Factors That Affect Teachers’ Coping with Cyberbullying: Implications for Teacher Education Programs

Over the last decade, with the emergence of cyberbullying (CB) in the education arena, teachers at all stages of the education system have confronted new challenges. Few studies have looked into the factors that affect the coping. This study examines teaching background factors and personal-psychological factors that may affect teachers coping with CB. Six hundred forty-four teachers
(81.5% female) completed self-reported questionnaires referring to CB coping, empathy level, communication with students level and teachers’ self-efficacy. Results have revealed that overall, teachers were reported on moderate levels of coping with CB. Pearson correlations indicated that CB coping is correlated positively with high levels of empathy, communication with students, and teachers’ self-efficacy. A multiple regression analysis for predicting effective coping with CB exposed a significant model showing that seniority, empathy, and high levels of teachers’ communication with students may predict teachers’ coping with CB, whereas age and gender do not. Furthermore, the results of a mediation model have revealed that empathy and teacher self-efficacy mediate the influence of teacher communication with students on CB coping. However, we
found no direct effect of teacher communication with students on CB coping. The results have significant implications for teachers’ education programs.