Adolescent Perceptions of Dating Violence: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Scholars have identified dating violence as a public health issue among adolescents. Yet, minimal research has detailed adolescents' perceptions of dating violence, specifically gender differences in perceptions. Research suggests that in order for dating violence prevention and intervention to be effective, services need to be delivered in a manner that is understood by adolescents. Therefore, this study used a qualitative phenomenology study to investigate adolescents' perceptions of dating violence, including gender differences in adolescents' perceptions. Thirty adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19 from a Midwest public high school participated in focus groups. Focus group participants were asked semistructured interview questions regarding the definition of dating violence, risk and protective factors for dating violence, support for victims and perpetrators, and prevention efforts. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis methods, and common themes were identified. Adolescents' language revealed gender differences in perceptions toward dating violence. Males perceive dating violence through action, perpetration, and physical consequences. Females discuss dating violence by relating to the victim and the victim's emotions. Although gender differences existed in participants' perceptions, both males and females explained that dating violence is more often perpetrated by females, despite the view from society that males are more likely to perpetrate dating violence. Findings suggest that schools, practitioners, and policy makers are not meeting the needs of adolescents in regard to dating violence prevention and intervention. Prevention and intervention efforts could be improved by delivering education and services using language that adolescents find relevant. Findings also suggest that adolescents may benefit from prevention and intervention with gender specific components.

Adolescent Bystanders Witnessing Cyber Violence Against Women and Girls: What They Observe and How They Respond

“…Violence due to imposition and sexual pressure was the least observed according to the data from the survey, but the students' experiences and comments in the workshops seem to suggest that there is more than was openly acknowledged in the questionnaire. This may be because they view these behaviors and practices as normal, something already suggested in previous studies (Martín-Montilla et al, 2016;Ruiz-Repullo, 2016;Taylor et al, 2017). Our results from the observation in the workshops reflect the shift of responsibility from the aggressor to the victim as a result of noncompliance with social gender norms.…”

“…Other studies have warned of incongruent findings (Donoso-Vázquez et al, 2018; Martín-Montilla et al, 2016), such as higher percentages of cyber observation than cyber victimization and cyber aggression or lower percentages of recognition of these cyber behaviors in surveys than those that adolescents recognize in workshops or discussion groups. This has led to a review of the methodologies used to investigate this phenomenon, with the tendency now being to move away from quantitative studies based exclusively on self-report surveys to research with mixed and qualitative methodologies to broaden, deepen, and contrast findings (Patton, Hong, Patel, & Krall, 2017; Taylor, Calkins, Xia, & Dalla, 2017). This research focuses on adolescents who witness cyber violence precisely because the results of previous research seem to suggest that victims and aggressors declare less aggression than actually exists, with the perception and experience of bystanders being a more precise way of revealing the extent to which cyber VAWG is present in interactions and activities on the Internet and social media.…”

Risk Behaviours Associated with Dating and Relationship Violence among 11–16 Year Olds in Wales: Results from the 2019 Student Health and Wellbeing Survey

“…Significant associations have been found internationally across a wide range of cross-sectional, longitudinal and nationally representative studies, despite variations in the measurement of alcohol consumption (e.g., binge drinking, heavy alcohol consumption, recent alcohol use, and age of first alcohol use) and regardless of DRV victimisation or perpetration. Previous qualitative [32][33][34], experimental [35], and cross-sectional [26,36] research studies have argued that the properties of alcohol, depending on the person, can both weaken cognitive functions and disorient the user, which can make a person more vulnerable to victimisation, and exacerbate aggression, thus making the substance user more likely to perpetrate aggression. Moreover, quantitative research on college students has also found evidence to suggest alcohol intoxication can increase the risk of perpetrating IPVA [37,38], findings which have also been found in qualitative studies [32][33][34] on substance use and DRV among adolescents and young people.…”

“…Due to the cross-sectional design of this study, we are unable to determine the temporal nature of the risk behaviours in relation to DRV. Nevertheless, future longitudinal studies should also explore the context in which risk behaviours interrelate with DRV, as some risk behaviours are both precursors and consequences of DRV; for example, alcohol intoxication can both make a person more vulnerable to DRV victimisation or more open to aggression and thus DRV perpetration, while drinking alcohol can also be used as a coping mechanism in response to experiencing DRV [26,[32][33][34]. The wording of the SHW DRV questions do not discriminate between DRV and hurting someone in self-defence, which could potentially overestimate the prevalence of DRV perpetration or lead to DRV victims being labelled as perpetrators.…”

Psychometric Properties of the Checklist of Experiences of Psychological Abuse to the Couple in Adolescents and Young Adults

“…As a result, attempts to assess this construct remain scarce and inconsistent (Almendros et al, 2009). At the same time, the results of research show that it is necessary to have instruments collecting data on abuse in couples of teenagers and young adults, to identify cases in educational and health institutions, to evaluate interventions for victims and perpetrators of this form of violence, and to weigh the effectiveness of campaigns in primary and secondary prevention of this problem, which is considered a public health problem (Evers et al, 2013; Farhat et al, 2015; López-Cepero Borrego, Rodríguez-Franco, & Rodríguez-Díaz, 2015; Taylor, Calkins, Xia, & Dalla, 2017).…”