Longitudinal Associations Between Teen Dating Violence Victimization and Adverse Health Outcomes

Abstract

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Although a number of crosssectional studies have documented associations between teen dating violence victimization and adverse health outcomes, including sexual risk behaviors, suicidality, substance use, and depression, longitudinal work examining the relationship between victimization and outcomes is limited. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS:This study is the first to demonstrate the longitudinal associations between teen dating violence victimization and multiple young adult health outcomes in a nationally representative sample. Findings emphasize the need for screening and intervention for both male and female victims. abstract OBJECTIVE: To determine the longitudinal association between teen dating violence victimization and selected adverse health outcomes. 1994-1995), 2 (1996), and 3 (2001-2002) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a nationally representative sample of US high schools and middle schools. Participants were 5681 12-to 18-year-old adolescents who reported heterosexual dating experiences at Wave 2. These participants were followed-up ∼5 years later (Wave 3) when they were aged 18 to 25. Physical and psychological dating violence victimization was assessed at Wave 2. Outcome measures were reported at Wave 3, and included depressive symptomatology, selfesteem, antisocial behaviors, sexual risk behaviors, extreme weight control behaviors, suicidal ideation and attempt, substance use (smoking, heavy episodic drinking, marijuana, other drugs), and adult intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Data were analyzed by using multivariate linear and logistic regression models. METHODS: Secondary analysis of Waves 1 ( RESULTS:Compared with participants reporting no teen dating violence victimization at Wave 2, female participants experiencing victimization reported increased heavy episodic drinking, depressive symptomatology, suicidal ideation, smoking, and IPV victimization at Wave 3, whereas male participants experiencing victimization reported increased antisocial behaviors, suicidal ideation, marijuana use, and IPV victimization at Wave 3, controlling for sociodemographics, child maltreatment, and pubertal status. CONCLUSIONS:The results from the present analyses suggest that dating violence experienced during adolescence is related to adverse health outcomes in young adulthood. Findings from this study emphasize the importance of screening and offering secondary prevention programs to both male and female victims. Pediatrics 2013;131:71-78

Childhood physical abuse and physical dating violence in young adulthood: The mediating role of adverse mental health

“…Consistent with previous research (Scott et al, 2010), childhood physical abuse is detrimental to long-term mental health. Moreover, while most DV research has focused on adverse mental health as an outcome of DV (Chan et al, 2008;Exner-Cortens et al, 2013), our study showed that young adults who suffer from adverse mental health, PTSD specifically, have a higher likelihood of experiencing and perpetrating DV as well.…”

“…Further, we included age, gender, and race as control variables since research has shown that both DV and mental health often vary by these demographic factors (Alleyne-Green, Coleman-Cowger, & Henry, 2012;Shorey, Cornelius, & Bell, 2008;Twenge & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2002). We also controlled for prior physical DV victimization and perpetration because of the association between DV and mental health (Exner-Cortens et al, 2013), as well as the link between prior DV experiences and future DV (Jouriles, Choi, Rancher, & Temple, 2017). Figure 1, we hypothesized that childhood physical abuse would be directly linked to adverse mental health, and adverse mental health would directly associate with physical DV victimization and perpetration.…”