Abstract
Introduction. Cyberbullying poses a serious threat to adolescents’ psychological well‑being. However, the influence of gender, age, and cultural factors on adolescents’ coping strategies remains insufficiently studied, particularly in the post-Soviet context. The novelty of this study lies in its cross‑cultural analysis of cyberbullying coping strategies. The study aims to identify gender‑ and age‑related aspects of cyberbullying coping strategies demonstrated by adolescents from two different cultures (Kazakhstan and Russia).
Methods. The study employed an adapted version of the Coping with Cyberbullying Questionnaire (CWCBQ), which demonstrates satisfactory psychometric properties: expert consensus (consistency ≥ 80%), exploratory factor analysis (KMO = 0.85; χ² = 13,691.213, p < 0.001), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFI = 0.955, RMSEA = 0.036), confirming measurement invariance across the Russian and Kazakhstani samples (ΔCFI < 0.01). The participants included 404 adolescents (206 from Russia and 198 from Kazakhstan; 43% boys and 57% girls) aged 11–17 years.
Results. Notable gender differences emerged: girls tended to rely on close support more frequently (M = 24.8 / 21.2; p < 0.01) and distal advice (M = 15.8 / 13.9; p < 0.001), whereas boys more often preferred establishing boundaries (M = 12.8 / 12.0; p < 0.01). Age‑related dynamics revealed a U‑shaped pattern for distal advice, with peaks at ages 12 and 16, as well as an increase in close support toward age 17. Cross‑cultural differences indicated a stronger orientation toward formal coping strategies in the Kazakhstani sample and a greater preference for digital autonomy in the Russian sample.
Discussion. The findings highlight the role of cultural norms of collectivism and individualism in shaping cyberbullying coping strategies. In the Kazakhstani sample, clan-based social structures appear to mitigate the consequences of cyberbullying, whereas in the Russian sample, the dominance of digital autonomy may mask emotional avoidance. Cyberbullying coping strategies are thus shaped by gender, age, and cultural context. The findings highlight the need for differentiated prevention programs, emphasizing emotional regulation in early adolescence, digital literacy in middle adolescence, and the strengthening of social support networks in late adolescence. Family-oriented approaches are recommended for the Kazakhstani sample, whereas technological self-efficacy training is emphasized for the Russian sample.
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