Technology-facilitated sexual violence among sexual and gender minority youth: The moderating role of digital resilience

In recent years, new forms of cyberviolence have increasingly affected adolescents, including technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV), such as sexual abuse and revenge porn. These experiences can have a profoundly negative impact on adolescents' mental health. While existing research has shown that sexual and gender minority youth are disproportionately targeted by these forms of aggression, a critical gap remains in understanding the risk and protective factors associated with TFSV victimization. The first aim of this study is to examine the association between online disinhibition, impulsivity, and socio-emotional competence in influencing TFSV victimization. The second aim was to explore the protective role of digital resilience in mitigating the negative impact of TFSV victimization on adolescents' mental health. We conducted a latent class analysis on 3,807 participants (M age = 16.69; SD = 1.97) to identify distinct patterns of TFSV victimization. The results of the multinomial logistic regression revealed that sexual and gender minority youth were at greater risk of TFSV victimization. Additionally, online disinhibition and impulsivity were positively associated with TFSV victimization, while socio-emotional competence was negatively associated with the risk of victimization. Moderation analysis demonstrated that digital resilience acts as a protective factor by buffering the negative impact of TFSV victimization on mental health. These findings provide important insights for the development of prevention and intervention programs aimed at adolescents' digital use. These programs should address the unique needs of sexual and gender minority youth, focusing on the stressors that increase their vulnerability to TFSV victimization. • Sexual and gender minority youth reported the lowest levels of mental health. • Sexual and gender minority youth are at higher risk of TSFV. • Online disinhibition and impulsivity are positively associated with TSFV. • Digital resilience buffers the impact of TSFV on adolescents' mental health.