Measuring dating violence: Conflict or non-conflict related instructions?

Abstract

IntroductionDating violence, as well as the broader field of intimate partner violence, has mainly been investigated with two conflict-related questionnaires (Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationship Inventory CADRI, Conflict Tactics Scale CTS). Indeed, the respondents have to report aggressive behaviors that occurred in a context of conflict. Such conflict-related instructions prevent us from investigating violence occurring outside a context of conflict. ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to explore whether the use of a conflict-related or a non-conflict-related version of the CADRI could impact dating violence prevalences and scores, and to investigate conceptual issues associated with conflict-related questionnaires. MethodA total of 186 participants ranging in age from 16 to 23 years (M=18.93, SD=1.52, 64.5% girls) were administered a new version of the CADRI (i.e. with non-conflict related instructions) and then the original version of the CADRI (i.e. with conflict-related instructions). The instrument investigated threatening behaviors, relational, physical, sexual and verbal dating violence. ResultsFor several forms of dating violence, prevalence rates and scores decreased from the non-conflict-related version to the conflict-related version: males showed more frequent drops than females. There were more frequent gender differences for rates and scores on the conflict-related version than on the non-conflict-related version. ConclusionThe use of non-conflict-related instructions is an opportunity not to limit the study of dating violence to behaviors occurring during a conflict or an argument. It allows a broader understanding of dating violence beyond any conflict-related instruction.