Perceived social adversity and online trolling in college students: Depressive symptoms mediation and perceived social support moderation

Siqi Wang¹, Fang Li^1,2,*, Yuedong Qiu¹, Biyun Wu³
1 School of Psychology, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
2 Sichuan Key Laboratory of Psychology and Behaviour of Discipline Inspection and Supervision, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
3 The Third Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
* Corresponding Author: Fang Li. Email: email

Journal of Psychology in Africa https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.073976

Received 29 September 2025; Accepted 27 April 2026; Published online 15 June 2026

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Abstract

This study investigated the relation of perceived social adversity to online trolling in college students. Participants were 1047 Chinese university students (51.0% female; mean age = 19.93 years, SD = 1.38) who completed self-report questionnaires assessing perceived social adversity, depressive symptoms, online trolling, and perceived social support. Regression analyses controlling for gender, age, and grade indicated that perceived social adversity positively predicted online trolling. Further analyses showed that depressive symptoms accounted for this association, whereas perceived social support attenuated the direct effect only at lower levels of perceived social adversity. Consistent with the I³ model, perceived social adversity and depressive symptoms increased the likelihood of online trolling, but perceived social support exerted a buffering effect only under specific conditions. Therefore, beyond platform governance, prevention should prioritize early identification of high-stress, high-depression individuals and provide tailored psychological resources and support.