NCJ Number
237845
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 25 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2010 Pages: 808-831
Date Published
May 2010
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This study examined the association between dating violence victimization and psychosocial risk and protective factors among Latino early adolescents.
Abstract
An anonymous, cross-sectional, self-reported survey was administered to a convenience sample of Latino youth (n = 322) aged 11 to 13 residing in suburban Washington, DC. The dependent variable was physical dating violence; the independent variables included violence, substance use, emotional well-being, prosocial behaviors, and parenting practices. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed and adjusted odds ratio and 95 percent confidence interval were examined. Overall, 13.5 percent (n = 43) of Latino early adolescents reported being a victim of physical dating violence within the past year. The prevalence was 14.4 percent for girls and 12.9 percent for boys. Among the girls, binge drinking was the sole risk behavior associated with dating violence. Gun carrying, alcohol consumption, and having considered suicide were associated with dating violence among the boys. Physical dating violence appears to affect a small but significant proportion of Latino early adolescents and is associated with other risk behaviors. Healthy dating relationship programs are warranted for middle school youth with some tailoring to reflect gender differences in risk profiles. (Published Abstract)