Co-Occurrence of Adolescent Boys' and Girls' Use of Psychologically, Physically, and Sexually Abusive Behaviours in Their Dating Relationships

• NCJ Number: 219007
• Journal: Journal of Adolescence Volume: 30 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2007 Pages: 487-504
• Author(s): Heather A. Sears; E. Sandra Byers; E. Lisa Price
• Date Published: June 2007
• Length: 18 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: University of New Brunswick; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada; Health Canada, Health Services
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the co-occurrence of and risk factors for adolescent boys' and girls' self-reported use of psychologically, physically, and sexually abusive behaviors in their dating relationships.

Abstract

The study shows that the use of abusive behavior in adolescent dating relationships is prevalent and that it occurs among youths in grade seven. Nineteen percent of boys and 26 percent of girls reported having used two or more forms of dating violence. One-third of students in grade seven had already used at least one form of aggressive behavior in dating relationships. The use of psychologically abusive behavior only was the most common pattern reported by boys (18 percent). Psychologically abusive behavior only or in combination with physically abusive behavior were the most common patterns reported by girls (21 percent and 23 percent, respectively). Boys who reported that they had been psychologically, physically, and sexually abusive in their dating relationships were more accepting of dating violence, were more fearful of violence between family members, were affiliated with abusive peers, and had themselves experienced each of the three forms of dating violence. Girls with similar characteristics reported that they had been psychologically and physically abusive. Boys' use of sexually abusive behavior and girls' use of psychologically abusive behavior were linked to specific risk factors that suggest they are following behavioral scripts linked with their perceived view of normative gender roles in interaction with the opposite sex. Participants were 324 boys and 309 girls in grades 7, 9, or 11 at 4 schools in a small Canadian Province. They completed surveys at school that measured demographics, attitudes toward women, attitudes toward the use of dating violence, fear of family violence, peer use of physical and sexual dating violence, the use and experience of psychological and physical dating violence, and the use and experience of sexual dating violence. 5 tables and 35 references