title: Perceptions of Dating Violence and Associated Correlates: A Study of College Young Adults.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to better understand young adults' perceptions of what behaviors constitute intimate partner violence (IPV) and the correlates of these perceptions using a comprehensive measure of IPV perceptions and behaviors. Participants were undergraduates (aged 18-25), including 357 women and 346 men ( N = 703) from the midwestern region of the United States, who completed surveys for course credit. Results demonstrated that young women and men on average reported that acts of physical, sexual, and psychological IPV were abusive. However, young women generally rated these behaviors as more abusive than young men, male-to-female (M-to-F) IPV was viewed as more abusive than female-to-male (F-to-M) IPV, and physical IPV was considered the most abusive form of IPV, followed by sexual IPV, which was rated as more abusive than psychological IPV. Furthermore, among men, a history of IPV perpetration and victimization generally predicted decreased perceptions that acts were abusive; however, among women, histories of IPV perpetration and victimization were generally unrelated to abuse perceptions. These data underscore the importance of the inclusion of psychoeducation about the seriousness of all forms of IPV in IPV prevention programming and the importance of situation-specific and targeted IPV prevention messages. Moreover, future research is needed to replicate and better understand the explanatory mechanisms underlying the relationships among a history of IPV, abuse perceptions, and gender.
authors.affiliation: 1 Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Dardis
authors.affiliation: 2 University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA.
authors.forename: Katie M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: 1 Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Erika L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.affiliation: 1 Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Christine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gidycz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D000066511:Intimate Partner Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: IPV; dating violence; intimate partner violence; perceptions of intimate partner violence