Controlling Behaviors in Middle School Youth’s Dating Relationships

Abstract

This exploratory study examined middle school students’ (N = 380) help-seeking behaviors and other reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Over three-fourths of the participants perpetrated and were victimized by controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Youth used emotional/verbal and dominance/isolation forms of controlling behaviors. More youth were victimized by dominance/isolation controlling behaviors than emotional/verbal controlling behaviors. Gender and age differences emerged when evaluating the type of controlling behaviors youth used. The majority of youth were willing to seek help when confronted with various types of controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Gender and age differences also emerged in youth’s reactions to controlling behaviors. More understanding of youth’s reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships may assist prevention educators in intervening before controlling behaviors in dating relationships turn into actual dating violence.

Adolescents’ Help-Seeking Behavior and Intentions Following Adolescent Dating Violence: A Systematic Review

“…Two studies had 91% (Ocampo, Shelley, & Jaycox, 2007) and 100% (Sabina, Cuevas, & Rodriguez, 2014) participants identifying as Latino, and one study had all Mexican American participants (Rueda, Williams, & Nagoshi, 2015). Three studies included samples with all (Martin, Houston, Mmari, & Decker, 2012) or high percentages of participants identifying as African American (Black & Weisz, 2003; Elias-Lambert, Black, & Chigbu, 2014). Findings from these studies cannot be generalized to adolescents of differing ethnicities.…”

“…One study was part of a longitudinal study (Hedge, Sianko, & McDonell, 2016) and used the first three waves of data. Twelve studies were part of wider studies—five exploring DV prevention programs (Ashley & Foshee, 2005; Black & Weisz, 2003; Elias-Lambert et al, 2014; Ocampo et al, 2007; Watson, Cascardi, Avery-Leaf, & O’Leary, 2001). In addition, Dank et al (2014) recruited schools providing an antibullying program to students which included information on ADV.…”

“…Of those exploring ADV prevention programs, there was minimal information provided on what students were taught as part of the program, and therefore, it is unclear whether this would impact on help-seeking responses. Three of these studies reported data collection for the research study took place prior to the prevention program (Black & Weis, 2003; Elias-Lambert et al, 2014; Watson et al, 2001). For the remaining two studies, one explored the effects of the program on help seeking (Ashley & Foshee, 2005).…”

“…Of the 11 studies exploring actual formal help seeking, four studies found low numbers of youth reported seeking help from formal sources. Formal sources included counselors, social workers, and therapists (Alleyne-Green et al, 2015); teachers, counselors, minister, and hotline (Elias-Lambert et al, 2014); police, school, social care, and counselors (Sabina et al, 2014); and hotline and police (Watson et al, 2001). In contrast, one study found 40% of youth seek help from formal sources, including teacher, school worker, school nurse, social worker, lawyer, police, hotline, therapist, health-care professional from hospital, or minister (Ashley & Foshee, 2005).…”

Professional Help-Seeking for Adolescent Dating Violence in the Rural South: The Role of Social Support and Informal Help-Seeking

“…Adolescents rarely seek any help for their problems, and are exceptionally unlikely to seek professional help (Elias-Lambert, Black, & Chigbu, 2014; Fröjd, Marttunen, Pelkonen, von der Pahlen, & Kaltiala-Heino, 2007; C. E. Martin, Houston, Mmari, & Decker, 2012).…”