Longitudinal Insights into the Neurophysiology of Cyberbullying Involvement in Adolescence: A Bayesian Approach Using EEG Spectral Power

Lia Mills; Paul Schwenn; Jules Mitchell; Toomas Erik Anijärv; Christina Driver; Amanda Boyes; Taliah Prince; Dashiell D Sacks; Daniel F Hermens

doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2025.109019

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Longitudinal Insights into the Neurophysiology of Cyberbullying Involvement in Adolescence: A Bayesian Approach Using EEG Spectral Power

Journal article

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Longitudinal Insights into the Neurophysiology of Cyberbullying Involvement in Adolescence: A Bayesian Approach Using EEG Spectral Power

Lia Mills, Paul Schwenn, Jules Mitchell, Toomas Erik Anijärv, Christina Driver, Amanda Boyes, Taliah Prince, Dashiell D Sacks and Daniel F Hermens

Biological Psychology, Vol.196, pp.1-17

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2025.109019

PMID: 40158719

Appears in Thompson Institute Research Collection

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Abstract

adolescence

cyberbullying

electroencephalography

social connectedness

Neurophysiology

Youth mental health

Longitudinal Adolescent Brain Study

Neuroimaging

Thompson Institute Special Collection

UniSC Diversity Area - Life Stages

The impact of cyberbullying on mental health is a significant concern among adolescents, yet there is limited research on the neurophysiological markers of cyberbullying. This study aims to address this by exploring whether resting state electroencephalography (EEG) power, among traditional frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta), predicts cyberbullying experiences over time. Participants (N=167 with n=904 datapoints; aged 12.0-17.9 years) completed EEG and other assessments at 4 monthly-intervals for five years. Results revealed several associations between EEG power across brain regions and various cyberbullying roles. Key findings include a decrease in EEG power across all frequency bands over time across the entire sample, aligning with typical developmental patterns. However, in early adolescence, cyberbully-victims exhibited lower delta power compared to other groups, which may suggest heightened emotional reactivity. Conversely, later in adolescence there were decreases in delta power among cyberbullies, potentially reflective an adaptive stress response. Longitudinally, cyberbully-victims retained more alpha power over time (i.e. into later adolescence) in frontal and central regions, suggesting greater cognitive effort in processing emotional experiences. Conversely, cyberbullies showed a relative steeper decline in alpha power (into later adolescence) in frontal regions, possibly linked to impulsivity and higher levels of general aggression. Longitudinal analyses highlight the importance of early interventions to target cognitive and emotional processes that may be implicated in cyberbullying in order to reduce the impact of cyberbullying and protect the mental health of adolescents. Future research should involve larger, more diverse samples to improve our knowledge of complex relationships in this research area.

Details

Title: Longitudinal Insights into the Neurophysiology of Cyberbullying Involvement in Adolescence: A Bayesian Approach Using EEG Spectral Power
Authors: Lia Mills (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
Paul Schwenn - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
Jules Mitchell - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
Toomas Erik Anijärv - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
Christina Driver - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
Amanda Boyes - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
Taliah Prince - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
Dashiell D Sacks - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
Daniel F Hermens - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
Publication details: Biological Psychology, Vol.196, pp.1-17
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date published: 2025
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2025.109019
ISSN: 1873-6246
PMID: 40158719
Data Availability: LABS is an ongoing longitudinal study with data collection still in progress, and therefore data is currently unavailable. Upon completion of LABS data collection, data will be made available.
Grant note: This work was supported by the Australian Commonwealth Government's ‘Prioritising Mental Health Initiative’. LM was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship.
Organisation Unit: Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science; Graduate Research School; Thompson Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991113840802621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Behavioral Sciences; Psychology; Psychology, Biological; Psychology, Experimental

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