacts young people over time. To address this gap, a recent meta-analysis focused exclusively on longitudinal studies to provide a more robust understanding of the temporal relationship between cyberbullying victimization and various mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, loneliness, and post-traumatic stress. The analysis synthesized findings from 27 longitudinal studies, encompassing 27,133 participants 8-19 years old.
The results revealed a significant positive association between cyberbullying victimization and general mental health difficulties over time (r = 0.23). The association was particularly strong for depression (r = 0.27) and anxiety (r = 0.23). While positive correlations were also found for loneliness (r = 0.17); body image concerns, negative cognition, low self-esteem, psychological distress (r = 0.02); and somatic complaints, sleep issues, and stress (r = 0.23), these did not reach statistical significance—likely due to the limited number of studies available for these specific outcomes.
Cultural background and the time interval between assessments did not significantly moderate these associations. Further analysis through meta-regression revealed that the negative impact of cyberbullying victimization was more pronounced among older children, in samples with a higher proportion of males, and in more recent studies—perhaps reflecting growing awareness or shifts in digital behaviors.
Source (Open Access): Lee, J., Choo, H., Zhang, Y., Cheung, H. S., Zhang, Q., & Ang, R. P. (2025). Cyberbullying victimization and mental health symptoms among children and adolescents: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15248380241313051. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380241313051