56 Spirituality Studies 11-2 Fall 2025 1 Introduction Modern technologies offer several undeniable benefits, particularly in supporting interpersonal relationships and social interaction in online environments. Especially for adolescents who face difficulties establishing contacts in real-world social settings, digital tools can represent an important means of developing relationships and expanding knowledge. Despite these positives, the increasing use of computers, mobile devices, and information and communication technologies (Cassidy, Faucher and Jackson 2013, 571; Corcoran, McGuckin and Prentic 2015, 251; Mihara and Higuchi 2017, 438) has brought negative consequences to the online sphere in the form of cyberbullying and cybervictimization (Guo, Liu and Wang 2021, 180; Zhu et al. 2021, 6). Cyberbullying is defined as any hostile and aggressive behavior by an individual or a group through electronic or digital media aimed at harming others (Tokunaga 2010, 278). It is understood as intentional aggressive behavior perpetrated by an individual or group against a victim who cannot defend themselves, using computers, mobile phones, and other electronic devices (Hinduja and Patchin 2008, 148; König, Gollwitzer and Steffgen 2010, 218). Cyberbullying encompasses several common criteria: an imbalance of power between the aggressor and the victim, intentionality, anonymity, repetition, and the use of information technologies (Kowalski et al. 2014, 1095; Menesini et al. 2012, 458; Mahanta and Khatoniyar 2019, 4). Cyberbullying manifests in various forms (Nocentini et al. 2010): mocking or ridicule, identity theft, flaming, cyberstalking, happy slapping, and online exclusion. The primary participants in cyberbullying are the cyberaggressor, the cybervictim, and the audience (Faryadi 2011, 37). Cyberaggressors tend to have a need to dominate, act impulsively, and are characterized by low levels of empathy. Cybervictims are characterized by low self-esteem and poorer academic performance (Kowalski and Limber 2013, 18). They have fewer social contacts, are isolated, experience more problems in peer relationships, and exhibit social withdrawal (Kumar and Goldstein 2020, 89; Coelho and Romão 2018). Cybervictimization leads to various mental health difficulties (Boca-Zamfir 2020, 4). Cybervictims show personality, social, and emotional difficulties (Kumar and Goldstein 2020, 89; Álvarez-Marín et al. 2022, 7). They are characterized by higher levels of anxiety and depression (Athanasiou et al. 2018, 6; Kowalski et al. 2014, 1126), psychosomatic disorders (Nixon 2014, 143), and occurrences of self-harm and suicidal ideation (Kim et al. 2018, 131). Spirituality is a highly personal aspect of life that is closely related to identity and human growth. It contributes to the global human condition and transcends the boundaries of personal experience. It is essential for self-knowledge and personal development because it enables people to reflect on their shared experiences and insights, which helps them better understand themselves (Dojčár 2017, 55). Individuals who attended religious services at least once a week in the past twelve months showed weaker negative associations between cybervictimization, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. A similar moderating effect was observed among those who considered their religious beliefs to be very important. This factor attenuated the negative association between cybervictimization in the past five years and subjective life satisfaction (Chai 2022, 21). A relationship has also been demonstrated between personal spirituality, empathy, and cyberbullying. Study findings indicated that insufficient development of spirituality and empathy may be associated with an increased risk of online cyberbullying behavior (Sinogina and Lomovskaya 2023, 127). Findings also point to spiritual effects that children and adolescents may experience as a consequence of cybervictimization. Spirituality appears to be able to prevent cyberbullying and even help children and adolescents recover from trauma caused by cybervictimization (Apostolides 2017, 3). For assistance to children and young people affected by cybervictimization to be considered truly holistic, it is essential to take into account the spiritual dimension of human existence. As noted above, spirituality represents a significant component of holistic human development. Nowsky (2007, 166) emphasizes that spirituality plays a key role in shaping the identity of children and adolescents because it helps them seek meaning in their own lives, recognize the importance of relationships with others, learn to accept help and at the same time provide it to others (mutual support), develop generosity and magnanimity, and cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Psychological literature has identified several protective factors through which adolescents can defend themselves against cybervictimization. One set of variables comprises coping strategies. Coping strategies represent efforts to adapt to stress or other disruptions caused by stressors or adversity in order to protect oneself from psychological harm arising from risky experiences (Vandoninck, d’Haenens and Roe 2013, 61). Two main types of coping strategies are distinguished: problem-focused strategies and emotion-focused strategies (Worsley et al. 2019, 29). With regard to gender, men tend to use problem-focused strategies, whereas women tend to employ emotion-fo-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUwMDU5Ng==