Individualistic and Collectivistic Self-Esteem as Cultural Psychological Processes: Linking Cyberbullying Victimization, Internalized Homophobia, and Hopelessness

This study examines associations among cyberbullying victimization, internalized homophobia, and hopelessness among South Korean LGB emerging and young adults. In doing so, the study focuses on the roles of individualistic and collectivistic self-esteem as crucial cultural-psychological processes that link these constructs. Cross-sectional data were collected via an online survey from late August 2023 to mid-January 2024. The study used 254 responses from Korean LGB emerging and young adults, the majority of whom were aged 19–29 years (65.4%). The analytical results showed that cyberbullying victimization was significantly associated with hopelessness, with collectivistic self-esteem and internalized homophobia each accounting for part of this association. Specifically, greater cyberbullying victimization was positively associated with higher levels of hopelessness, with this association operating indirectly through lower collectivistic self-esteem and higher internalized homophobia. By contrast, individualistic self-esteem was not significantly associated with any of the key variables. Based on the findings, the study suggests the importance of collectivistic cultural values in this specific population. It additionally stresses the roles of collectivistic self-esteem and internalized homophobia in understanding the psychological well-being consequences of cyberbullying victimization among this population.