Relationship Quality in the Context of Cyber Dating Abuse: The Role of Attachment

Abstract

Cyber dating abuse can lead to negative outcomes for the message receiver and for the relationship. Extending previous research examining problematic technology-based behavior and attachment security, this study examined whether insecure attachment moderates the relationship between cyber dating abuse and relationship quality in emerging adults (N = 177). Through survey methodology, findings detail an interaction between cyber dating abuse and attachment avoidance pertaining to positive, but not negative, relationship quality. Victims of cyber dating abuse who were high in attachment avoidance reported significantly lower positive relationship quality compared to those who are not victims of cyber dating abuse. The present study contributes to a limited body of cyber abuse research within intimate relationships providing a nuanced understanding of the differentiation between positive and negative elements of relationship quality. Implications suggest clinicians should incorporate psychoeducation about the impact of cyber dating abuse to help couples interrupt and improve negative communication through technology.

A Systematic Review of Cyberstalking Victimization and Offending Behaviors

“…Several factors were related to victimization of cyberdating abuse. The literature showed that romantic jealousy (Borrajo et al, 2015;Brem et al, 2019aBrem et al, , 2019bDeans & Bhogal, 2019), aggression-hostility (Borrajo et al, 2015;Deans & Bhogal, 2019;Peskin et al, 2017), attachment avoidance (Lancaster et al, 2020;Temple et al, 2016;Toplu-Demirtas et al, 2020), and length of romantic relationship were related to cyber dating abuse. These findings asserted that negative relationship characteristics increase the likelihood of this form of abusive behavior, indicating the need for better education for young adults and adolescents on healthy relationship practices.…”

“…Seventeen of the studies examined juveniles and young adults (Cava et al, 2020;Fissel, 2021;Fissel et al, 2021a;Lara, 2020;Marcum et al, 2014;Mosley & Lancaster, 2019;Navarro et al, 2016;Novo et al, 2014;Pereira & Matos, 2016;Peskin et al, 2017;Stonard, 2020;Temple et al, 2016;Van Ouytsel et al, 2017;Zweig et al, 2013;Zweig et al, 2014), and eight studies examined individuals from the general public (Ahlgrim & Terrance, 2021;Cavezza & McEwan, 2014;Fissel et al, 2021b;Fissel & Reyns, 2020;Hertlein & van Dyck, 2020;Messing, Bagwell-Gray, Brown, Kappas, & Durfee, 2020;Ngo, Piquero, LaPrade, & Duong, 2020;Nobles et al, 2014). The remaining twenty-two studies examined college students (Borrajo et al, 2015;Brem et al, 2019a, b;Curry & Zavala, 2020;Deans and Bhogal, 2019;DeKeseredy et al, 2019;Duerksen & Woodin, 2019;Henson et al, 2013;Hernandez-Santaolalla & Hermido, 2020;Kircaburuna et al, 2020;Lancaster et al, 2020;Marcha et al, 2020;Marcum et al, 2017Marcum et al, , 2018Reyns, 2019;Reyns et al, 2018;Reyns, Henson, & Fisher, 2019;<...…”

“…These studies found several common predictors of cyber dating abuse in samples of juveniles and young adults, many focusing on negative relationship behaviors and characteristics such as aggression and hostility (Borrajo et al, 2015;Deans & Bhogal, 2019;Lara, 2020;Peskin et al, 2017) and attachment avoidance (Lancaster et al, 2020;Temple et al, 2016;Toplu-Demirtas et al, 2020). One common theme was romantic jealousy by the perpetrator as a significant predictor of cyber dating abuse (Borrajo et al, 2015;Brem et al, 2019a, b;Deans & Bhogal, 2019).…”

I Ruminate Therefore I Violate: The Tainted Love of Anxiously Attached and Jealous Partners

“…Attachment theory is a useful theoretical framework for understanding the dynamics of dating abuse perpetration (Karakurt, 2001; Lafontaine et al, 2016), including physical (e.g., Ermon-Tuessey & Tyler, 2019), psychological (Gormley & Lopez, 2010; Toplu-Demirtaş et al, 2018), and cyber dating abuse (e.g., Toplu-Demirtaş et al, 2020; Lancaster et al, 2019).…”

“…Some authors argue that rather than being a new and unique type of dating abuse, it is a form of psychological abuse perpetrated through digital media (e.g., social media, e-mail) rather than in-person or on the phone (e.g., Leisring & Giumetti, 2014). In a recent survey (Pew Research Center, 2018), emerging adults from the United States (18 to 25 years; Arnett, 2004) were reported to be the most frequent users of YouTube (91%), Facebook (81%), Snapchat (68%), and Instagram (64%), documenting the potential of these social media to serve as a vehicle for dating abuse (see Lancaster et al, 2019). In Turkey, people spend an average of 2 hours 46 minutes daily online on social media and 57% of 52 million social media users were between 18 and 34 years old (We Are Social, 2019).…”