Predicting Self-Injury Based on Cyberbullying Victimization: The Mediating Role of Hopelessness and Early Maladaptive Schemas in Substance-Dependent Adolescents

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the mediating role of hopelessness and early maladaptive schemas in the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and non-suicidal self-injury in substance-dependent male adolescents. Method: The present research was descriptive-correlational of structural equation modeling type. The statistical population of the present research included all substance-dependent adolescents referring to harm reduction centers in the city of Tehran. Among them, 350 people were selected voluntarily, based on exclusion and inclusion criteria, by a convenience sampling method in 2020-2021. Research tools included the Beck hopelessness scale, the Young schema questionnaire, the non-suicidal self-injury assessment tool, and the cyber-bullying/victimization experiences questionnaire. The structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that cyberbullying victimization had a significant direct effect on non-suicidal self-injury, hopelessness, and maladaptive schemas. Also, the indirect effects of cyberbullying victimization on non-suicidal self-injury were significant through the mediating role of hopelessness and early maladaptive schemas. Thus, hopelessness and early maladaptive schemas mediated the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and non-suicidal self-injury. Conclusion: The present research provides psychologists with a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and self-injury among substance-dependent adolescents. Suggested intervention and prevention strategies include cognitive rehabilitation of adolescents to break the cycle of turning cyberbullying victimization into self-injurious behaviors and to strengthen hope to protect them from the negative effects of cyberbullying victimization.