Adverse Childhood Experiences and Early Maladaptive Schemas as Predictors of Cyber Dating Abuse: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model Approach

Abstract

The increasing role that new technologies play in intimate relationships has led to the emergence of a new form of couple violence, cyber dating abuse, especially among adolescents and young adults. Although this phenomenon has received increased attention, no research has investigated predictors of cyber dating abuse taking into account the interdependence of the two partners. The study examines adverse childhood experiences (abuse, neglect, and witnessed intimate partner violence) and early maladaptive schemas (emotional deprivation and abandonment) as possible predictors of young adults’ perpetrated and suffered cyber dating abuse. Adopting a dyadic approach, mediational models in which adverse childhood experiences were assumed to be related to individual and partner’s cyber dating abuse through individual early maladaptive schemas were tested. 134 couples completed online self-reports of the variables of interest, including a bidimensional measure of cyber dating abuse assessing pressure-aggression and control-monitoring. Actor-partner interdependence mediation model analyses were conducted. Results indicated that the emotional deprivation schema mediated the association between adverse childhood experiences and cyber dating abuse, whereas the abandonment schema did not. Specifically, more frequent experiences of emotional abuse and physical neglect during childhood were indirectly related to increased likelihood of perpetrating cyber dating pressure-aggression as well as of perpetrating and suffering cyber dating control-monitoring in both males and females. These associations were mediated by a stronger internalization of the emotional deprivation schema and were supported by both self-reported and partner-reported data. Also, a strong and direct association was found between childhood exposure to intimate partner violence by the opposite-sex parent and cyber dating pressure-aggression by females or control-monitoring by both males and females. These findings help to clarify the potential negative effects of specific adverse childhood experiences and early maladaptive schemas on the tendency to perpetrate and suffer cyber abuse in romantic relationships. The implications for prevention and treatment programs are noted and avenues for future research are described.

Evaluating Female Experiences of Electronic Dating Violence in Jordan: Motivations, Consequences, and Coping Strategies

“…Perpetration of EDV may be best attributed to reactive emotional aggression compared to proactive instrumental aggression ( Branson and March, 2021 ). Additionally, our results were inconsistent with the outcomes of Celsi et al (2021) , which indicated that abandonment was not considered a possible predictor of young adults’ perpetration of EDV. Instead, emotional deprivation and childhood experiences (i.e., abuse, neglect, and witnessing IPV) are possible predictors of perpetrated and suffered EDV, whereby more frequent experiences of emotional abuse and physical neglect during childhood were indirectly related to an increased likelihood of perpetrating EDV among both sexes.…”

Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences within the Family Context and In-Person and Online Dating Violence in Adulthood: A Scoping Review

“…Only one of the reviewed studies examined the relationship between childhood physical abuse and cyber dating abuse (3.1%), finding neither a direct nor an indirect relationship, through the mediation of early maladaptive schemas, between childhood physical abuse and cyber dating abuse [ 75 ].…”

Gender Differences in the Associations Between Perceived Parenting Styles and Young Adults’ Cyber Dating Abuse

“…Perpetrated and suffered CDA within the current romantic relationship was measured through a scale previously validated in Italy by Celsi et al (2021) . The scale consists of 40 items (20 for perpetration and 20 for victimization) assessing two dimensions of CDA: monitoring and control (11 items, e.g., “I/my partner checked my/my partner’s location and online activities”; α = 0.86 and 0.89 for perpetration and victimization, respectively) and psychological or sexual pressure and aggression (9 items, e.g., “I/my partner sent a threatening message to my partner/me”; α = 0.84 and 0.78 for perpetration and victimization, respectively).…”

“…Physical and psychological IPV perpetrated by parents and witnessed by respondents during their childhood was assessed through a 6-item measure by Celsi et al (2021) . Three items measured violence perpetrated by the mother against the father and three items assessed violence perpetrated by the father against the mother (e.g., “I saw/heard my mother/father being insulted, denigrated, humiliated, or verbally assaulted by my father/mother”; α = 0.71 and 0.84 for violence perpetrated by mothers and fathers, respectively).…”

“…Regarding CDA etiology, some evidence suggests that adverse childhood experiences lived in the family, such as experiencing abuse and witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV), are related to an increased likelihood of CDA perpetration and victimization, directly or through the internalization of early maladaptive relational schemas ( Celsi et al, 2021 ; Smith-Darden et al, 2016 ; Ramos et al, 2017 ). However, not much attention has been devoted to other family of origin factors that may contribute to CDA.…”