NCJ Number
216621
Journal
Journal of Knowledge and Best Practices in Juvenile Justice & Psychology Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: 2006 Pages: 5-10
Date Published
2006
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether age, sex, attitudes toward violence against women, perceived social norms, witnessing school violence, and witnessing neighborhood violence were significant risk factors associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration among African-American youth.
Abstract
Results of the study confirm those of earlier studies indicating that intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent among young adolescents who date. Sixty-nine percent of this predominantly African-American sample, reported perpetrating physical violence toward dating partners. The findings indicated that exposure to community violence and witnessing violence at school predicted the likelihood of physical aggression directed toward dating partners. The results supported those of previous studies indicating females were more likely to report perpetration of IPV than males, however the hypothesis concerning age was not supported. Lastly, perceived social norms were not found to be a significant predictor of IPV perpetration. Being able to identify the etiology of IPV perpetration among rural African-American populations of youth allows researchers and educators to support and design programs to address risk factors and their varying levels. Utilizing a sample of 456 ninth graders in rural Mississippi, who completed a Youth Dating Survey, this study examined whether exposure to neighborhood violence, witnessing school violence, attitudes toward violence against women, perceived norms about violence, age, and sex were risk factors for perpetration of physical violence within dating relationships, specifically among African-American youth. Tables, references