Is Online Disinhibition Related to Cyberdating Abuse Perpetration through Moral Disengagement? The Moderating Role of Gender, Sexism, and Cybervictimization

Evidence suggests that online disinhibition enhances the likelihood of perpetrating cyberbullying by increasing moral disengagement; however, these psychological mechanisms have not been examined in the context of cyberdating abuse. In the current study (N = 362), we examined whether online disinhibition would predict more frequent direct cyberaggression toward a partner through greater moral disengagement, and explored the moderating role of gender, sexism, and past experiences of cyberdating abuse victimization. The results indicated that online disinhibition was positively correlated with moral disengagement, which in turn predicted more frequent direct cyberaggression toward partners. In addition, participants' gender and past experiences of cyberdating abuse victimization moderated this relationship: (a) more online disinhibition was associated with greater moral disengagement in men (vs. women), which in turn predicted more direct cyberaggression toward partners and (b) more online disinhibition was linked to greater moral disengagement, which in turn predicted more direct cyberaggression perpetration toward partners among individuals with frequent past victimization experiences (vs. low past victimization experiences). These findings highlight online disinhibition and moral disengagement as potential risk factors that may heighten direct cyberaggression against partners, as well as enhance our understanding of the circumstances determining its occurrence. Scholars and practitioners may use this work to develop and test psychoeducational programs to prevent cyberdating abuse through mitigating the occurrence of these disinhibiting factors in romantic.