The Influence of Masculinity on Male Latino Adolescents’ Perceptions Regarding Dating Relationships and Dating Violence

Abstract

In the United States, teen dating violence (TDV) is a concern across ethnic groups. Attitudes and correlates of violence differ by gender, culture, and acculturation. This study used a qualitative interpretive approach. Data were obtained in focus groups with 23 Latino male adolescents. Themes reflected contexts of participants' lives, and definitions and nature of dating relationships and TDV. Participants described the importance of respecting dating partners, the destructive effects of TDV, and the pressure to display masculinity that can lead some young men to perpetrate TDV. These results may advance culturally relevant interventions to promote healthy relationships and prevent dating violence.

A gender study of the social representations of dating violence in Chilean adolescents

“…Our results are consistent with other studies asserting that gender is central to understanding the perception of DV (Hamby and Jackson 2010 ; Lehrner and Allen 2018 ). Although girls generally qualify violence as being unacceptable, in some cases they justify and approve of it when it is used as a means of self-defense or revenge (Haglund et al 2019 ). Second, some participants in the focus groups attributed more importance to psychological consequences than physical.…”

“…Though cultural factors influence the emergence of DV (Viejo et al 2018 ), only a limited number of studies have examined their role (McNaughton et al 2016 ). The few studies that have done so in a Latin American population suggest that tolerance towards violence can be explained by machismo , which comprises gender stereotypes and beliefs supporting masculine violence towards women (Haglund et al 2019 ; Terrazas-Carrillo and Sabina 2019 ). In addition, machismo has been described in the literature as alternativity “a largely negative construct,” “a neutral concept,” and “a source of pride and honor” (Arciniega et al, 2008 , p. 19).…”

“…Gender is a social construction opposing femininity and masculinity that is reinforced by sexual stereotypes (e.g., women/weakness vs. man/strength). Indeed “Adolescents’ beliefs about gender roles and their expectations of how [girls and boys] behave and interact may influence their own behavior in dating relationships and their engagement in [DV].” (Haglund et al, 2019 , p. 1040). In fact, SRs “of gender and gender schemas are foundational for discrimination against women” (Coron, 2019 , p. 828).…”

Proving their love: Violence and gender norms in descriptions of relationships among rural Mexican adolescents

“…They are also at greater proclivity to accept dating violence, which has been associated with perpetrating physical and sexual dating violence (see Vagi et al, 2013 for a review). Despite calls for primary prevention with Hispanic youth (Haglund et al, 2018;Malhotra, Guarda-Gonzalez, & Mitchell, 2014), school-aged youth in Mexico have limited exposure to TDV interventions (Sosa-Rubi, Saavedra-Avendano, Piras, Van Buren, & Bautista-Arredondo, 2016).…”

Adolescent Dating Violence Among Nicaraguan Youth

“…Although we focus on heterosexual dating relationships, we acknowledge that adolescents with gender identities that are different from their biological sex might face even higher rates of violence. As previous studies (see, for example, Haglund et al, 2019) have highlighted the importance of controlling behavior in contexts of strong “machismo ideology,” we pay specific attention to psychological abuse and the interrelationship with physical and sexual abuse.…”