MANAGING CYBERBULLYING VICTIMISATION AND OCCUPATIONAL STRESS: MODERATING ROLE OF PERCEIVED ORGANISATIONAL SUPPORT AND TYPES OF HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTION

Abstract

The changing landscape of the teaching and learning environment presents academicians with many new challenges and stressors. Among these stressors, cyberbullying victimisation has emerged as one of the most concerning, rapidly increasing with the proliferation of internet technologies. This trend places a psychological burden on academics and requires the implementation of effective strategies to combat and mitigate the effects of cyberbullying victimisation in higher learning institutions (HLIs). Therefore, this study aims to investigate the multidimensional impact of cyberbullying on the occupational stress of academicians in HLIs and to highlight the moderating role of perceived organisational support (POS) and the types of higher educational institutions. A total of 219 questionnaires from private and public HLIs were collected and analysed. Academicians were sent a link to a set of questionnaires to complete. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the proposed framework. Cyberbullying victimisation significantly influences occupational stress. The types of HLI significantly moderated the relationship between cyberbullying victimisation and occupational stress. The results showed that POS did not moderate the relationship between cyberbullying victimisation and occupational stress. However, POS significantly and directly reduced occupational stress. This study has several implications for theoretical and descriptive studies of cyberbullying victimisation among academicians at HLIs.