Prevalence and Correlates of Dating Violence in a National Sample of Adolescents

Abstract

Objective Dating violence is an important but understudied public health concern in adolescents. This study sought to examine the lifetime prevalence of serious forms of dating violence in 12- to 17- year-olds, risk and protective factors associated with dating violence, and the relation between dating violence and mental health. Method A nationally representative sample of adolescents (N = 3,614) completed a telephone-based interview that assessed serious forms of dating violence (i.e., sexual assault, physical assault, and/or drug/alcohol-facilitated rape perpetrated by a girlfriend, boyfriend, or other dating partner). Results Prevalence of dating violence was 1.6% (2.7% of girls, 0.6% of boys), equating to approximately 400,000 adolescents in the U.S. population. Risk factors included older age, female sex, experience of other potentially traumatic events, and experience of recent life stressors. Findings also suggested that dating violence is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive episode after controlling for demographic variables, other traumatic stressors, and stressful events. Conclusions These findings indicate that dating violence is a significant public health problem in adolescent populations that should be addressed through early detection, prevention, and intervention.

A School Health Center Intervention for Abusive Adolescent Relationships: A Cluster RCT

“…[37][38][39] Intervention effects by sex did not differ significantly. Continued attention to similarities and differences in ARA experiences by sex is needed to enhance ARA prevention.…”

Indicadores de maltrato psicológico asociados a la antigüedad en las relaciones de pareja.

“…Similarly, in the U.S.A., there are prevalence studies (Wolitzky-Taylor et al, 2008) which reveal a reality whose contrast is even starker. Violence in premarital relationships reaches percentages of 1.6% (2.7% of the females and 0.6% of the males), which is equivalent to about 400,000 young people in the population and recognition of the problem as one of public health.…”

Longitudinal Associations Between Teen Dating Violence Victimization and Adverse Health Outcomes

“…Add Health also did not include questions related to sexual TDV victimization. Because female individuals appear more likely to experience severe forms of TDV, 2,5,6 including more comprehensive questions may allow a more precise assessment of the relationship between TDV and adverse outcomes in female victims. Finally, all 5 TDV questions were derived from the CTS2, and so are focused on specific behaviors, and not the context within which the acts occurred, further limiting a more nuanced investigation of the association between TDV and future outcomes.…”

“…[1][2][3] Although the burden of TDV victimization falls fairly equally on both boys and girls, 4,5 girls may experience more severe physical and sexual victimization than boys. 2,5,6 A number of cross-sectional studies report that for both boys and girls, TDV victimization is associated with adverse outcomes,includingincreasedsexualrisk behaviors, [7][8][9] suicidal behaviors, 6,[10][11][12] unhealthy weight control methods, 8,10 adverse mental health outcomes, 11,13,14 substance use, 8,14,15 pregnancy outcomes, 8,16,17 and injuries. 5 However, the cross-sectional design of these previous studies precludes an assessment of whether these behaviors are a cause or consequence of victimization.…”