Relationships and betrayal among young women: theoretical perspectives on adolescent dating abuse.
OBJECTIVE
Adolescent dating abuse is not specifically described by any current nursing theory, and this article presents discussion of some existing theories that could inform a nursing theory of adolescent dating abuse. To account for the effects of gender, this discussion is limited to young women.


BACKGROUND
Adolescent dating abuse is an important and understudied international issue for nursing. Theoretical frameworks can support development of nursing scholarship for such issues. No single theory yet exists in nursing to explain the experiences and health ramifications of dating abuse among young women.


METHODS
A summary table of theories is provided. Literature was gathered via database search and bibliographic snowballing from reference lists of relevant articles. Included literature dates from 1982 through 2010.


CONCLUSIONS
Theories of relationship formation and function are discussed, including attachment, investment, feminist and gender role conflict theories. Betrayal trauma theory is considered as a mechanism of injury following an abusive dating experience.


CONCLUSIONS
Gender, relationship and adolescence combine in a complex developmental moment for young women. To improve nursing care for those at risk for or in the throes of abusive relationships, it is critical to develop specific nursing approaches to understanding these relationships.


CONCLUSIONS
Existing theories related to relationship and traumatic experiences can be combined in the development of a nursing theory of adolescent dating abuse among young women.
Department of Family and Community Health Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA. candace.burton@ucsf.edu
Candace W
CW
Burton
Bonnie
B
Halpern-Felsher
Sally H
SH
Rankin
Roberta S
RS
Rehm
Janice C
JC
Humphreys
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D041923:Adolescent Development; D003380:Courtship / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D019513:Feminism; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009742:Nursing Theory; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D013179:Spouse Abuse; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*
J Interpers Violence. 2005 Dec;20(12):1580-97
16246918
Violence Against Women. 2006 Feb;12(2):187-207
16382031
J Natl Black Nurses Assoc. 2004 Dec;15(2):23-31
15853283
Pediatrics. 2008 Feb;121(2):297-305
18245421
Image J Nurs Sch. 1993 Spring;25(1):69-72
8449534
Violence Against Women. 2007 Dec;13(12):1274-95
17971578
Child Dev. 2007 Jul-Aug;78(4):1222-39
17650135
J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2005 Mar;14(2):172-9
15775735
Psychol Rev. 1994 Oct;101(4):568-86
7984707
J Pediatr Nurs. 2003 Aug;18(4):244-56
12923735
J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs. 2005 Jan-Mar;18(1):2-9
15701093
Am Psychol. 2000 May;55(5):469-80
10842426
J Adolesc. 2007 Jun;30(3):487-504
16884766
Child Maltreat. 2007 May;12(2):172-81
17446570
J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2006 Aug;19(4):267-70
16873030
J Trauma Dissociation. 2005;6(3):83-104
16172083
J Adolesc Health. 2006 Sep;39(3):305-17
16919791
ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2008 Apr-Jun;31(2):95-105
18497586
Violence Vict. 2004 Apr;19(2):171-87
15384453
Clin Psychol Rev. 1999 Jun;19(4):435-56
10429844
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006 Nov;63(11):1258-66
17088506
J Pediatr Nurs. 2007 Dec;22(6):427-9
18036460
JAMA. 2001 Aug 1;286(5):572-9
11476659
J Adolesc Health. 2002 Dec;31(6 Suppl):122-35
12470909
J Sch Health. 2006 Oct;76(8):423-9
16978166
Psychol Assess. 2001 Jun;13(2):277-93
11433803
Child Abuse Negl. 2007 May;31(5):549-66
17391758
Annu Rev Psychol. 1988;39:583-607
3278681
J Sex Res. 2008 Jul-Sep;45(3):277-86
18686156
J Youth Adolesc. 1984 Jun;13(3):181-96
24306622
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1036:85-105
15817732
Pediatrics. 2004 Aug;114(2):e220-5
15286260
Arch Sex Behav. 2006 Apr;35(2):131-44
16752117
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008 Jul;162(7):634-41
18606934
J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 1999 Jul-Aug;28(4):377-88
10438082
J Adv Nurs. 2010 Jun;66(6):1232-45
20546357
J Adolesc. 2002 Dec;25(6):619-29
12490180
Am J Health Behav. 2005 Mar-Apr;29(2):183-90
15698985
Am J Nurs. 2004 Mar;104(3):40-50; quiz 50-1
15108570
J Adolesc Health. 2007 Apr;40(4):295-7
17367720
Dev Psychopathol. 2007 Winter;19(1):149-66
17241488
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2007 Feb;92(2):355-67
17279854
Res Theory Nurs Pract. 2002 Summer;16(2):119-34
12371430
J Adolesc Health. 2006 Apr;38(4):444.e1-10
16549308
J Adolesc Health. 2005 Jun;36(6):530
15909362
J Trauma Stress. 1996 Jan;9(1):25-35
8750449
Nurs Forum. 2008 Apr-Jun;43(2):80-90
18447893
Child Abuse Negl. 2005 Oct;29(10):1155-72
16315357
J Health Psychol. 2006 Jul;11(4):533-51
16769734
Prev Med. 2004 Nov;39(5):1007-16
15475036
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Dec 7;101(49):17312-5
15574496
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004 Aug;158(8):797-803
15289254
Violence Vict. 2006 Feb;21(1):81-9
16494134
J Interpers Violence. 2005 Apr;20(4):403-11
15722494
J Adolesc Health. 2002 Dec;31(6 Suppl):201-7
12470916
Annu Rev Psychol. 2003;54:461-90
12415076
Violence Vict. 2002 Feb;17(1):35-47
11991155
Nurs Res. 2005 Jul-Aug;54(4):235-42
16027566
Can J Nurs Res. 2003 Jun;35(2):16-33
12908195
J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2001 May;14(2):85-8
11479106
Violence Vict. 2009;24(4):533-45
19694356
J Adolesc Health. 2005 Jan;36(1):25-31
15661593
J Adv Nurs. 2009 Jul;65(7):1452-62
19457003
Am J Public Health. 2001 Oct;91(10):1679-85
11574335