Intimate abuse through technology: A systematic review of scientific Constructs and behavioral dimensions

Abstract

In the last decade, research related to intimate abuse through technology has increased exponentially, and numerous scientific constructs have been created to define this phenomenon. These constructs tend to be compared or used interchangeably, but several previous studies have emphasized that this multiplurality of constructs could contribute to the existence of constraints in the interpretation and comparison of results between studies. To address these constraints, we undertook a systematic review with the aims of (1) identifying scientific constructs related to intimate abuse through technology and (2) identifying behavioral dimensions developed to analyze this phenomenon. In our review, we included 126 studies and identified 42 constructs and 20 multidimensional behavioral sets related to intimate abuse through technology. On the basis of our analysis, we recommend that future studies adopt the construct of digital dating abuse or the initial theoretical formulation of cyber dating abuse to analyze this phenomenon since they both provide formal definitions and full-spectrum behavioral dimensions; however, these constructs also present some limitations. We also recommend that future studies consider expanding this research field to different configurations of intimate relationships, considering the inclusion of more diverse age groups.