Longitudinal Relations between Dating Violence Victimization and Perpetration and Substance Use: The Moderating Role of Gender and School Norms for Dating Violence

Abstract

LONGITUDINAL RELATIONS BETWEEN DATING VIOLENCE VICTIMIZATION AND PERPETRATION AND SUBSTANCE USE: THE MODERATING ROLE OF GENDER AND SCHOOL NORMS FOR DATING VIOLENCE By Katherine A. Taylor A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2013 Director: Terri N. Sullivan, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Psychology Adolescent dating violence is commonly experienced by adolescents and is associated with a variety of negative outcomes. Stress and coping and social learning theories suggest that dating violence victimization may predict increased substance use and dating violence perpetration. However, few studies have assessed these relations over time, and existing studies have not assessed physical and psychological dating violence victimization separately nor focused on early adolescent populations. The current study addressed these gaps by examining longitudinal relations between physical and psychological dating violence victimization and substance use and physical and psychological dating violence perpetration among early adolescents. The extent to which gender and class norms for dating violence moderated these relations was also examined. Participants included two cohorts of sixth grade students who reported being involved in a dating relationship at Waves 1 and 2 (N = 2,022; 43% female; 52% African American, 21% Latino/a, 20% European American, and 7% other). Analyses utilized a multilevel approach whereby students were represented at Level 1 and classes (scores for students in the same cohort and school; n = 74) at Level 2. Models tested direct effects from Wave 1 psychological and physical victimization to Wave 2 outcomes and the extent to which gender moderated this effect. Models including psychological and physical perpetration also tested cross-level interactions between Level 1 dating violence victimization and Level 2 class norms for dating violence. Key findings indicated that gender moderated relations between physical and psychological victimization and psychological perpetration. High levels of psychological victimization predicted greater change in psychological perpetration for girls as compared to boys and high levels of physical victimization predicted greater change in psychological perpetration for boys as compared to girls. Additionally, physical and psychological victimization significantly predicted changes in substance use. High levels of physical victimization predicted greater change in substance use, whereas high levels of psychological victimization predicted less change in substance use. These findings highlight the need to address dating violence early in middle school, so as to prevent negative outcomes associated with victimization by a dating partner.