1. Objectifs

Intentions :
The «main objective of this study was to identify latent trajectories of psychological DV [dating violence] perpetration and to examine risk factors associated with the different classes. More specifically, this study aimed [at] describing prevalence rates across time for psychological DV perpetration; [examining] latent trajectories of psychological DV to identify subgroups of perpetrators; [and] identifying predictive risk factors of trajectory membership.» (p. 3)

Questions/Hypothèses :
The authors «hypothesis was that, as in studies on physical or overall DV, anxious attachment, DV victimization, witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV), alcohol and drug use, antisocial behaviors, DV victimization of peers and antisocial behaviors of peers would be associated with a greater risk of psychological DV perpetration.» (p. 3)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
Les données proviennent de l’étude longitudinale Youths’ Romantic Relationships (YRR). L’échantillon original était composé de plus de 8 000 jeunes québécois âgés de 14 à 18 ans. Le sous-échantillon utilisé dans le présent article est composé de 449 participants (353 filles et 96 garçons).

Instruments :
Questionnaires

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«Four psychological DV perpetration trajectories were identified in [the] sample: Absence of violence, Low violence, High descending, and Moderate elevating.» (p. 9) Also, the results show that risk «factors such as age, anxious attachment, low self-esteem, witnessing father to mother IPV, DV victimization, marijuana problems, physical/sexual DV victimization of peers, and peers’ antisocial behaviors successfully predicted membership to trajectories, with greater effects for DV victimization, witnessing IPV, and self-esteem. These results emphasize the importance of further examining self-esteem and violence mutuality in future research, and of developing programs for vulnerable youth according to their profiles. Violence use is not a stable behavior across adolescence and, before it becomes chronic, it should be studied considering variations over time, as well as according to developmental stages, with longitudinal design over several years. Adolescents should be supported throughout their development of interpersonal skills to better learn how to express their needs and feelings in a relationship, as well as to be more receptive to their partners’ ones. Hopefully, policy makers and social health agencies will orient their efforts in preventing dating violence earlier, to use programs adapted for different perpetrator profiles, and finally to disrupt trajectories of violence, particularly the elevating one, before it becomes a crystallized way of interacting with an intimate partner.» (p. 11)