Abstract
The present study assesses the extent of perpetration of physical violence in predominately Hispanic high school students in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. The relationship between adverse childhood experiences, exposure to interparental violence, attachment, emotion regulation, and impulsivity on two distinct, mutually exclusive, categories of severity of physical teen dating violence (TDV) perpetration is further explored. Participants completed self-report measures as part of a larger, anonymous web-based questionnaire. Two categories (i.e., minor/moderate and severe) were created to discern the contextual variables associated with different levels of severity of physical violence perpetration by males and females. Eight-hundred and twenty-nine 14- to 18-year-old adolescents from four different high schools participated in the study, of whom 407 reported having been in a dating relationship in the last 12 months. The results demonstrate that when only the most severe item of TDV is taken into consideration, the rates of violence perpetration by males and females are almost equal and remarkably lower than those reported in the literature. However, when the assessment includes minor/moderate levels of violence, such as pushing, the rates of violence perpetration by females are twice those of males and are consistent with those reported in the literature. Furthermore, different variables are associated with different levels of severity of violence perpetration. The results support approaches that emphasize the need to take the context of the violence into consideration, since all levels are not equal. The need to take the severity of violence into account in studies assessing dating violence is highlighted.
Highlights
Adolescence, the transitional stage between childhood and adulthood, is typically marked with elements of insecurity, immaturity, and faltering emotion regulation [1]
The findings showed that borderline features displayed a strong association with victimization and perpetration of teen dating violence (TDV), and this association was further affected by gender [47]
Findings from the present study revealed that experience of adverse events in childhood (ACEs), witnessing interparental violence, emotional regulation difficulties, impulsivity, and attachment are all significantly related to perpetration of dating violence by adolescents
Summary
Adolescence, the transitional stage between childhood and adulthood, is typically marked with elements of insecurity, immaturity, and faltering emotion regulation [1]. In this developmental period, courtship behavior develops, and the risk of teen dating violence (TDV) perpetration and/or victimization emerges [2]. A 10-year longitudinal study [5] on men’s aggression over time found a downward linear relationship between age and physical violence perpetration, regardless of changes in relationships. Using data from various cross-sectional studies, O’Leary [6] estimated that physical aggression towards an intimate partner increases considerably between the ages of 15 and 25 years and declines thereafter.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
