Prevalence of Teen Dating Violence and Co-occurring Risk Factors Among Middle School Youth in High-Risk Urban Communities

Abstract

Purpose This study describes the lifetime prevalence of teen dating violence (TDV) perpetration in a sample of middle school students from high-risk urban communities and examines the relation between TDV and related cognitive and behavioral risk factors. Methods Surveys were administered to 2,895 middle school students in four U.S. cities; 1,673 students (58%) reported having dated and were included in analyses. The sample was 52.3% female, 48.2% non-Hispanic black/African-American, 38.2% Hispanic, 4.8% non-Hispanic white, and 7.6% other race. Six types of TDV perpetration were assessed: threatening behaviors, verbal/emotional abuse, relational abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and stalking. Results Of the students who had dated, 77% reported perpetrating verbal/emotional abuse, 32% reported perpetrating physical abuse, 20% reported threatening a partner, 15% reported perpetrating sexual abuse, 13% reported perpetrating relational abuse, and 6% reported stalking. Girls were more likely than boys to report perpetrating threatening behaviors, verbal/emotional abuse, and physical abuse, and boys were more likely to report perpetrating sexual abuse. Involvement in bullying positively predicted perpetration of TDV, albeit, in different ways for boys and girls. Other risk factors differed by sex. For instance, alcohol use and sex initiation predicted multiple forms of TDV perpetration for boys, whereas weapon carrying and emotional symptoms predicted several forms of TDV perpetration for girls. Conclusions The prevalence of TDV was high in our sample. Important sex differences in rates of perpetration and risk factors emerged. Comprehensive prevention programs that target TDV and related risk factors, such as bullying and other risk factors, seem warranted.

Three Social Contexts of Bullying in Adolescence: Bystanders, Teachers, and Dating Partners

“…These types include Verbal aggression, in the form of name-calling and belittling comments, to target the self-worth of the victim and/or promote isolation from friends and family (CDC, 2016); Threat to harm, to manipulate the behavior of a victim with a threat of violence (Wolfe et al, 2001); Stalking/harassment, to use a pattern of threatening tactics to cause fear (CDC, 2016); Pressure to take alcohol/drugs, to coerce a partner to participate in risky behaviors that endanger their health or render them more vulnerable to control by others Lavoie, Robitaille, & Hébert, 2000;Niolon et al, 2015;Wolfe et al, 2001). Therefore, there is a need to consider multiple forms of aggression associated with teen dating aggression.…”

“…TDA has been linked to high-risk behavior including substance use (Ackard, Eisenberg, & Neumark-Sztainer, 2007;Swahn, Bossarte, Palmier, Yao, & Van Dulmen, 2013) and fighting at school (Niolon et al, 2015;Swahn et al, 2013). Many studies have investigated how TDA is linked to suicidality (Ackard et al, 2007;Nahapetyan, Orpinas, Song, & Holland, 2014;Olshen, McVeigh, Wunsch-Hitzig, & Rickert, 2007).…”

“…Six questions were derived from previous scales to capture different types of dating aggression Niolon et al, 2015;Wolfe et al, 2001). Each question began with the root, "During the past 12 months how many times did someone you dated or went out with …" The six items asked students to report how many times they had experienced physical aggression, verbal aggression, threat to harm sexual aggression, continued harassment, and pressure to use alcohol/drugs.…”

“…Harassment refers to a pattern of unwelcome attempts to remain in contact with someone or cause them distress (CDC, 2016). Few studies have begun to include harassment into their measurement of TDA (Niolon et al, 2015). Pressure to use alcohol/drug use refers to…”

“…Therefore, we use the term teen dating aggression to encompass forms of aggression that are short of violence.! pressuring a partner to participate in substance use (Lavoie, Robitaille, & Hébert, 2000;Niolon et al, 2015). This type of pressure within a relationship can also function as peer pressure in a situation where a youth wants to please their partner or maintain a social status or also a mechanism for placing a partner in a more vulnerable position (Dumas, Ellis, & Wolfe, 2012;Exner-Cortens, 2014;.…”