Psychological dynamics and adaptive processes of negative online social interactions among university students: a qualitative study in higher education digital environments.

OBJECTIVE: As digital platforms increasingly shape university students' learning, social interactions, and identity construction, negative online social interactions have become important experiences in connected digital environments. Existing research has mainly examined specific negative online behaviors, such as cyberbullying and online exclusion, and their psychological consequences, while paying less attention to how students interpret and adapt to negative interactions embedded in everyday digital life. Drawing on a cyberpsychological perspective, this study explores the dynamic psychological processes and adaptation pathways underlying negative online social interactions among university students. METHODS: A qualitative research design was adopted, using semi-structured interviews with 35 university students and 10 teachers and staff members. Student interviews constituted the primary analytical data, while teacher and staff interviews provided contextual insights into university digital interaction environments. Thematic analysis was conducted through iterative coding, researcher discussions, and reflexive analysis. RESULTS: Four interconnected themes were identified: (1) high digital platform conductivity shapes negative online interactions, as platform immediacy, persistence, and visibility amplify the spread and retention of impacts; (2) continuous exposure transforms negative interactions into cumulative psychological burdens, involving emotional fluctuations, stress accumulation, and meaning reconstruction; (3) students regulate negative interaction impacts through progressive coping pathways, moving from immediate emotional responses to boundary adjustment and strategic behavioral adaptation; (4) resource integration facilitates adaptive adjustment in digital environments, with digital literacy, emotional regulation, social support, and psychological resilience jointly supporting psychological balance and sustained digital engagement. These findings indicate that negative online social interactions are not isolated events but dynamic processes shaped by technological features, psychological experiences, and social resources. CONCLUSION: This study extends the understanding of negative online social interactions beyond specific cyber harm incidents by conceptualizing them as ongoing psychological processes within digital social interactions. It reveals how university students experience interactional stress, develop coping pathways, and achieve adaptation in connected digital environments. The findings contribute to a process-oriented understanding of technology-mediated social interactions in cyberpsychology and provide practical implications for digital citizenship education, student mental health support, and healthier digital interaction environments.