Witnessing Interparental Violence and Acceptance of Dating Violence as Predictors for Teen Dating Violence Victimization

• NCJ Number: 250078
• Journal: Violence Against Women Volume: 22 Issue: 5 Dated: April 2016 Pages: 625-646
• Author(s): M. E. Karlsson; J. R. Temple; Rebecca Weston; Vi Donna Lee
• Date Published: April 2016
• Length: 22 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2012-WG-BX-0005
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description
• Award: Continuation of Dating It Safe: A Longitudinal Study on Teen Dating Violence

Annotation

This study examined the association between witnessing inter-parental violence, attitudes about dating violence, and physical and psychological teen dating violence (TDV) victimization.

Abstract

Participants were 918 teens with dating experience. Witnessing interparental violence and acceptance of dating violence were significant predictors of TDV victimization. Acceptance of dating violence was also a partial mediator between witnessing inter-parental violence and TDV victimization. Witnessing mother-to-father violence and acceptance of female-perpetrated violence were the most consistent predictors. TDV programs aiming to prevent victimization could benefit from targeting youth exposed to father-to-mother and mother-to-father violence, targeting attitudes about violence, and tailoring interventions to gender-specific risk factors. 44 references (Publisher abstract modified)