Determinants of Smoking: the Role of Cyberbullying Victimization and Smoking Environments

Limited research has examined cyberbullying victimization as a risk factor for student smoking, while controlling for smoking in key adolescent social environments. This paper seeks to examine associations between cyberbullying victimization and the decision to smoke as well as the number of cigarettes consumed. We used a school-based cross-sectional survey conducted by the Spanish Government’s Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs in 2021. A total of 22,321 students between 14 and 18 years of age completed an anonymous survey. Count data mixed effects regression models, including zero inflated and hurdle models were used to analyse the role of cyberbullying victimization on adolescent smoking behaviour. Models included a random intercept to account for the homogeneity within schools. Increased frequency of cyberbullying victimization reduced the odds of being a non-smoker and increased the quantity of cigarettes smoked. These associations were robust after controlling for family, peer and teacher smoking behaviour. Family and peer smoking also correlated with both smoking decisions. Cyberbullying victimization was associated with both the probability of smoking and the amount smoked. Both decisions were also influenced by family and peer smoking. Consequently, smoking policies designed to prevent adolescent smoking should try to address, among others, these important exposures.