A cross-national study of direct and indirect effects of cyberbullying on cybergrooming victimization via self-esteem
Open accessAbstract
The present study reports frequency rates of cybergrooming, profiled characteristics of cybergrooming perpetrators, and examine direct and indirect associations between cyberbullying victimization, self-esteem, and cybergrooming victimization. The study sample included 2,162 adolescents between 11 and 19 years from three Western (Germany, the Netherlands, the United States) countries and one Southeast Asian country (Thailand). Across countries, 18.5% of participants reported having had contact with a cybergroomer. Western girls, as compared to boys, were at greater risk to have been contacted by a cybergroomer. No significant sex difference was found for Southeast Asian adolescents. Also, Southeast Asian adolescents reported higher rates of cybergroomer contact as compared to Western adolescents. Cybergroomers were most often males and older than victims. Both cyberbullying victimization and low self-esteem increased the probability of coming into contact with a cybergroomer, and self-esteem mediated the effects of cyberbullying victimization on cybergrooming victimization. The results are discussed in relation to practical implications and future research.
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In two studies, self-esteem was found to be a significant predictor of cybergrooming victimization, with low self-esteem increasing the risk of cybergrooming victimization.
“In two studies, self-esteem was found to be a significant predictor of cybergrooming victimization, with low self-esteem increasing the risk of cybergrooming victimization (Pasca et al., 2022; Wachs et al., 2016).”
From Cybergrooming Victimization Among Young People: A Systematic Review of Prevalence Rates, Risk Factors, and Outcomes (2025) · cites this paper as Wachs et al., 2016
These studies indicated that other socio-demographic variables might also play a risk-increasing role in cybergrooming victimization, e.g., school type, nationality, parental educational level, and sexual orientation.
“However, these studies indicated that other socio-demographic variables might also play a risk-increasing role in cybergrooming victimization, e.g., school type (Arias Cerón et al., 2018; Machimbarrena et al., 2018), nationality (Wachs et al., 2016), parental educational level (Gámez-Guadix et al., 2023; Villacampa & Gómez, 2017), and sexual orientation (Gámez-Guadix et al., 2018a, 2023).”
From Cybergrooming Victimization Among Young People: A Systematic Review of Prevalence Rates, Risk Factors, and Outcomes (2025) · cites this paper as Wachs et al., 2016
Low self-esteem could mediate the effect of cyberbullying victimization on cybergrooming victimization.
“Further findings on mediation processes indicated that low self-esteem could mediate the effect of cyberbullying victimization on cybergrooming victimization (Wachs et al., 2016)”
From Cybergrooming Victimization Among Young People: A Systematic Review of Prevalence Rates, Risk Factors, and Outcomes (2025) · cites this paper as Wachs et al., 2016
Low self-esteem is conceivable both as a risk factor and an outcome of cybergrooming victimization.
“Low self-esteem is conceivable both as a risk factor, e.g., due to a low self-esteem-associated preference for communication via information and communication technologies, which is in turn exploited by cybergroomers, and an outcome of cybergrooming victimization (Wachs et al., 2016).”
From Cybergrooming Victimization Among Young People: A Systematic Review of Prevalence Rates, Risk Factors, and Outcomes (2025) · cites this paper as Wachs et al., 2016
The only personality trait examined in two independent studies was self-esteem.
“The only personality trait examined in two independent studies was self-esteem (Pasca et al., 2022; Wachs et al., 2016).”
From Cybergrooming Victimization Among Young People: A Systematic Review of Prevalence Rates, Risk Factors, and Outcomes (2025) · cites this paper as Wachs et al., 2016
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References 49 · Cited by 72
- Authors
- Wachs, S., Jiskrova, G. K., Vazsonyi, A. T., Wolf, K. D., & Junger, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Potsdam (DE)
- University of Kentucky (US)
- University of Bremen (DE)
- University of Twente (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Wachs, Sebastian
- ORCID
- Venue
- Psicología Educativa
- Published
- 2016-06
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 61-70
- ISSN
- 1135-755X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2328259515
- Cited by
- 72
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2
- FWCI
- 5.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Psicologí a Educativa (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- University of Twente Research Information (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Redalyc (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México) (submittedVersion)
- University of Twente Research Information (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Cybercrime and Law Enforcement Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Stalking, Cyberstalking, and Harassment
- Keywords
- cyber victimization, online grooming, self-esteem, mediation, adolescents, cross-national comparison, sex differences, online sexual exploitation
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