A Multi-Theoretical Perspective on Cyber Dating Abuse Victimization and Perpetration within Intimate Relationships: A Test of General Strain, Social Learning, and Self-Control Theories

Cyber abuse within intimate relationships is an increasingly common, but poorly understood, criminological issue. The present study applies a multi-theoretical lens to both cyber abuse perpetration and victimization in intimate relationships using a sample of college students. Results employing OLS regression show that cyber dating abuse victimization is associated with measures of general strain and social learning, but not self-control, in both full and reduced models. For cyber abuse perpetration, general strain, social learning, and self-control measures show significant associations in reduced models; however, in a full model only measures of strain retain significance.