Reactions to Dating Violence Among Latino Teenagers: An Experiment Utilizing the Articulated Thoughts in Simulated Situations Paradigm

• NCJ Number: 221220
• Journal: Journal of Adolescence Volume: 30 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2007 Pages: 893-915
• Author(s): Nadine Recker Rayburn; Lisa H. Jaycox; Daniel F. McCaffrey; Emilio C. Ulloa; Megan Zander-Cotugno; Grant N. Marshall; Gene A. Shelley
• Date Published: December 2007
• Length: 23 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The study presents an in-depth investigation of Latino teens’ reactions toward dating violence.

Abstract

Results showed teens’ reactions to dating violence differed on a variety of dimensions as a function of their gender, the gender of the perpetrator, and familiarity with the perpetrator. The data indicated important gender differences among Latino teens on a number of dimensions: boys and girls differed in their expression of their disapproval of violence; boys were more likely than girls to verbally confront the fighting couple about their disapproval of violence. However, because girls scored higher than boys on the condemnation of violence code, it is likely that girls disapproved of violence just as much as boys, but were unwilling to confront the fighting couple. Girls were also more likely to express their emotional reactions by articulating more feelings of anger and fear than boys. Girls were especially angry when perpetrators of violence were male friends, or female strangers. The tendency for girls to verbalize their feelings more than boys might reflect an overall heightened emotional expressiveness among women compared to men. Latino teens also perceived the violence in a more negative context when the perpetrator was a boy; teens condemned violence by male perpetrators more than violence by female perpetrators. Teens perceived violence perpetrated by strangers (male or female), and males more serious than violence perpetrated by friends or females. Dating violence is a serious problem among adolescents and young adults; understanding teens’ reactions to dating violence improves development of prevention strategies. Knowledge concerning youth attitudes about dating violence is limited, and has previously come from self-report questionnaires. This study used the Articulated Thoughts in Simulated Situations (ATSS) paradigm; 41 ninth grade students were presented with 4 simulated dating violence scenarios, and articulated their thoughts in response to them. The sample was exclusively Latinos. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are discussed. Table, figures, references, and appendices