Rebecca Ritchie
Technology is increasingly used in all areas of modern life, including to maintain romantic relationships. However, this makes online abuse between romantic partners more likely. Specifically, Cyber Dating Abuse (CDA) involves the use of technology to perpetrate aggressive, controlling, and monitoring behaviours towards a romantic partner. Technology may facilitate online abuse by encouraging disinhibition and enabling people to present “fake” characteristics when communicating with others. The current study examined the relationships between CDA perpetration and Toxic and Benign Online Disinhibition, Online Self-presentation, online platform use, and relationship satisfaction respectively. A cross-sectional study was performed, and an opportunity sample was utilised to recruit 326 participants aged between 18 to 68 years old (M = 24.47, SD = 8.52; 71.50% women). Participants completed an online questionnaire comprising of online platform use and relationship-related items, and Online Disinhibition, Online Self-presentation, and CDA scales. Toxic Online Disinhibition (i.e., the tendency to exhibit online aggression), online ideal-self presentation, online platform use, and partner closeness will positively predict CDA perpetration, whereas Benign Online Disinhibition (i.e., the tendency to disclose more personal details online), online actual-self presentation, and relationship happiness, emotional satisfaction, and openness will negatively predict CDA perpetration. Results will demonstrate the importance of exploring technological-related variables in relation to CDA and discourage the normalisation of this form of abuse.
