Does Online Jealousy Lead to Online Control in Dating Adolescents? The Moderation Role of Moral Disengagement and Socio-Emotional Competence

Abstract

The present study focuses on understanding the online aggression in adolescent couples from a gender-sensitive perspective. Specifically, the aims were: (1) to analyze the direct relationship between online jealousy and online control among adolescent boys and girls and (2) to explore the moderating role of moral disengagement and socio-emotional competence in the association between online jealousy and online control by gender. The sample comprised 1,160 high school students (52.7% girls) aged between 12 and 17 years ( M = 14.25, SD = 1.35). The study design was cross-sectional. The moderation analysis revealed that online jealousy was directly related to the perpetration of online control. Moral disengagement strengthened the relationship between online jealousy and online control among both boys and girls, while socio-emotional competence weakened it, but only among girls. The results are discussed considering the gender differences found and the practical implications for programs designed to promote healthy dating relationships.