Cyberstalking and Self-Harm Behavior among College Students: Depression as Mediator

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between cyberstalking, self-harm and depression among college students. It further investigated the mediating role of depression. Convenience sampling technique was to draw the sample of 380 students from various public and private colleges of Sargodha. The Cyber-Obsessional Pursuit (COP) Scale, the deliberate self-arm inventory and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale were used to measure cyberstalking, selfharm behavior and depression respectively. The findings revealed significant positive relationship among all study variables. The finding further revealed that depression mediate the relationship between cyberstalking and self-harm. Significant gender differences were found in real life transfer, a sub-scale of cyberstalking, self-harm behaviors and depression among college students. The current study has implications for parents, teachers, mental health
practitioners and policy makers.