Poster #85 - Cyber Aggression in Adolescence: Do cyber bullying and victimization translate to romantic relationships?

• In Event: Poster Session 15

Abstract

An important function of the developmental phase of adolescence is the formation and maintenance of romantic relationships (Wood et al., 2020), which is increasingly occurring in online contexts (e.g., social media; Lenhart, 2015). The nature of romantic relationships has changed as adolescents have increasing digital access to their partner (Hinduja & Patchin, 2020) leading to concerns about cyber forms of dating violence (Zweig et al., 2014). Adolescents who report experiencing cyber dating violence victimization report poorer mental health (Peskin et al., 2016), while adolescents who report engaging in cyber dating violence perpetration are more likely to report risk-taking behaviours (Van Ouytsel et al., 2017), which may be indicative of feelings of invulnerability among adolescents (Hill et al., 2012). To date, research has focused primarily on victims and rarely includes investigations into perpetration or other types of online violence. It remains unclear how cyber bullying and victimization toward peers within platonic relationships relate to cyber dating violence perpetration and victimization. It was expected that, controlling for age and gender, experiences of cyber victimization would significantly predict cyber dating violence victimization; and experiences of cyber bullying and invulnerability would significantly predict cyber dating violence perpetration.

Between September and October 2021, 591 adolescents (Mage = 15.84, 51.8% girls, 87.3% heterosexual) participants were recruited. Participants were asked about their demographics, experiences with cyber bullying and cyber victimization (8-items each; Mishna et al., 2016), adolescent invulnerability (6-items; Lapsley & Hill, 2010), and experiences with cyber dating violence and perpetration (9-items each; Borrajo et al., 2015).

Two hierarchical regression models were performed using the ‘enter’ procedure in SPSS to examine predictors of cyber dating violence victimization and perpetration respectively. In model 1 predicting cyber dating violence victimization, covariates of age and gender in step one was not significant. Main effects of cyber victimization and adolescent invulnerability were added to step two which resulted in a significant increase to R2: Finc (4, 211) = 125.12 p < 0.001 and significant overall model F (2, 211) = 243.52 p < 0.001. Controlling for age and gender, greater experiences of cyber victimization ( = .81, p < .001) was associated with more cyber dating violence victimization (Table 1).

In model 2 predicting cyber dating violence perpetration, covariates of age and gender were added to step one. Identifying as male ( = -.14, p = 0.48) was associated with greater cyber dating violence perpetration. Main effects of cyber bullying and adolescent invulnerability were added to step two resulting in a significant increase to R2: Finc (4, 211) = 75.10 p < .001 and a significant overall model F (2, 211) = 146.46 p < .001. Greater experiences of cyber bullying ( = .67, p < .001) and higher reports of adolescent invulnerability ( = .18, p < .001) were associated with greater cyber dating violence perpetration controlling for age and gender (Table 2). Together, these findings illustrate that aggressive online experiences with peers may contribute to similar experiences with an intimate partner as adolescents begin to navigate dating relationships.

Authors

• Rachel Baitz, University of British Columbia (UBC)
  Presenting Author

• Brett Holfeld, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland

• Alexa Martin-Storey, Universite de Sherbrooke

• Wendy Craig, Queen’s University