Mapping the relationships among bullying, cyberbullying, child maltreatment, and parental intimate partner violence: A network analysis.

Abstract

Objective: This study investigates the connections among various forms of violence experienced by adolescents, both online and offline, including bullying, cyberbullying, child maltreatment, and witnessing parental intimate partner violence (IPV). The aim was to elucidate the patterns of these adversities to enhance understanding from a child-centered perspective.

Method: We conducted an online survey with a sample of 934 parents (M_age = 41.05 years, SD = 4.76; M_{child's age} = 14.37 years, SD = 1.84) recruited across 30 provinces and districts in China in August 2023. Network analysis was used to examine the associations among four types of bullying (physical, verbal, relational, and cyberbullying), three types of child maltreatment (physical, psychological, and neglect), and two types of parental IPV (psychological and physical).

Results: Our findings revealed that cyberbullying victimization had the highest expected influence in the network, suggesting that it plays a central role in exacerbating other adversities. The four types of bullying were strongly interconnected, both online and offline. Parental psychological IPV and child psychological abuse experiences had the highest bridge expected influence in the network, indicating their role in linking various forms of victimization.

Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that IPV can facilitate the transmission of adversities across different domains of a child's environment. Understanding the intercorrelations of child victimization within and beyond the home can contribute to the development of a comprehensive child protection approach. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).