Ambivalent Sexism Inventory: Adaptation to Basque Population and Sexism as a Risk Factor of Dating Violence

Abstract

There is currently a consensus that sexism is one of the most important causes of intimate partner violence, but this has yet to be empirically demonstrated conclusively. The key objective of the study was to adapt Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) and to validate it to the Basque language. It also aims to analyze the prevalence of violence in dating relationships and verify if ambivalent sexism in young men and women is a valid predictor of perpetration and/or victimization in their dating relationships. Ambivalent Sexism Inventory and Dating Relationship Questionnaire were administered to 1378 undergraduate students (66% women and 45% Basque), aged between 17 and 30. The psychometric properties of the Basque and Spanish versions of the ASI are deemed to be acceptable. Sufficient guarantees are provided to be used as an instrument for measuring ambivalent sexism in adult Basque speakers. Ambivalent sexism among young men and women are both positively associated with the perpetration of violence and victimization in their dating relationships. However, ambivalent sexism or two sub-types of sexism (hostile and benevolent) are not relevant risk factors to be perpetrator or victim of violence in dating relationships, due to accounting for 3% or less of variance in dating violence.

Child-to-Parent Violence as an Intervening Variable in the Relationship between Inter-Parental Violence Exposure and Dating Violence

“…Males showed more sexist beliefs than females, as in some previous studies in both college student populations [6,13] and community populations [12]. Ambivalent sexism explained 3% of dating violence while CPV explained 13%.…”

“…Males in a community population showed more sexist beliefs than females [12], with similar results in a college student population [6,13]. The expected strength of the relationship between sexist beliefs and IPV or dating violence would be moderate according to previous studies.…”

“…Additionally, they found that in the adult population, hostile or accepting attitudes of violence (e.g., patriarchal domination) against women in intimate partner relationships predicted the violence exerted by both men and women moderately or weakly [15,16]. Similarly, the results of studies based on dating violence are comparable in college student populations [6,13]. In this context it would be interesting to explore the potential relationship between father-to-mother violence exposure and sexism, because children could learn certain prejudices against women through witnessing violent or disrespectful behavior by their father toward their mother.…”

“…Although male-perpetrated IPV has long been a public concern, there is much empirical evidence to support that females are equally or even more likely to report perpetrating physical violence towards partners, particularly when referring to minor acts of aggression [2][3][4][5], college student dating violence [6], or adolescent dating violence [7]. Archer [2] concluded that in younger couples, gender differences were greater than in married couples, showing females perpetrating IPV more frequently than males.…”

“…Although there are no previous studies regarding the association between inter-parental violence exposure and ambivalent sexism, it makes sense to think that children could develop certain sexist beliefs or prejudices against women through the witnessing of violent or disrespectful behavior of fathers toward mothers. Ambivalent sexism will be a moderate predictor of dating violence, taking into account two studies based on Spanish college students [6,13].…”