Dating Abuse Research Articles

The impact of adolescent dating violence and abuse on victims’ mental health and social isolation: a thematic empirical evidence review

Purpose Adolescent dating violence and abuse (ADVA) can have severe and long-lasting implications for the mental health, cognitive development, and overall wellbeing of young people at a complex developmental stage. The purpose of this paper is to scrutinise current literature and consider the impact of early intimate dating abuse, exploring how factors such as the quality and influence of peer relationships can be critical foundations to young people’s vulnerability or resilience. The significance of certain childhood adversities as predictors of increased risk of future ADVA perpetration and victimisation will be considered. Design/methodology/approach In this article, the authors examine the impact of ADVA on victim-survivors focusing on mental distress, including self-harm, depression and anxiety, continuous traumatic stress, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation. The authors also examine the pervasive influence of ADVA on victims’ social isolation and exclusion from networks of social support. ADVA often causes victims to be fearful, entrapped, isolated and controlled. Findings Societal normalisation of dating abuse and rape myths can exacerbate a victim’s feelings of self-blame and shame, severely impairing young people’s ability to disclose and seek external support, perpetuating feelings of helplessness. In integrating recent research, legislation and government reports, the authors demonstrate the necessity of addressing ADVA through a whole school approach, trauma-informed interventions and authentic educational programmes. Originality/value This article contributes to the growing body of literature, emphasising both the mental health impact and urgent need to change attitudes and behaviours underlying ADVA. The authors offer recommendations for policy and practice such that the needs of victims can be better met whilst perpetrators are offered support and held to account.

Elevated Odds of Dating Violence Among U.S. Youth with Mental Health and Neurodevelopmental Conditions: Estimates from a Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study.

Youth with mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions may be at increased risk for interpersonal violence victimization and perpetration as compared to counterparts without these conditions. To investigate this possibility, we conducted an analysis using U.S. nationally representative data collected from youth ages 11 to 21 years old (N = 846). We calculated the prevalence of any dating abuse victimization or perpetration, as well as four specific subtypes of dating abuse-physical, sexual, psychological, and cyber dating abuse-for youth with eight types of mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders (i.e., anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], oppositional defiant or other conduct disorder, bipolar disorder [BD], attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], autism, or learning disability). Nearly one-half (43%) of the sample reported that they had one or more of the eight mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions (n = 337), 75% of those reported experiencing at least one act of dating abuse victimization in the past year, and 62% reported one or more acts of dating abuse perpetration. Ordinal regression model analyses demonstrated that youth with mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions had substantially elevated odds of more frequent physical, sexual, psychological, and cyber dating abuse victimization (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.2 to 7.4) and dating abuse perpetration (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.0 to 6.9) controlling for gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age, and household income. Compared to youth with no mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions, youth with BD were particularly likely to report more frequent experiences of all types of dating abuse victimization. Also, sexual dating abuse perpetration was elevated among youth with anxiety, depression, PTSD, BD, and ADHD. Funders are called upon to invest strategically in the development and rigorous testing of healthy relationships promotion programs and strategies that will benefit the millions of youth in U.S. schools who have these conditions.

Jealousy or Abuse? Dispositional Mindfulness Helps Chinese College Students Understand and Save From Cyber Dating Abuse.

Technology advances lead to a high prevalence of cyber dating abuse among youth. Previous studies had demonstrated its detrimental outcomes and predictors, but neglected the characters in Eastern countries. Therefore, exploring the comprehensive mechanisms of cyber dating abuse in different cultures and mitigating it are necessary. The current study first recruited 242 participants (65.7% women, Mage = 20.79 years, SD = 1.89) through social media to revise a localized Cyber Dating Abuse Questionnaire. Then, we conducted a moderated mediation model with 300 participants (60.0% women, Mage = 20.92 years, SD = 1.86) recruited through snowball sampling to examine the utilities of anxious attachment, jealousy, and dispositional mindfulness on cyber dating abuse perpetration. The two samples were integrated to examine the prevalence of cyber dating abuse, including 542 Chinese college students who were in heterosexual relationships the past year. The results showed that both perpetrators and victims of cyber dating abuse were 48.5% respectively. Women reported more perpetration behaviors (men = 40.9%; women = 53.1%) and less victimization (men = 56.2%; women = 44.0%) than men. Jealousy mediated the association between anxious attachment and cyber dating abuse perpetration. Moreover, dispositional mindfulness, particularly its non-judgment facet, could be a protective factor. These findings underscored the commonalities and expanded theories in understanding cyber dating abuse, facilitating the development of preventive and interventive strategies. Future studies should focus on this phenomenon and provide more comprehensive protection and psychosocial education for youth and adolescents.

Cyber Dating Abuse Among Spanish Emerging Adults: The Moderating Role of Resilience in the Association Between Perpetration and Victimization

Cyber dating abuse is a significant issue among emerging adults, with harmful implications for both victims and perpetrators. This study had two main objectives: first, to validate previous findings regarding the association between victimization and perpetration of cyber dating abuse; and second, to explore the moderating role of resilience in this relationship, offering new insights into how resilience may influence these dynamics. The sample consisted of 547 participants, including 324 females and 223 males, aged 18 to 25 years ( M age = 19.95 years, SD = 1.69). Participants completed validated scales to assess cyber dating abuse perpetration and victimization, as well as resilience, using a multi-item questionnaire. Regression analyses revealed a significant association between cyber dating abuse victimization and perpetration. Although resilience had a statistically significant moderating effect on this relationship, the strength of the moderation was weak. Preventive initiatives should take these findings into consideration when addressing cyber dating abuse. Implications for future research are also discussed.

Mental Health and Academic Engagement: The Influence of Cyber Dating Abuse Victimization on Undergraduate Students

Mental Health and Academic Engagement: The Influence of Cyber Dating Abuse Victimization on Undergraduate Students

Implications of Self-Other Overlap for Cyber Dating Abuse in Young Adult Romantic Partners.

Social network sites (SNSs) have brought about profound changes in the way people relate to others, including their romantic partners. Despite the advantages SNSs may have for building and managing romantic relationships, their use can be linked to risky behaviors within romantic relationships, such as the emergence of jealousy, control, and intrusiveness, i.e., cyber dating abuse (CDA) behaviors. The present study, in a sample of 315 Italian young adults involved in a romantic relationship (74.6 percent women and 25.4 percent men) aged 20 to 33 years (M = 24.17; SD = 2.60), explored CDA behaviors and their association with self-other overlap. Findings showed a positive association between self-other overlap and the frequency of CDA behaviors. That is, those who struggled to recognize their partners as different from themselves tended to control and enact intrusive behaviors toward them. This association, however, was moderated by the partners' relationship duration, so that it was only significant for partners in a long-term relationship. The study expands our understanding of CDA behaviors in romantic relationships, contributing to identifying the conditions under which they are more likely to be perpetrated. In addition, it helps inform interventions for preventing risky behaviors within young adults' romantic relationships.

Problematic alcohol use, jealousy, and digital dating abuse: A dyadic analysis

Young adults engage in digital dating abuse (DDA), or threatening, monitoring, and controlling behavior towards a romantic partner through technology. Alcohol use and jealousy are well-established risk factors for in-person partner abuse but have not yet been investigated in couples in the context of DDA. Jealousy might be a relevant moderator in the digital context, potentially amplifying the negative associations between problematic alcohol use and DDA. Thus, we examine dyadic associations between young adults’ problematic alcohol use and DDA perpetration, with romantic jealousy as a moderator. Participants are young adult heterosexual couples ( N = 91 couples, M age = 21.03 years, 54.4% White, 19.2% Latino, 26.3% other). Results from actor-partner interdependence models suggest that men’s jealousy significantly moderates both the actor effect for men and the partner effect for women. In contrast, women’s jealousy significantly moderates the partner effects for both men and women. Men’s problematic alcohol use is a risk factor for their own DDA perpetration at high levels of jealousy and is a risk factor for their partner’s DDA perpetration across their own or their partner’s jealousy. Women’s problematic alcohol use is a risk factor for their partner’s DDA perpetration across levels of their jealousy. These findings underscore the importance of considering individual and relational factors in understanding DDA. The study highlights the need for dyadic interventions targeting problematic alcohol use and jealousy to prevent DDA. Future research should utilize longitudinal designs and diary studies to investigate in-the-moment processes and within-person variability.

The Role of Intrasexual Competition and the Big 5 in the Perpetration of Digital Dating Abuse.

Recent research has examined digital dating abuse through an evolutionary lens, finding people who report intrasexual competitiveness engage in digital dating abuse. Here, we replicated this finding and extended the literature by examining the role of the Big Five personality traits in the perpetration of digital dating abuse, which, to our knowledge, has not been examined in relation to digital dating abuse (n=280). This paper reports findings showing intrasexual competitiveness positively predicts the perpetration of digitaldating abuse; whereby high intrasexual competition is related to high levels of digital dating abuse. Agreeableness was a negative predictor of digital dating abuse; whereby high agreeableness was related to low perpetration of digital dating abuse. Our findings extend the literature exploring digital dating abuse through an evolutionary lens.

Frustrated cyber-abuser: Narcissistic traits in the context of the basic psychological needs and cyber dating abuse

Frustrated cyber-abuser: Narcissistic traits in the context of the basic psychological needs and cyber dating abuse

Cyber Dating Abuse Among Korean College Students: An Exploratory Study of Risk and Protective Factors

This study investigated the factors associated with cyber dating abuse (CDA) among college students in South Korea. In order to shed light on this relatively understudied area concerning social and health issues, the study analyzed data from a convenience sample of 199 undergraduate students enrolled in a medium-sized Korean university. The findings showed that over the past 12 months, 52.5% of male and 51.4% of female students experienced CDA, while perpetration rates stood at 37.3% for males and 46.4% for females. Binomial logistic regression analyses revealed that students who had experienced partner abuse were more likely to be victims of CDA (IRR = 1.640; CI [1.108, 2.428]), as were those who had perpetrated physical or psychological abuse against their partners in person (IRR = 2.740; CI [1.456, 5.153]). Furthermore, users of online dating services were three times more likely to experience CDA than non-users (IRR = 3.008; CI [1.326, 6.822]). Perpetrating offline partner abuse (IRR = 3.572; CI [1.770, 7.210]) and using online support networks to resolve conflicts in romantic relationships (IRR = 2.734; CI [1.294, 5.778]) were significantly linked to CDA perpetration. These findings underscore the prevalence of CDA victimization and perpetration among college students in South Korea. Therefore, colleges and universities must implement effective prevention programs targeting cyber dating abuse or strengthen existing IPV prevention programs.

Actor-Partner Associations of Emotion Regulation, Relationship Quality, and Cyber Dating Abuse among Heterosexual Emerging Adult Couples

Actor-Partner Associations of Emotion Regulation, Relationship Quality, and Cyber Dating Abuse among Heterosexual Emerging Adult Couples

Malevolent Monitoring: Dark Triad Traits, Cyber Dating Abuse, and the Instrumental Role of Self-Control.

Cyber dating abuse (CDA) concerns the use of digital technology to control, monitor, and hurt one's intimate partner. CDA can have profound detrimental outcomes, such as mental health problems. As such, it is important to identify intrapersonal factors that may explain these behaviors. Previous research suggests that one such factor is the personality cluster of Dark Triad traits (DTT), comprising Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Additionally, DTT and CDA perpetration have both been linked to poor self-control ability, but these relationships have not yet been tested together in one model. As such, the present study examines if individuals' poor self-control ability mediates the relationship between the DTT and CDA perpetration. To test these associations, we conducted a survey study among a representative sample of Belgian adults (n = 1,144; Mage = 47.66 years; 51.3% female). Findings from correlation analyses revealed that all three DTT were individually associated with CDA perpetration, such that higher scores on these traits corresponded with more CDA perpetration. Additionally, pathway analyses from structural equation modeling revealed that individuals' poor self-control ability fully explained the relationship between Machiavellianism and narcissism and CDA perpetration, and partially explained the relationship between psychopathy and CDA perpetration. As our findings suggest that self-control plays an instrumental role in explaining why individuals control and monitor their partner via digital technology, prevention and intervention efforts should seek ways to improve individuals' self-control ability in situations that may trigger such harmful interpersonal behaviors, particularly among individuals who exhibit Dark Triad personality traits.

Cyber Dating Abuse: Conceptualization and Meta-analysis of Prevalence Rates

In this study, a systematic review was carried out with the aim of analyzing the terms, definitions, dimensions, and prevalence rates of cyber dating abuse (CDA). After the analysis, the term cyber dating abuse is considered as the most appropriate and a complete definition of the construct is provided, along with the related dimensions. In order to synthesize the victimization prevalence rates of CDA, a meta-analysis of 16 studies was also carried out, including 14,235 participants, based on most suitable and most commonly used instrument for CDA measurement. This meta-analysis indicated an estimated global prevalence of CDA victimization of 47%, the prevalence for the control dimension being 63%, while for direct psychological aggression it was 24%. The results hardly showed differences between male and female victimization, which would support gender symmetry. Despite some limitations, this bibliographic and meta-analytic review sheds light on the field of CDA.

Bad Break-Up Behavior: Break-Up Characteristics, Emotional Dysregulation, and Alcohol Use as Risk Factors for Cyber Dating Abuse Among Sexual Orientation Diverse College Students.

Cyber dating abuse (CDA) is a growing public health concern among college students. CDA includes monitoring and abusive behaviors perpetrated toward an ex-partner via technology. Little is known about the predictors of CDA, particularly among sexual minority (SM) college students. Some theorized but relatively untested predictors include break-up characteristics, emotional regulation deficits, and alcohol use. The current study investigates what factors are associated with an increased risk for CDA toward an ex-partner (i.e., break-up characteristics, emotional dysregulation, and alcohol use) and the differences in associations with CDA between heterosexual and SM college students. Participants (N = 661) self-reported their CDA perpetration following their worst romantic break-up. They also answered questions about the break-up, their emotional regulation skills, and their current alcohol use. While SM students (n = 191) reported greater emotion regulation difficulties and alcohol use, they did not significantly differ from heterosexual participants (n = 470) in their reported CDA perpetration post-break-up. Hierarchical regressions were conducted to determine the impact of break-up characteristics and individual factors on CDA perpetration. Break-up characteristics, emotional dysregulation, and alcohol use significantly predicted heterosexual participants' CDA perpetration and accounted for 17% of the variance. Conversely, for SM students, only alcohol use was predictive of CDA, accounting for 5% of the variance. Although SM students report similar break-up experiences and levels of CDA as heterosexual students, additional, unmeasured factors may drive perpetration. However, given the generally high rates of alcohol use and CDA, and their robust association, interventions targeting alcohol reduction and healthy relationship dissolution strategies may be beneficial.

“You liked that Instagram post?!” Adolescents’ jealousy and digital dating abuse behaviors in reaction to digital romantic relationship threats

“You liked that Instagram post?!” Adolescents’ jealousy and digital dating abuse behaviors in reaction to digital romantic relationship threats

Mapping digital dating abuse in Brasil and Australia: a review on victimisation experiences from the Global-South

Resumo A tecnologia desempenha papel fundamental nas relações entre jovens. Embora seus benefícios sejam bem conhecidos, menos se sabe sobre seus impactos e experiências negativas, como o abuso digital no namoro. A maioria dos estudos vem de países norte-americanos e europeus e não enquadram o abuso digital no namoro como um fenômeno multidimensional. É necessário explorar esta questão social e de saúde pública no Sul Global que impacta significativamente a vida de jovens. Uso a concepção de abuso digital no namoro de Brown e Hegarty como uma ampla gama de comportamentos nocivos e uma perspectiva de gênero para revisar a literatura existente sobre vitimização de adolescentes por abuso digital no namoro em relacionamentos heterossexuais de uma perspectiva do Sul. Essa perspectiva é demonstrada na revisão que destaca estudos de dois países do Sul Global: Brasil e Austrália. Argumento que o abuso digital no namoro é um fenômeno multifacetado e de gênero e sugiro que uma abordagem qualitativa em vários países do Sul pode ajudar pesquisadoras a estudar experiências, contextos e impactos de abuso digital no namoro entre adolescentes. Esse fenômeno contemporâneo merece atenção acadêmica como um problema social e de saúde pública.

Mapping digital dating abuse in Brasil and Australia.

Technology plays a key role in young people's relationships. While its benefits are well known, less is known about its negative impacts and experiences, such as digital dating abuse. Most studies originate from North American and European countries and have not framed digital dating abuse as a multidimensional phenomenon. Exploring this social and public health issue in the Global-South is necessary because it significantly impacts youths' lives. I use Brown and Hegarty's framework of digital dating abuse as a wide range of harmful behaviours and a gender perspective to review the extant literature on adolescent victimisation in digital dating abuse in heterosexual relationships from a southern perspective. This perspective is demonstrated by drawing primarily from the scholarship of two countries in the Global-South, Brasil and Australia. I argue that digital dating abuse is a multifaceted and gendered phenomenon and suggest a qualitative approach across multiple southern countries aids researchers to compile and study adolescent digital dating abuse experiences, contexts and impacts. This contemporary phenomenon of adolescent digital dating abuse merits scholarly attention as a social and public health problem.

Digital Dating Abuse: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Social media and other technologies are being increasingly adopted as mechanisms to perpetrate abuse against dating partners. Using Ajzen's theory of planned behavior as a framework, a sample of 352 emerging adults completed a questionnaire that assessed the core constructs of the theory of planned behavior (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control), as well as intentions to commit three types of digital dating abuse in the near future: digital monitoring and control, digital direct aggression, and digital sexual coercion. The models explained 44%, 34%, and 44% of the variance in intentions to commit digitally facilitated monitoring and control, direct aggression, and sexual coercion, respectively. Attitudes and subjective norms significantly predicted intentions, whereas perceived behavioral control did not. Given the increasing prevalence of digital dating abuse, prevention efforts should target attitudes toward digital dating abuse-related behaviors and perceptions of social acceptability and engagement.

Using machine learning algorithms (supervised) to generate automatically labeled dataset for detecting digital dating abuse from text messages

Digital dating abuse is a form of intimate partner violence that uses technology as a medium to propagate fear and cause harm for dating partners. Over several years digital dating abuse has been on the rise, and particularly during COVID-19, the issue has risen exponentially. This project aims to create a tool that raises awareness and detects digital dating from text messages. Previously, we generated a dataset with expert labelers to use supervised machine learning algorithms for abuse detection. However, the cost and time associated with generating human-annotated datasets limit the size of these verified datasets. This poster explores using machine learning algorithms trained on human-annotated datasets to label more extensive crowd-sourced datasets and generate a larger training dataset for abuse detection algorithms. We used Naive Bayes, Decision Tree, LSVM, and LSTM to test for accuracy and speed of labeling this more extensive dataset.

The Protective Role of Dispositional Mindfulness on Cyber Dating Abuse: A 6-Month Longitudinal Study.

Dispositional mindfulness has been related to a decreased propensity to aggressive behaviors toward others, including dating partners. Nevertheless, research in the context of romantic relationships is scarce, based on cross-sectional designs and offline (face to face) aggression. Thus, this 6-month longitudinal study seeks to fill a gap in the literature by examining the predictive role of dispositional mindfulness facets (observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, and non-reacting) in the perpetration of cyber dating abuse (CDA) behaviors in adolescents. The moderator role of the dispositional mindfulness facets in the perpetuation over time of cyber aggression toward the partner was also explored. Participants were 501 high school students (54.1% girls; mean age: 14.17 years, SD = 1.39) from different regions of Spain who completed self-report measures about CDA and dispositional mindfulness at two time points with a 6-month interval between them. Path analysis showed that the acting with awareness mindfulness facet predicted a decrease in the perpetration of CDA 6 months later. Moreover, non-reacting showed a moderator role in the perpetuation over time of CDA. In particular, adolescents with higher scores on non-reacting, evidenced a lower perpetuation of CDA. Mindfulness-based interventions can be a valuable tool in preventing cyber aggression that occurs in adolescent dating relationships.