Middle Eastern Journal of Disability Studies
Middle Eastern Journal of Disability Studies
Ethics code: IR.IAU.Z.REC.1404.029
1- Department of Psychology, Zanjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan, Iran
Abstract: (724 Views)
Background & Objectives: Adolescence, which usually covers the age range of 12–18 years, is associated with many challenges in the path of identification and adaptation. Failure to adjust to the school environment can, through the mediating role of cyberbullying, lead to behavioral problems, reduced academic motivation, and an increased risk of mental health issues. School adjustment is critical for adolescents’ academic performance and mental well–being. Social development, emotional maturity, and parent–child relationships are recognized as key factors influencing school adjustment, yet the mediating role of cyberbullying has been underexplored, particularly in non–Western contexts like Iran. Theories, such as Erikson psychosocial development, Bandura social learning, Mayer and Salovey emotional intelligence, Bowlby attachment, and Anderson and Bushman general aggression model suggest that social skills, emotion regulation, family relationships, and cyber behaviors impact adjustment. This study aimed to examine a structural model of the relationships between social development, emotional maturity, and parent–child relationships with school adjustment in adolescents, mediated by cyberbullying, to address existing research gaps.
Methods: The research method was correlational and based on structural equation modeling. The population comprised all high school students in Shahreza City, Iran during the 2024–2025 academic year. Using multistage cluster sampling, 389 students (237 girls, 152 boys) were selected. The inclusion criteria for subjects were as follows: not using psychiatric drugs in the last three months, lacking counseling and psychotherapy sessions in the last three months, and the presence of parental consent for the child to enter the research. The exclusion criterion for leaving the subjects from the research was not answering the questionnaires completely. Study instruments included the Adjustment Inventory for School Students (AISS) (Sinha & Singh, 1993), Social Development Questionnaire (Weitzman et al., 1990), Emotional Maturity Scale (Singh & Bhargava), Parent–Child Relationship Scale (Fine et al., 1983) and Cyberbullying Questionnaire (Alvarez–Garcia et al., 2018). Structural equation modeling was used to fit the conceptual model. Data analysis was performed at a significance level of 0.05 in SPSS version 28 and AMOS version 24.
Results: Results showed that the direct effect of social development on school adjustment (β=0.172, p=0.016) and the direct effect of parent–child relationship on school adjustment (β=0.193, p=0.005) were positive and significant. The direct effect of emotional maturity on school adjustment (β=–0.163, p=0.026) and the direct effect of cyberbullying on school adjustment (β=–0.360, p<0.001) were also significant. The indirect effect of social development on school adjustment through cyberbullying (β=0.069, p=0.009) and the indirect effect of parent–child relationship on school adjustment through cyberbullying (β=0.093, p=0.003) were significant. Similarly, the indirect effect of emotional maturity on school adjustment through cyberbullying was significant (β=–0.084, p=0.023). Examining the total effects showed that the parent–child relationship with a total effect of 0.353 had the greatest impact on adaptation at school. Moreover, the results indicated a good fit of the conceptual model with the collected data (χ²/df=2.07, RMSEA=0.053, GFI=0.90, IFI=0.94, CFI=0.90, NFI=0.90, AGFI=0.88).
Conclusion: Based on the findings, strengthening social development and emotional maturity and parent–child relationships along with reducing cyberbullying promotes school adjustment in adolescents. These findings highlight the importance of integrated interventions in the family and school in the context of Iran, due to the increase in digital challenges.
Methods: The research method was correlational and based on structural equation modeling. The population comprised all high school students in Shahreza City, Iran during the 2024–2025 academic year. Using multistage cluster sampling, 389 students (237 girls, 152 boys) were selected. The inclusion criteria for subjects were as follows: not using psychiatric drugs in the last three months, lacking counseling and psychotherapy sessions in the last three months, and the presence of parental consent for the child to enter the research. The exclusion criterion for leaving the subjects from the research was not answering the questionnaires completely. Study instruments included the Adjustment Inventory for School Students (AISS) (Sinha & Singh, 1993), Social Development Questionnaire (Weitzman et al., 1990), Emotional Maturity Scale (Singh & Bhargava), Parent–Child Relationship Scale (Fine et al., 1983) and Cyberbullying Questionnaire (Alvarez–Garcia et al., 2018). Structural equation modeling was used to fit the conceptual model. Data analysis was performed at a significance level of 0.05 in SPSS version 28 and AMOS version 24.
Results: Results showed that the direct effect of social development on school adjustment (β=0.172, p=0.016) and the direct effect of parent–child relationship on school adjustment (β=0.193, p=0.005) were positive and significant. The direct effect of emotional maturity on school adjustment (β=–0.163, p=0.026) and the direct effect of cyberbullying on school adjustment (β=–0.360, p<0.001) were also significant. The indirect effect of social development on school adjustment through cyberbullying (β=0.069, p=0.009) and the indirect effect of parent–child relationship on school adjustment through cyberbullying (β=0.093, p=0.003) were significant. Similarly, the indirect effect of emotional maturity on school adjustment through cyberbullying was significant (β=–0.084, p=0.023). Examining the total effects showed that the parent–child relationship with a total effect of 0.353 had the greatest impact on adaptation at school. Moreover, the results indicated a good fit of the conceptual model with the collected data (χ²/df=2.07, RMSEA=0.053, GFI=0.90, IFI=0.94, CFI=0.90, NFI=0.90, AGFI=0.88).
Conclusion: Based on the findings, strengthening social development and emotional maturity and parent–child relationships along with reducing cyberbullying promotes school adjustment in adolescents. These findings highlight the importance of integrated interventions in the family and school in the context of Iran, due to the increase in digital challenges.
Keywords: School adjustment, Social development, Emotional maturity, Parent–child relationship, Cyberbullying
Type of Study: Original Research Article |
Subject:
Psychology
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