Cyber and Offline Dating Abuse in a Portuguese Sample: Prevalence and Context of Abuse
The increasing use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and networking has promoted the occurrence of different forms of victimization, specifically in terms of interpersonal interaction (e.g., cyberbullying or online risk-taking behaviour), which also includes cyber dating abuse (CDA...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/10/10/152 |
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| author | Sónia Caridade Hélder Fernando Pedrosa e Sousa Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis |
| author_facet | Sónia Caridade Hélder Fernando Pedrosa e Sousa Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis |
| author_sort | Sónia Caridade |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increasing use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and networking has promoted the occurrence of different forms of victimization, specifically in terms of interpersonal interaction (e.g., cyberbullying or online risk-taking behaviour), which also includes cyber dating abuse (CDA). Some studies report that CDA is an extension of offline dating abuse (ODA). Because Portuguese studies in this area are scarce, this study aims to bridge this knowledge gap, seeking to investigate the extent and the context of CDA occurrence, and the relationship between CDA and all forms of ODA, i.e., physical, verbal–emotional and control. A convenience sample of 173 Portuguese adolescents and young adults was studied. This sample is mostly female (86.7%), has a mean (M) age of 25.36 years old and a standard deviation (SD) of 6.88 years of age. The results show that CDA and ODA among the Portuguese are very prevalent and related. Control (31.8 vs. 20.8%) and verbal–emotional ODA (26.7 vs. 20.2%) as well as control CDA (38.2 vs. 43.4%) were the most prevalent forms of abuse, either in terms of victimization or in terms of perpetration. The results also showed that CDA usually appears in a context of jealousy, also explaining control CDA and CDA direct aggression. A significant relationship between control CDA and CDA direct aggression and physical, verbal–emotional and control ODA was found. Experiencing control and verbal–emotional ODA are the main risk factors of control CDA victimization. This study allows to lay the groundwork for further research on dating victimization and perpetration through ICT, and has important practical implications at the level of Portuguese prevention strategies and intervention policies, thus emphasizing the role of the official authorities and the law itself. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:50:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7564e4f92f3d475ea13bf0f3cfe5f2cc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:50:45Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-7564e4f92f3d475ea13bf0f3cfe5f2cc2023-11-20T16:05:40ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2020-10-01101015210.3390/bs10100152Cyber and Offline Dating Abuse in a Portuguese Sample: Prevalence and Context of AbuseSónia Caridade0Hélder Fernando Pedrosa e Sousa1Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis2Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Praça 9 de Abril 349, 4249-004 Porto, PortugalDepartment of Mathematics (DM.UTAD), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, PortugalPermanent Observatory Violence and Crime (OPVC), University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Praça 9 de Abril 349, 4249-004 Porto, PortugalThe increasing use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and networking has promoted the occurrence of different forms of victimization, specifically in terms of interpersonal interaction (e.g., cyberbullying or online risk-taking behaviour), which also includes cyber dating abuse (CDA). Some studies report that CDA is an extension of offline dating abuse (ODA). Because Portuguese studies in this area are scarce, this study aims to bridge this knowledge gap, seeking to investigate the extent and the context of CDA occurrence, and the relationship between CDA and all forms of ODA, i.e., physical, verbal–emotional and control. A convenience sample of 173 Portuguese adolescents and young adults was studied. This sample is mostly female (86.7%), has a mean (M) age of 25.36 years old and a standard deviation (SD) of 6.88 years of age. The results show that CDA and ODA among the Portuguese are very prevalent and related. Control (31.8 vs. 20.8%) and verbal–emotional ODA (26.7 vs. 20.2%) as well as control CDA (38.2 vs. 43.4%) were the most prevalent forms of abuse, either in terms of victimization or in terms of perpetration. The results also showed that CDA usually appears in a context of jealousy, also explaining control CDA and CDA direct aggression. A significant relationship between control CDA and CDA direct aggression and physical, verbal–emotional and control ODA was found. Experiencing control and verbal–emotional ODA are the main risk factors of control CDA victimization. This study allows to lay the groundwork for further research on dating victimization and perpetration through ICT, and has important practical implications at the level of Portuguese prevention strategies and intervention policies, thus emphasizing the role of the official authorities and the law itself.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/10/10/152cyber dating abuse (CDA)offline dating abuse (ODA)information and communication technologies (ICT)dating relationshipsprevalencecontext of dating abuse |
| spellingShingle | Sónia Caridade Hélder Fernando Pedrosa e Sousa Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis Cyber and Offline Dating Abuse in a Portuguese Sample: Prevalence and Context of Abuse Behavioral Sciences cyber dating abuse (CDA) offline dating abuse (ODA) information and communication technologies (ICT) dating relationships prevalence context of dating abuse |
| title | Cyber and Offline Dating Abuse in a Portuguese Sample: Prevalence and Context of Abuse |
| title_full | Cyber and Offline Dating Abuse in a Portuguese Sample: Prevalence and Context of Abuse |
| title_fullStr | Cyber and Offline Dating Abuse in a Portuguese Sample: Prevalence and Context of Abuse |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cyber and Offline Dating Abuse in a Portuguese Sample: Prevalence and Context of Abuse |
| title_short | Cyber and Offline Dating Abuse in a Portuguese Sample: Prevalence and Context of Abuse |
| title_sort | cyber and offline dating abuse in a portuguese sample prevalence and context of abuse |
| topic | cyber dating abuse (CDA) offline dating abuse (ODA) information and communication technologies (ICT) dating relationships prevalence context of dating abuse |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/10/10/152 |
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