Adolescent Use of Dating Applications and the Associations with Online Victimization and Psychological Distress

doi:10.3390/bs13110903

. 2023 Nov 2;13(11):903.

doi: 10.3390/bs13110903.

Adolescent Use of Dating Applications and the Associations with Online Victimization and Psychological Distress

Tzu-Fu Huang¹, Chun-Yin Hou^{1

2}, Fong-Ching Chang¹, Chiung-Hui Chiu³, Ping-Hung Chen⁴, Jeng-Tung Chiang⁵, Nae-Fang Miao⁶, Hung-Yi Chuang⁷, Yen-Jung Chang¹, Hsi Chang⁸, Hsueh-Chih Chen⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 10610, Taiwan.
² Department of Family Medicine, Taipei City Hospital, Zhongxiao Branch, Taipei 11556, Taiwan.
³ Graduate Institute of Information and Computer Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 10610, Taiwan.
⁴ The Graduate Institute of Mass Communication, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 10610, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Statistics, National Chengchi University, Taipei 11605, Taiwan.
⁶ Post-Baccalaureate Program in Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
⁷ Department of Public Health, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan.
⁸ Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
⁹ Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, College of Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 10610, Taiwan.

PMID: 37998650
PMCID: PMC10669177
DOI: 10.3390/bs13110903

Adolescent Use of Dating Applications and the Associations with Online Victimization and Psychological Distress

Tzu-Fu Huang et al. Behav Sci (Basel). 2023.

. 2023 Nov 2;13(11):903.

doi: 10.3390/bs13110903.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 10610, Taiwan.
² Department of Family Medicine, Taipei City Hospital, Zhongxiao Branch, Taipei 11556, Taiwan.
³ Graduate Institute of Information and Computer Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 10610, Taiwan.
⁴ The Graduate Institute of Mass Communication, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 10610, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Statistics, National Chengchi University, Taipei 11605, Taiwan.
⁶ Post-Baccalaureate Program in Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
⁷ Department of Public Health, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan.
⁸ Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
⁹ Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, College of Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 10610, Taiwan.

PMID: 37998650
PMCID: PMC10669177
DOI: 10.3390/bs13110903

Abstract

In this study, we examined the relationships between the use of online dating applications (apps), online victimization, and psychosocial distress among adolescents. This study was conducted in 2020. A sample of 2595 seventh-grade students from 30 Taiwanese middle schools was surveyed. We conducted a self-administered survey. Overall, 15% of the adolescents reported using online dating apps in the past year, while 78% reported having seen dating app advertisements on the internet in the past year. Multivariate analysis results indicated that adolescents' exposure to the marketing of dating apps and poor academic performance were both associated with the use of online dating apps. Adolescents who used dating apps were more likely to experience online privacy victimization, cyberbullying victimization, and online sexual harassment. The use of dating apps by adolescents, online privacy victimization, cyberbullying victimization, and online sexual harassment were associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. In conclusion, adolescent use of dating apps is related to online victimization and psychological distress.

Keywords: adolescence; dating applications; online victimization; psychological distress.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

1. Statista . Online Dating Worldwide—Statistics & Facts. Statistics; Hamburg, Germany: 2023.
1. Pew Research Center . The Virtues and Downsides of Online Dating. Pew Research Center; Washington, DC, USA: 2020.
1. Botnen E.O., Bendixen M., Grøntvedt T.V., Kennair L.E.O. Individual differences in sociosexuality predict picture-based mobile dating app use. Personal. Individ. Differ. 2018;131:67–73. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2018.04.021. - DOI
1. Australian Institute of Criminology . Sexual Harassment, Aggression and Violence Victimisation among Mobile Dating App and Website Users in Australia. Australian Institute of Criminology; Canberra, Australia: 2022.
1. Kaakinen M., Koivula A., Savolainen I., Sirola A., Mikkola M., Zych I., Paek H.J., Oksanen A. Online dating applications and risk of youth victimization: A lifestyle exposure perspective. Aggress. Behav. 2021;47:530–543. doi: 10.1002/ab.21968. - DOI - PubMed

Grants and funding

MOST108-2511-H003-054-MY2/Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
Miscellaneous
- NCI CPTAC Assay Portal

[1] Statista . Online Dating Worldwide—Statistics & Facts. Statistics; Hamburg, Germany: 2023.

[2] Statista . Online Dating Worldwide—Statistics & Facts. Statistics; Hamburg, Germany: 2023.

[3] Pew Research Center . The Virtues and Downsides of Online Dating. Pew Research Center; Washington, DC, USA: 2020.

[4] Pew Research Center . The Virtues and Downsides of Online Dating. Pew Research Center; Washington, DC, USA: 2020.

[5] Botnen E.O., Bendixen M., Grøntvedt T.V., Kennair L.E.O. Individual differences in sociosexuality predict picture-based mobile dating app use. Personal. Individ. Differ. 2018;131:67–73. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2018.04.021. - DOI

[6] Botnen E.O., Bendixen M., Grøntvedt T.V., Kennair L.E.O. Individual differences in sociosexuality predict picture-based mobile dating app use. Personal. Individ. Differ. 2018;131:67–73. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2018.04.021. - DOI

[7] Australian Institute of Criminology . Sexual Harassment, Aggression and Violence Victimisation among Mobile Dating App and Website Users in Australia. Australian Institute of Criminology; Canberra, Australia: 2022.

[8] Australian Institute of Criminology . Sexual Harassment, Aggression and Violence Victimisation among Mobile Dating App and Website Users in Australia. Australian Institute of Criminology; Canberra, Australia: 2022.

[9] Kaakinen M., Koivula A., Savolainen I., Sirola A., Mikkola M., Zych I., Paek H.J., Oksanen A. Online dating applications and risk of youth victimization: A lifestyle exposure perspective. Aggress. Behav. 2021;47:530–543. doi: 10.1002/ab.21968. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Kaakinen M., Koivula A., Savolainen I., Sirola A., Mikkola M., Zych I., Paek H.J., Oksanen A. Online dating applications and risk of youth victimization: A lifestyle exposure perspective. Aggress. Behav. 2021;47:530–543. doi: 10.1002/ab.21968. - DOI - PubMed

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Adolescent Use of Dating Applications and the Associations with Online Victimization and Psychological Distress

Affiliations

Adolescent Use of Dating Applications and the Associations with Online Victimization and Psychological Distress

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Similar articles

References

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Miscellaneous

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Similar articles

References

Related information

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Miscellaneous