Examining Bullying Perpetration as a Predictor of Later Teen Dating Violence Perpetration: Do Gender-Based Biases Affect This Pathway?

• NCJ Number: 307928
• Journal: Psychology of Violence Volume: 13 Issue: 2 Dated: 2023 Pages: 136-148
• Author(s): M. Rivas-Koehl; A. Valido; L. E. Robinson; D. L. Espelage
• Date Published: 2023
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2011-MU-FX-0022
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)

Annotation

This article examines whether bullying predicts later teen dating violence (TDV) perpetration and what role gender-based biases play.

Abstract

To support the prevention of teen dating violence (TDV) perpetration, the present study examined whether an early occurring form of interpersonal violence, bullying perpetration, was longitudinally associated with later TDV perpetration and whether gender-based biases may influence this relationship. The findings revealed several significant pathways that supported the longitudinal association between bullying and forms of TDV. In addition, sexism and HNC significantly moderated some of these pathways, respectively, especially among boys. The results suggest that gender-based biases may be mechanisms through which the likelihood of TDV is bolstered among adolescents who engage in bullying behaviors. The authors critique the influences of systemic gender norms, and pressures to adhere to masculinity in particular, as related to the perpetration of TDV. The authors call for comprehensive sex education to be mandated at the policy level and for biased-based aggression based on widespread gender inequities to be addressed in society. TDV is a prevalent form of interpersonal violence that profoundly impacts lifelong physical and mental health. This study used a longitudinal high school sample (N = 2,301) to examine the relationship between bullying and TDV perpetration across 3 years. Five types of TDV outcomes were included: relational, physical, verbal–emotional, sexual abuse, and abuse involving threatening behavior. The authors examined sexism and homophobic name-calling (HNC) as moderators between bullying and TDV perpetration. Bullying perpetration at Time 1 was used to predict TDV perpetration at Time 3. Sexism and HNC were introduced as moderators to this path analysis at Time 2. (Published Abstract Provided)