Cyberbullying and its Relationship to Self-Confidence among  Young Athletes

Young athletes are among the most vulnerable to this type of bullying due to their constant participation in sports competitions, their use of social media, and their public appearances, which can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, and fear of social criticism. This research aims to develop and assess the levels of cyberbullying and self-confidence among young athletes, as well as to explore the nature of the relationship between them. The researcher adopted a descriptive approach using survey and correlational methods, as these were best suited to the research problem. The research population included young athletes from various sports clubs in Dhi Qar Governorate who played football, basketball, volleyball, and handball. The total number of participants was approximately 220, while the sample comprised 90 athletes aged 16–18 years.

The researcher developed two scales, one for cyberbullying and one for self-confidence, each consisting of 20 items and employing a three-part response scale (always, sometimes,never). The researcher verified the scales' scientific properties through face validity, construct validity, and reliability. The results showed good validity, reliability, and internal consistency.

The results indicated that the level of cyberbullying among the young athletes was higher than the hypothetical mean, reflecting a relative prevalence of this phenomenon among the sample. The results also showed that their self-confidence levels were good and above the hypothetical mean, indicating the presence of positive psychological traits.

Furthermore, the results revealed a statistically significant relationship between cyberbullying and self-confidence. However, this is not a direct inverse relationship, but rather a complex one involving intertwined psychological, social, and sports-related environmental factors