School Climate and Physical Adolescent Relationship Abuse: Differences by Sex, Socioeconomic Status, and Bullying

• NCJ Number: 253272
• Journal: Journal of Adolescence Volume: 66 Dated: July 2018 Pages: 71-82
• Author(s): Sonia Jain; Alison K. Cohen; Taylor Paglisotti; Malavika A. Subramanyam; Alison Chapel; Elizabeth Miller
• Date Published: July 2018
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2011-MU-MU-0023
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description
• Award: Integrating Prevention and Intervention: A School Health Center Program to Promote Healthy Adolescent Relationships

Annotation

Since little is known about the association between school climate and adolescent relationship abuse (ARA), the current study used 2011-2012 data from surveys of California public school students (in the United States of America) who were in a dating relationship in the last year (112,378) to quantify the association between different school climate constructs and physical ARA.

Abstract

Fifty-two percent of students were female, and all students were in 9th or 11th grade (approximately ages 14-17). Just over 11 percent of students reported experiencing physical ARA in the last year. Increased school connectedness, meaningful opportunities for participation, perceived safety, and caring relationships with adults at school were each significantly associated with lower odds of physical ARA. Increased violence victimization and school-level bullying victimization were associated with higher odds of experiencing physical ARA. These school climate-ARA associations were significantly moderated by student sex, school socioeconomic status, and school-level bullying victimization. School climate interventions may have spillover benefits for ARA prevention. (publisher abstract modified)