TY - JOUR
T1 - Cyber Dating Abuse
T2 - Investigating Digital Monitoring Behaviors Among Adolescents From a Social Learning Perspective
AU - Van Ouytsel, Joris
AU - Ponnet, Koen
AU - Walrave, Michel
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank the undergraduate students Lien Maldoy, Esther Sikkens, and Moniek Wallink for their assistance with the data collection. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The study was supported by the Research Fund of the University of Antwerp (BOF DOC PRO 2013 - 41/FA040300/FFB130145). From October 2015, the work of Joris Van Ouytsel is supported by a PhD Fellowship of the Research Foundation?Flanders (FWO-Aspirant). The study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation of the data, writing of the report, and the decision to submit the article for publication were the sole responsibility of the authors and were in no way influenced by the Research Fund of the University of Antwerp or the Research Foundation?Flanders.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2017.
PY - 2020/11/1
Y1 - 2020/11/1
N2 - Just as with other forms of abuse such as bullying, dating violence is no longer limited to physical spaces. Several forms of dating violence can also be perpetrated by means of technology. Few studies have used a theoretical perspective to investigate cyber dating abuse. This study addresses this gap in the literature by focusing on the perpetration of digital monitoring behaviors—a form of cyber dating abuse—from a social learning perspective. We investigate the extent to which perceived social norms about cyber dating abuse, witnessing controlling behaviors among parents, and endorsing gender stereotypes are linked with adolescents’ engagement in digital monitoring behaviors. The study draws on data from 466 secondary school students (71.0% girls, n = 331) aged between 16 and 22 years (M = 17.99 years, SD = 0.92) in Flanders, Belgium, who were in a romantic relationship. Linear regression analysis indicates that being female, being older, the perceived social norms of peers, the endorsement of gender stereotypes, and having observed intrusive controlling behaviors by the father are significantly and positively related to adolescents’ perpetration of digital monitoring behaviors. The findings have implications for practice and underscore the need for prevention efforts to address and lower the influence of these perceived social norms. Further implications include the need for prevention efforts to focus on diminishing the impact of gender stereotypical attitudes and the influence of witnessing controlling behaviors within the family context on cyber dating abuse perpetration.
AB - Just as with other forms of abuse such as bullying, dating violence is no longer limited to physical spaces. Several forms of dating violence can also be perpetrated by means of technology. Few studies have used a theoretical perspective to investigate cyber dating abuse. This study addresses this gap in the literature by focusing on the perpetration of digital monitoring behaviors—a form of cyber dating abuse—from a social learning perspective. We investigate the extent to which perceived social norms about cyber dating abuse, witnessing controlling behaviors among parents, and endorsing gender stereotypes are linked with adolescents’ engagement in digital monitoring behaviors. The study draws on data from 466 secondary school students (71.0% girls, n = 331) aged between 16 and 22 years (M = 17.99 years, SD = 0.92) in Flanders, Belgium, who were in a romantic relationship. Linear regression analysis indicates that being female, being older, the perceived social norms of peers, the endorsement of gender stereotypes, and having observed intrusive controlling behaviors by the father are significantly and positively related to adolescents’ perpetration of digital monitoring behaviors. The findings have implications for practice and underscore the need for prevention efforts to address and lower the influence of these perceived social norms. Further implications include the need for prevention efforts to focus on diminishing the impact of gender stereotypical attitudes and the influence of witnessing controlling behaviors within the family context on cyber dating abuse perpetration.
KW - adolescents
KW - cyber dating abuse
KW - dating violence
KW - social learning theory
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U2 - 10.1177/0886260517719538
DO - 10.1177/0886260517719538
M3 - Article
C2 - 29294845
AN - SCOPUS:85042620964
SN - 0886-2605
VL - 35
SP - 5157
EP - 5178
JO - Journal of interpersonal violence
JF - Journal of interpersonal violence
IS - 23-24
ER -