Neighborhood Factors and Dating Violence Among Youth

Abstract

Context The purpose of this review is to summarize the empirical research on neighborhood-level factors and dating violence among adolescents and emerging adults to guide future research and practice. Evidence acquisition In 2015, 20 articles were identified through a search of the literature using PubMed. Eligible articles included those that: (1) had been published in a peer-reviewed journal since 2005; (2) reported a measure of association between at least one neighborhood-level factor and dating violence; and (3) had a study population of youth aged <26 years. We abstracted information about the studies, including measurement of dating violence and neighborhood factors, and measures of effect. Evidence synthesis Results were summarized into three categories based on the aspect of neighborhood which was the focus of the work: demographic and structural characteristics (n=11), neighborhood disorder (n=12), and social disorganization (n=8). There was some evidence to suggest that neighborhood disadvantage is associated with dating violence, but very little evidence to suggest that residence characteristics (e.g., racial heterogeneity) are associated with dating violence. Results do suggest that perceived neighborhood disorder is associated with physical dating violence perpetration, but do not suggest that it is associated with physical dating violence victimization. Social control and community connectedness are both associated with dating violence, but findings on collective efficacy are mixed. Conclusions Existing research suggests that neighborhood factors may be associated with dating violence. However, there is a limited body of research on the neighborhood context of dating violence and more rigorous research is needed.

Comparisons of Types of Exposure to Violence Within and Across Contexts in Predicting the Perpetration of Dating Aggression

“…Communities where violence is prevalent are likely to suffer from negative structural characteristics (e.g., poverty, high rates of unemployment, lack of home ownership, and low educational attainment), neighborhood disorder (e.g., high rates of violent crimes and other illegal activities), and social disorganization (e.g., lack of unity within one's neighborhood) (Johnson, Parker, Rinehart, Nail, & Rothman, 2015). Past studies have shown that these factors are related to adolescent and young adult reports of perpetrating aggression towards one's romantic partner (see Johnson et al, 2015 for a review of the literature). Just as exposure to violence in the home, it may be that being exposed to violence within one's community serves as a model for the enactment of aggressive behaviors among adolescents.…”

Neighborhood violent crime and adolescent relationship aggression

“…Fewer studies have examined the environmental context for ARA (Foshee, Linder, MacDougall, & Bangdiwala, ; Johnson, Parker, Rinehart, Nail, & Rothman, ). Given that patterns of relationship violence typically emerge during adolescence and levels increase over time (James, West, Deters, & Armijo, ), it is important to examine whether aspects of the neighborhood environment are components to consider in designing ARA prevention approaches (Jain, Buka, Subramanian, & Molnar, ).…”

“…Neighborhood crime and partner violence may be associated with each other through related failed mechanisms of informal social control that leave community members vulnerable. One of the more prominent of these theories is social disorganization theory (Sampson et al, ; Shaw & McKay, ), which highlights the inability of a community to realize common values and address community problems brought on by negative structural forces (e.g., limited availability of jobs), which degrade the sense of community and the collective ability to manage problems leading to more violence in a neighborhood (Johnson et al, ). Closely related to social disorganization theory is collective efficacy.…”

“…Another mechanism to explain how neighborhoods affect individuals is that the widespread use of violence in public settings may be generalized as acceptable behavior and even normalizing its use in intimate domestic settings because “everyone does it” (Raghavan, Mennerich, Sexton, & James, ). Extensive exposure to violence could serve as a “training ground” for subsequent violence perpetration among youth (Johnson et al, ). Exposure to violence may disrupt the development of empathy, increase anger and frustration, normalize and disinhibit violent behavior, desensitize youth to violence, and teach youth to respond to perceived provocations with violence (Johnson et al, ).…”

Beyond the Individual Level

“…Johnson and colleagues 19 review the literature to date on the association between neighborhood factors and ADV, and find that there is reason to consider investing in neighbourhood-based approaches to ADV prevention. Gressard et al 20 examine gender inequality and ADV at the state level in the U.S. and provide compelling evidence that addressing structural inequalities related to gender could reduce rates of partner violence victimization.…”