Cyberbullying and its Relationship to Self-Esteem among Adolescents in the Kingdom of Bahrain: A Field Study on a Sample of Intermediate and Secondary School Students in Primary Healthcare Centers

DOI: 10.46988/IJMMC.08.02.2026.01

Abstract

Technological advancements in digital communication have given rise to new patterns
of social interaction. This shift in communication tools has not been limited to the
technical aspect alone but has extended to affect the social structure. Within this
framework, we can examine several media-related problems and phenomena that have
emerged because of using digital platforms, particularly social media sites, such as
cyberbullying and online harassment, especially among adolescents.
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between exposure to cyberbullying
and self-esteem levels among adolescents in the Kingdom of Bahrain, identify
differences among cyberbullying victims according to demographic variables, and
uncover the resulting effects. To achieve the study's objectives, the study population
consisted of all Bahraini adolescents aged 12 to 16 years (males and females) who met
the school screening procedures for government preparatory and secondary schools at
primary healthcare centers in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The study employed two
research instruments: the first was a questionnaire covering aspects related to
cyberbullying, and the second was the Self-Esteem Scale developed by Dr. Farouk
Abdel Fattah and Dr. Mohamed Desouki, adapted from the Coopersmith Self-Esteem
Scale. A sample of 126 participants was selected using stratified random sampling.

The most important findings of the study concluded that the rates of cyberbullying
experienced by adolescents in the Kingdom of Bahrain are not high, but they are
increasing over time. The results also showed that cyberbullying is more common
among males than females, and that cyberbullies target those who are different from
them in appearance, race, belief, or cultural background. The study revealed that
(nervousness and anger) are at the forefront of the psychological responses resulting from adolescents being exposed to cyberbullying. The results also proved the existence of an inverse correlation between exposure to cyberbullying and low self-esteem among adolescents in the Kingdom of Bahrain.