When Screens Deceive: A Mixed Methods Study on the Impact of Non-Financial Online Deception on Self-Esteem, Mediated by Rumination and Coping Styles

Abstract

Online dating applications (ODAs) have transformed romantic connections among emerging adults, yet the psychological consequences of non-financial deception on these platforms remain poorly understood. This study investigates the effects of catfishing and identity misrepresentation on self-esteem among urban Indian adults aged 18 to 25 years, and examines whether rumination and coping styles mediate this relationship. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was implemented. Data were collected from 262 participants across five Indian cities using four psychometric instruments, with three preregistered mediation hypotheses tested via bootstrapped analyses. Qualitative insights were drawn from 15 participants and 3 licensed mental health professionals. Findings indicate that heightened exposure to non-financial ODA deception erodes self-esteem through a sequential pathway: first via brooding rumination, then through maladaptive coping strategies. Adaptive coping proved particularly inaccessible for Indian participants, shaped by cultural forces such as honour-shame dynamics and the stigma surrounding digital romance. These findings yield an empirically supported sequential mediation model that advances cyberpsychology literature and addresses a critical gap within South Asian academic discourse.