1. Objectifs

Intentions :
The study «aimed to identify gender-specific patterns of teen dating violence in heterosexual relationships by considering both directionality (perpetration and victimization) and forms of violence (psychological, physical and sexual). Moreover, this study sought to document resulting patterns’ differential associations with two trauma-informed correlates that also represent salient developmental challenges during adolescence namely, attachment insecurities and emotion dysregulation.» (p. 247)

Questions/Hypothèses :
«Based on previous studies, it was expected to find at least three classes of teen dating violence that would be similar in boys and girls: [l]ow dating violence, [m]utual psychological dating violence and [m]utual psychological and physical dating violence. It was also expected to find a different class of teen dating violence among girls that would be characterized by a high probability of sexual victimization. […] It was hypothesized that adolescents in the low dating violence class would report less attachment insecurities (anxiety and avoidance) and less emotion dysregulation than adolescents in other classes.» (p. 248-249)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«Data were drawn from the Youths’ Romantic Relationships Survey, a longitudinal study conducted on a representative one-stage stratified cluster sample of 8194 adolescents recruited in 34 high schools in [Quebec]. Only adolescents who participated in the second wave of this study (6 months post Wave 1) were selected for the analyses […]. Among those, 3258 (48%) reported being in a romantic relationship in the last 6 months […]. The final sample therefore includes 3100 adolescents (60% girls) aged between 14 and 20 years old (M = 15.92).» (p. 249)

Instruments :
Questionnaire

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

The «analyses revealed four distinct patterns of teen dating violence in girls and boys. As expected, the first three patterns, namely Low dating violence, Mutual psychological dating violence and Mutual psychological and physical dating violence, were found in both genders. These patterns match those observed in other studies […] and corroborate the diversity of dating violence experiences in adolescents. […] In accordance with previous research, the largest class was characterized by low probabilities of victimization and perpetration (40% of girls and 54% of boys). Moreover, about a third of adolescent girls and boys were involved in a pattern of Mutual psychological dating violence, which constituted the second-largest class in the present study. Findings also revealed a heightened risk of psychological dating violence in all classes, with the exception of the Low dating violence class. Acts of psychological violence are often perceived by youth as less abusive than acts of physical or sexual violence […]. [Moreover, about] 1 in 10 girls in this study belonged in a class characterized by Mutual psychological dating violence and sexual victimization. […] A possible explanation may be that verbal coercion […] is the most frequently used tactic in adolescents’ relationships to force a partner into engaging in unwanted sexual activities [….].» (p. 254)