Patterns of Perpetration and Perceptions of Teen Dating Violence

Abstract This study investigated patterns of perpetration and perceptions of teen dating violence (TDV) in a sample of 428 adolescents characterized as perpetrators (62.4% female, M=16.73 years of age, SD=1.20) from the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. There was also a comparison group of 132 non-perpetrators (51.5% female, M=16.54 years of age, SD=1.19). The research instruments were a sociodemographic questionnaire, 15 items about the perception of TDV and the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory (CADRI). We found a rate of 76.43% for the perpetration of some type of TDV and the most frequent was verbal/emotional violence (91.1%). The data showed that adolescents (perpetrators and non-perpetrators) have difficulty recognizing abusive behaviors, legitimizing the use of violence in their romantic relationships. Considering dating violence is a predictor of adult marital violence, the need to raise awareness of the phenomenon and the possibility of preventing TDV is discussed in this study.

摘要 本研究以巴西南里奥格兰德州阿雷格里港都会区的428名青少年施暴者为样本（女性占比62.4%，平均年龄M=16.73岁，标准差SD=1.20），调查了青少年约会暴力（teen dating violence, TDV）的施暴模式与认知现状。同时纳入132名非施暴者作为对照组（女性占比51.5%，平均年龄M=16.54岁，标准差SD=1.19）进行对比分析。本研究采用的研究工具包括社会人口学问卷、15项青少年约会暴力认知条目，以及青少年恋爱关系冲突量表（Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory, CADRI）。数据分析结果显示，76.43%的受试者存在至少一种类型的青少年约会暴力施暴行为，其中最为频发的为言语/情感暴力（占比91.1%）。研究数据同时表明，无论是施暴者还是非施暴者群体，青少年均难以识别恋爱关系中的虐待行为，且会对亲密关系中的暴力使用行为予以合理化。鉴于约会暴力是成人婚姻暴力的预测因子，本研究探讨了提升公众对该现象的认知水平，以及开展青少年约会暴力预防工作的必要性与可行性。