Bidirectional effects between adolescent digital dating abuse dynamics and mental health

Project Summary Recent nationally representative data show that 76% of adolescents experience digital dating abuse. Digital dating abuse is the use of technology to threaten, harass, monitor, control, pressure, or coerce a romantic partner. It is a cause for serious concern; adolescents who experience digital dating abuse are more likely to

experience mental health problems (depressive symptoms, anxiety, and suicidal ideation). Yet, the reciprocal nature between digital dating abuse and mental health problems is unclear due to a lack of longitudinal research. Adolescents are prolific technology users and constantly connect with romantic partners via texting and social

media. Furthermore, characteristics of media, such as the lack of non-verbal cues, publicness, and permanence of communication, make for an easily accessible yet harmful context that possibly amplifies the adverse effects

of digital dating abuse on adolescents' mental health. Therefore, it is timely to investigate the relational and digital mechanisms that underlie the reciprocal influences of digital interactions between romantic partners and mental health problems. First, we will identify how adolescents with mental health problems experience increased daily

relationship threats and negative mood, leading to digital dating abuse among couples. Second, we will investigate whether daily supportive parent and peer relationships are protective factors for the emergence of digital dating abuse and mental health problems. At the same time, certain media characteristics (lack of non-

verbal cues, publicness, permanence) are likely to exacerbate the effects of digital dating abuse on adolescents' mental health problems. Third, we will examine the long-term bidirectional impact of digital dating abuse and mental health problems. Despite a higher risk for in-person dating abuse and mental health problems for Latinx

adolescents, research has yet to examine the impact of the sociocultural context on digital dating abuse. Therefore, we will include a primary sample of Latinx adolescents and investigate how Latinx adolescents' cultural competencies will protect against the long-term consequences of DDA on mental health problems. We

propose to follow 300 couples (N = 600 adolescents) in a dyadic, observational, and longitudinal study. In addition to adolescents' daily self-reports, we will objectively code for digital dating abuse from screenshot uploads of their digital relationship interactions. We will also measure negative mood and mental health problems

with passive sensing of sentiment derived from mobile phone text input. Following couples day-to-day and

longitudinally will capture the full range of digital interactions, varying from minor conflicts to digital dating abuse. This approach will allow us to examine how, in which contexts, and when adolescents with mental health problems engage in digital dating abuse and, in turn, investigate its long-term consequences on mental health

problems. Findings have real-world implications by identifying intervention points to break the vicious cycle between digital dating abuse and adolescents' depressive symptoms, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.