Peer-reviewed article
Regional Disparities in Self-Harming Behaviour Among Indonesian Adolescents in Relation to Online Gaming Addiction and Cyberbullying Victimization.
Triyana Harlia Putri, Fitri Ariyanti Abidin, Meita Dhamayanti, Muhammad Luthfi, Septian Andriyani et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined self-harming behaviour among 1,742 Indonesian adolescents aged 11-16 years across five regions and its relationship to online gaming addiction and cyberbullying victimization. Self-harming behaviour was reported by 55% of adolescents overall, but varied significantly by region, from 34.3% in Java to 84.6% in Sulawesi. Cyberbullying victimization was significantly associated with self-harming behaviour, while online gaming addiction alone was not. Regional differences in self-harm could not be fully explained by digital risk exposure alone, suggesting broader psychosocial and contextual factors play a role.
Key points
- Overall prevalence of lifetime self-harming behaviour was 55.0% among Indonesian adolescents aged 11-16
- Regional variation was substantial: self-harm ranged from 34.3% in Java to 84.6% in Sulawesi
- Cyberbullying victimization was significantly associated with self-harming behaviour in adjusted analyses
- Online gaming addiction was not significantly associated with self-harming behaviour after adjustment for other factors
- Older age, male sex, and longer internet use were also significantly associated with higher odds of self-harming behaviour
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional study, so causality cannot be determined and the temporal relationship between digital risks and self-harm cannot be established. The study does not explain what broader psychosocial and contextual factors drive regional differences, limiting understanding of the underlying mechanisms.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The rapid expansion of digital technology has increased adolescents' exposure to online risks, including cyberbullying victimization (CBV) and Online Gaming Addiction (OGA), which may be associated with self-harming behavior (SHB). This study examined regional disparities in digital risk exposure and SHB among Indonesian adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1742 adolescents aged 11-16 years from five regions of Indonesia: Sumatera, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua. Participants were recruited using multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires, the Indonesian Online Game Addiction Questionnaire, the Cyberbullying and Online Aggression Survey Instrument, and the Self-Harm Inventory (SHI). Regional differences were examined using chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with lifetime SHB. RESULTS: The prevalence of lifetime SHB was 55.0% and varied significantly across regions, ranging from 34.3% in Java to 84.6% in Sulawesi. OGA and CBV were most prevalent in Java (67.9% and 81.2%, respectively), followed by Sulawesi. In adjusted analyses, adolescents in Sulawesi had higher odds of lifetime SHB, whereas those in Java had lower odds compared with adolescents in Papua. Older age, male sex, longer internet use, and CBV were significantly associated with higher odds of lifetime SHB, while OGA was not significantly associated with SHB. DISCUSSION: Regional differences in lifetime SHB were not fully explained by digital risk exposure alone and may reflect broader psychosocial and contextual factors that warrant further investigation. These findings highlight the importance of considering regional context and CBV in adolescent SHB prevention and mental health strategies. Region-specific approaches addressing digital safety, psychosocial support, and equitable access to adolescent mental health services may be warranted.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- No intervention was tested; this is an observational study examining associations between digital risk exposure and self-harming behaviour
- Population
- 1,742 adolescents aged 11-16 years from five Indonesian regions (Sumatera, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua)
Key finding
Prevalence of lifetime self-harming behaviour was 55.0% overall, ranging from 34.3% in Java to 84.6% in Sulawesi
Putri et al. · PubMed (US National Library of Medicine) · 27 Aug 2026