Violent Video Game Exposure and Cyberbullying in Early Adolescents: A Latent Moderated Mediation Model

Violent video game exposure (VVGE) is a significant predictor of adolescent cyberbullying perpetration. However, little is known about the mediating and moderated mechanisms between them. This study examined the mediating role of moral disengagement between VVGE and cyberbullying perpetration as well as the moderating role of callous-unemotional (CU) traits on those associations. A total of 2,523 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 13.22, SD = 1.60, 48.4 percent girls) participated this study. Structural equation modeling showed that VVGE was significantly related to cyberbullying perpetration and moral disengagement play a mediating role between them. Latent moderated structural equation modeling showed that CU traits strengthened the effect of VVGE on moral disengagement and of VVGE on cyberbullying perpetration. Results further showed that the mediating effect of moral disengagement was more prominent for youths who have higher levels of CU traits. Interventions to reduce moral disengagement and CU traits among adolescents may interrupt the effect of VVGE to cyberbullying perpetration.