Differences in family climate and family communication among cyberbullies, cybervictims, and cyber bully-victims in adolescents

Scientific studies on family factors related to the main cyberbullying roles are still scarce. The present study analyzed family climate and parent-adolescent communication in the four roles involved in cyberbullying: cybervictims, cyberbullies, cyberbully-victims, and non-involved adolescents. The study had two main objectives: (1) to analyze the differences in family climate (cohesion and conflict) and communication patterns with the mother and father (open, avoidance, and offensive) among the four roles, controlling the variables sex and academic grade; and (2) to determine the predictive weight of these family variables in the roles involved in cyberbullying. A battery of instruments was applied to 1062 adolescents from 12 to 18 years old. The results revealed that the cyberbully-victim profile had the lowest quality family climate and family communication patterns. In addition, family conflict predicted the role of cyberbullies, and non-open communication with the mother and avoidant communication with the father predicted the role of cybervictim. Finally, these family variables together (conflict and non-open and avoidant communication) predicted the role of cyberbully-victim.