Cyber hygiene and well-being among Vietnamese Gen-Z students: a perspective on awareness

Cyber hygiene has emerged as a pressing public issue, affecting mental health and victimological issues, yet limited research examines how specific dimensions of cyber hygiene awareness affect youth well-being in emerging economies. Drawing upon lifestyle routine activity, self-control, and general strain theories, this study conceptualizes cyber hygiene awareness through Awareness of Social Connection (ASC), Awareness of Privacy Concern (APC), Awareness of Unregulated Internet Use (AUIU), and Awareness of Trust–Risk Interaction (ATRI) to test their relationships with physical health and mental health among Vietnamese Gen-Z students. Using stratified random sampling, 307 valid responses in 308 participants across Vietnamese universities between March and May of 2024 were analyzed, and the results indicate that AUIU negatively associated with mental health and physical health while ATRI shows a positive relationship towards mental health. We also found that female participants are more risk-conscious and perform better on mental health and physical health scales compared to male participants. These findings emphasize the need for a cyber hygiene competency framework and mandatory modules aimed at (i) reducing unregulated internet use and exposure, and (ii) transforming privacy and trust–risk concerns into guardianship behaviors, such as implementing privacy controls, multi-factor authentication, scam detection, and rapid reporting systems.