Cyber dating violence: A Review of Its Research Methodology

Abstract: In recent years there has been increased interest in the study of cyber dating violence, however it is necessary to examine the research methodology that supports the evidence obtained so far. This article presents a systematic review of the scientific literature that analyzes 30 instruments for the measurement of cyber dating violence in adolescents and young adults used throughout these years. The main results show a high methodological, conceptual and terminological plurality, and a reduced number of instruments with sufficient psychometric guarantees is observed. The majority of the work is originated in the United States and, among the instruments applied in Spanish samples, there is an under-representation of indicators of sexually based cyber dating violence, which limits the understanding of this problem. This research provides information on the current state in the study of cyber dating violence and highlights methodological deficiencies in the construction of knowledge in this field of study. This work enables a better understanding of the disparity of results pointed out by previous research, especially referring to prevalence, frequency and gender differences in this type of violent behavior, as well as laying the foundations to tackle the phenomenon with scientific rigor.