Background <p>Cyberbullying has become a significant concern among adolescents, with various factors contributing to its prevalence. Previous research suggests that social-emotional competence can influence bullying behaviors and cyberbullying, but the mediating roles of bullying, school conflict, and media literacy remain underexplored.</p> Objectives <p>This study aims to investigate how social-emotional competence relates to cyberbullying, specifically examining the mediating roles of bullying behaviors, school fighting, and media literacy among Iranian adolescents.</p> Method <p>A descriptive correlational design was employed with a sample of 564 high school students from three cities in China and one city in Tehran, selected through random cluster sampling. Data were collected using four instruments: the Social-Emotional Competence Questionnaire, the Media Literacy Questionnaire, the Illinois Bully Scale and the Cyberbullying Victimization Experience Questionnaire. Path analysis techniques were used for data analysis.</p> Results <p>The findings indicated that bullying behaviors, school conflicts, and media literacy significantly mediate the relationship between social-emotional competence and cyberbullying. Specifically, higher social-emotional competence was associated with reduced bullying behaviors and conflict, which in turn contributed to lower levels of cyberbullying.</p> Conclusions <p>The study highlights the importance of enhancing social-emotional competence in reducing bullying and cyberbullying. The findings suggest that interventions should focus on promoting social-emotional skills while also addressing bullying and school conflicts. Furthermore, integrating ethical education into media literacy programs is recommended to mitigate cyberbullying among adolescents.</p>