Cyber Dating Abuse in Higher Education Students: Self-Esteem, Sex, Age and Recreational Time Online

Abstract

Cyber dating abuse represents a new form of dating violence that has been gaining worrying dimensions. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the relationship between cyber dating abuse and self-esteem, to understand the influence of sociodemographic variables (gender, age) and recreational time online on cyber dating abuse among Portuguese higher education students. For that, we randomly gathered a sample of 894 students. The results showed positive relationships between self-esteem and some cyber dating abuse factors. The sociodemographic variables show a significant effect of sex and age in some factors of this violence. Finally, it was observed that recreational time online had an effect on cyber dating abuse by direct aggression, both in terms of victimization and perpetration. In view of the results, the development of prevention and intervention programs aimed at this issue is considered relevant.