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Introduction
We Are Social (2023) reports that there are 96.87 million Internet users in Mexico, accounting for 74% of the total population, with more than 90% of Mexican adolescents being Internet users (National Institute of Statistic and Geography [Inegi], 2023). Adolescents use the Internet for socialization, learning, entertainment and participate in social issues (Contreras et al. 2023; Saputra, Al Siddiq, 2020; Weinstein and James 2022). While the Internet offers several benefits for adolescents, its misuse can also have harmful consequences. Concerns about the increased Internet use and its impact on adolescents’ mental health have grown, as they are the vulnerable group to experience problematic Internet use (Chamarro et al. 2024; Restrepo et al. 2020). For instance, in Mexico, the 2023 national study reported that a significant 26.5% of adolescents reported being victims of cyber aggression (National Institute of Statistic and Geography 2024).
Developing digital citizenship is critical in fostering responsible Internet use among adolescents (Choi et al. 2017; Ribble 2015). Digital citizenship is a multidimensional construct encompassing various aspects of how their behavior affects themselves and others (Choi 2016; Choi et al. 2017; Jones and Mitchell 2016; Kim and Han 2020; Ribble 2015). Despite differing perspectives among researchers, it is acknowledged that online respect, civic engagement, and diversity acceptance are all essential components of digital citizenship in adolescents (Jones and Mitchell 2016; Kim and Han 2020; Valdés-Cuervo et al. 2024). In online interactions, respectful online behaviors involve showing concern for the well-being of people or groups. Online civic engagement includes behaviors promoting community welfare, such as volunteering and charity. Finally, online diversity acceptance implies that adolescents maintain positive relationships with people with differences, such as ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.
Digital citizenship serves as a protective factor against problematic digital media use (Si and Lee 2022), online hate, unwanted sexual content (Setty 2022), and cyber aggression (Brandau et al. 2022; Jones and Mitchell 2016). Additionally, it has been linked to positive outcomes such as increased happiness (Si and Lee 2022), defender intervention in cyberbullying (Jones and Mitchell 2016; Valdés-Cuervo et al. 2024; Vlaanderen et al. 2020) and improved offline citizenship among adolescents (Kim and Han 2020; LeCompte et al. 2020; Vlaanderen et al. 2020). However, there is limited empirical research on the...