Cyber-ostracism and academic engagement among Chinese university students: a three-wave longitudinal study of mediating and moderating mechanisms.

Cyber-ostracism has become an important challenge in digitally mediated university life, yet its influence on academic engagement remains insufficiently understood. This study examined the longitudinal relationship between cyber-ostracism and academic engagement among Chinese university students, as well as the mediating roles of self-esteem and social avoidance and the moderating roles of social support and psychological resilience. A three-wave survey was conducted with 450 undergraduates from a provincial public university in China. Structural equation modeling showed that cyber-ostracism at Time 1 significantly predicted lower academic engagement at Time 3 (β = -0.28, p < 0.001). Indirect effects through self-esteem (β = -0.16, 95% CI [-0.23, -0.10]) and social avoidance (β = -0.12, 95% CI [-0.19, -0.06]) were significant. A further indirect effect through self-esteem and social avoidance was also significant (β = -0.08, 95% CI [-0.13, -0.04]), consistent with the hypothesized ordering from lower self-esteem to greater social avoidance, although temporal precedence between the two T2 mediators cannot be established. Social support (β = 0.12, p = 0.003) and psychological resilience (β = 0.10, p = 0.012) significantly buffered the negative effect of cyber-ostracism. The findings indicate that online exclusion may undermine students' learning involvement through both direct and indirect pathways. Strengthening supportive learning climates and students' coping resources may help sustain engagement in digital higher education contexts.