Prevalence and perception of cyber dating abuse in Higher Education students

• Grant number: 24/07425-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Sabrina Mazo D'Affonseca
• Grantee: Gabriela Sabrina da Silva Souza
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The technologies of the digital age have played a central role in contemporary society, reshaping social, economic, and cultural dynamics. However, the use of technologies also opens space for discriminatory and violent practices, such as digital abuse, especially among intimate partners. This phenomenon involves harmful behaviors that occur through digital interaction, without geographical or temporal barriers, encompassing direct aggression, such as insults and threats, and control/monitoring, such as invasion of privacy and surveillance. Faced with the lack of studies in the area of digital abuse in romantic relationships, especially in the Brazilian context, that address the extent of this phenomenon in order to contribute to a better understanding of it. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and perceptions of victimization and perpetration of digital abuse in romantic relationships among university students. To this end, the research will be divided into two stages, both remote: in the first, questionnaires will be administered to university students over 18 years old, addressing participant characterization, the use of digital technologies, and the Cyber Dating Abuse Questionnaire (CDAQ). In the second stage, samples of groups will be selected through clustering techniques and identification of outliers aiming at selecting participants for the semi-structured interview to obtain their perceptions about digital abuse. The analysis of quantitative data will be performed using SPSS software, while qualitative data will be submitted to content analysis proposed by Bardin.