A Cross-Sectional Study of Cybervictimization and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model of Rumination and Resilience.

BACKGROUND

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a pressing public health concern on college campuses, with increasing evidence highlighting cybervictimization as a critical predictor of NSSI behaviors. However, the underlying mechanisms through which cybervictimization linking to NSSI behaviors remain under elucidation and warrant further investigation.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cybervictimization and NSSI behaviors among college students, with a specific focus on the mediating role of rumination and the moderating role of resilience in this relationship.

METHOD: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 1,439 college students from public universities in Hunan Province, China. Data were collected via an online questionnaire assessing cybervictimization, NSSI behaviors, rumination, and resilience. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation analysis were first conducted, and structural equation modeling (SEM) and moderated mediation analysis were then applied to test the proposed relationships.

RESULT: The study sample comprised 1439 college students with a mean age of 18.44 ± 0.84 years. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between NSSI behaviors and both cybervictimization (r = 0.29, p < 0.01) and rumination (r = 0.17, p < 0.01), and a negative association with resilience (r = -0.25, p < 0.01). Moderated mediation analysis indicated that rumination mediated while resilience moderated the positive correlation between cybervictimization and NSSI behaviors (all p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The study highlights the critical role of rumination as a mediator and resilience as a moderator in the relationship between cybervictimization and NSSI behaviors. These findings provide crucial insights for developing and implementing interventions to prevent and reduce NSSI behaviors among college students, underscoring the importance of addressing both cognitive processes and personal resources to effectively mitigate and eliminate NSSI risks among college students with cybervictimization experiences.