Author(s):
Saial, Ana Cristina ; Portugal, Alda ; Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio ; Nascimento, Paulo ; Satar, Muhammad ; Relvas, Ana Paula ; Portugal, Alda ; Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio
Date: 2025
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/7465
Origin: DigitUMa - Repositório da Universidade da Madeira
Subject(s): Cyber dating abuse; Problematic internet use; Emerging adulthood; .; Faculdade de Artes e Humanidades; Faculdade de Ciências Sociais
Description
Abstract Emerging adults use the internet to connect with intimate partners, which can promote closeness but also increase vulnerability to abusive behavior, such as cyber dating abuse (CDA). In this study, we explored the use of the internet and information and communication technologies (ICT) and determined the prevalence of CDA among 105 emerging adults, with an average age of 23.2 years (SD = 3.65). Through an online cross-sectional study, our results indicate that emerging adults spend an average of 6.67 h a day online (SD = 3.34), with 37.6% communicating with their partner for more than 5 h daily via ICT. A high prevalence of CDA was observed: 62.9% victimization and 74.3% perpetration, with an emphasis on controlling behaviors. This study explores the relationship between problematic internet use (PIU) and CDA and highlights the normalization of CDA behaviours.
