Longitudinal and Contemporaneous Risk Factors of Dating Violence Perpetration: Differences and Similarities Between Genders

• In Event: Gender, Context, and Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

This study reviews a large set of risk factors of adolescent dating violence. Guided by an ecological perspective, we differentiate risk factors in domains such as the socio-economic background, the family environment, individual (problem) behavior and attitudes, violent victimization, leisure activities and peer group characteristics as well as characteristics of the current romantic partner and relationship. The study includes little-studied factors such as perceived attractiveness and physical strength, consumption of pornography, or violent ideations. The risk factors were measured between age 7 and 17.

The study draws on data from the Zurich Project on the Social Development of Children and Youths, a longitudinal study on the long-term development of violence and other problem behavior. The study population consists of a highly multiethnic cohort of over 1300 youths in the city of Zurich, Switzerland.

For most risk factors the effect sizes were similar in both genders. However, with regard, e.g., to media use, to some parenting practices and to several attitudinal outcomes we found significant differences between genders.

The implications of the findings for prevention will be discussed with regard to the identification of specific target groups, of promising risk factors to be addressed, and to the need of gender-specific interventions.

Author

• Denis Ribeaud, ETH Zurich