Help-Seeking Intentions for Dating Violence Among Court-Involved Adolescent Girls

• In Event: Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Topic - Social Relationships

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescent dating violence (ADV) is a pressing concern (Vagi et al., 2015). Notably, adolescents often do not disclose involvement in ADV (Ashley & Foshee, 2005), and those who do seek help generally turn to friends rather than parents or formal sources (Sabina et al., 2014). Barriers to help-seeking for ADV include embarrassment, poor self-image, and attitudes toward ADV (Bundock et al., 2020). Limited help-seeking may pose risk for poorer outcomes or continued involvement. This may be particularly concerning among court-involved youth, who are at higher risk for ADV (Kelly et al., 2009) and have lower help-seeking rates for other concerns (e.g., mental health; Burke et al., 2005). Given that court-involved youth may have unique barriers to help-seeking, better understanding of factors that influence their help-seeking intentions is necessary for prevention and intervention efforts.

Methods: Participants were 184 court-involved girls ages 14-18 (68.5% nonwhite; 52.7% non-Hispanic) recruited for a larger prevention study. Participants who endorsed at least one dating partner within the past three months were included in this study. Participants completed the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory (Wolfe et al., 2001), Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., 1996), and Attitudes Towards Relationship Violence Questionnaire (Macgowan, 1997). Participants also completed items regarding their likeliness to disclose ADV if it occurred in the future to a friend, parent, or a school/health professional (e.g., teacher, doctor; Ocampo et al., 2007).

Results: Paired sample t-tests revealed significant differences in likelihood to disclose to a friend compared to a parent (x̅ = .90; SD = 1.89, t = 6.32; p < .00) or professional (x̅ = 1.46; SD = 1.67, t = 11.64; p < .00). There was also a significant difference in likelihood to disclose to a parent compared to a professional (x̅ = .57; SD = 1.47, t = 5.22; p < .00). Separate multiple regressions were run to determine whether race, ethnicity, ADV, depression, and attitudes predicted likelihood to disclose ADV to a friend, parent, or professional. Only the model predicting likelihood to disclose to a friend was significant (R² = .15, F(5,152) = 5.51, p < .01). Prior ADV involvement (b = .52, β = .15, p = .05) and attitudes (b = 1.17, β = .26, p < .01) were significant predictors.

Discussion: Consistent with findings on the general population, court-involved girls were more likely to seek help from friends rather than parents or professionals. Girls were more likely to disclose to friends if they had prior involvement in ADV and less favorable attitudes toward ADV. These findings speak to the importance of targeting attitudes in ADV prevention programs within the justice system, not only to reduce incidence of violence in this high-risk group but to promote help-seeking. These adolescents also need to be equipped with information to appropriately connect friends to formal sources of help. Prior ADV involvement, depression, and attitudes were not indicators of help-seeking from parents nor professionals. Future work is needed to better understand how to promote help-seeking from these sources among court-involved teens.

Authors

• McKenna C. Brennan, Lifespan Medical System
  Presenting Author

• Olivia Canning, Lifespan Medical System
  Non-Presenting Author

• Hannah Doucette, Brown University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Christie J Rizzo, Northeastern University
  Non-Presenting Author