Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lifetime Prevalence Rates and Overlap of Physical, Psychological, and Sexual Dating Abuse Perpetration and Victimization in a National Sample of Youth

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

National, epidemiological data that provide lifetime rates of psychological, physical, and sexual adolescent data abuse (ADA) perpetration and victimization within the same sample of youth are lacking. To address this gap, data from 1058 randomly selected U.S. youth, 14–21 years old, surveyed online in 2011 and/or 2012, were weighted to be nationally representative and analyzed. In addition to reporting prevalence rates, we also examined the overlap of the six types of ADA queried. Results suggested that ADA was commonly reported by both male and female youth. Half (51 %) of female youth and 43 % of male youth reported victimization of at least one of the three types of ADA. Half (50 %) of female youth and 35 % of male youth reported at least one type of ADA perpetration. More male youth reported sexual ADA perpetration than female youth. More female youth reported perpetration of psychological and physical ADA and more reported psychological victimization than male youth. Rates were similar across race and ethnicity, but increased with age. This increase may have been because older youth spent longer time in relationships than younger youth, or perhaps because older youth were developmentally more likely than younger youth to be in abusive relationships. Many youth reported being both perpetrators and victims and/or involved in multiple forms of ADA across their dating history. Together, these findings suggested that interventions should acknowledge that youth may play multiple roles in abusive dyads. Understanding the overlap among ADA within the same as well as across multiple relationships will be invaluable to future interventions aiming to disrupt and prevent ADA.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Archer, J. (1999). Assessment of the reliability of the Conflict Tactics Scales: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14, 1263–1289. doi:10.1177/088626099014012003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Archer, J. (2000). Sex differences in aggression between heterosexual partners: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 651–680. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.126.5.651.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Archer, J. (2002). Sex differences in physically aggressive acts between heterosexual partners: A meta-analytic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 7, 313–351. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.126.5.65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bell, K. M., & Naugle, A. E. (2007). Effects of social desirability on students’ self-reporting of partner abuse perpetration and victimization. Violence and Victims, 22, 243–256.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berrens, R. P., Bohara, A. K., Jenkins-Smith, H., Silva, C., & Weimer, D. L. (2003). The advent of Internet surveys for political research: A comparison of telephone and Internet samples. Political Analysis, 11, 1–22. doi:10.1093/pan/11.1.1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black, M. C., Basile, K. C., Breiding, M. J., Smith, S. G., Walters, M. L., Merrick, M. T., … Stevens, M. R. (2011). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report. Retrieved from Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics & Bureau of the Census. (2006). Current Population Survey. Retrieved July 5, 2006, from http://www.census.gov/cps/.

  • Chiu, G., Lutfey, K., Litman, H., Link, C., Hall, S., & McKinlay, J. (2013). Prevalence and overlap of childhood and adult physical, sexual, and emotional abuse: A descriptive analysis of results from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) survey. Violence and Victims, 28, 381–402. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.11-043.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Cook, C., Heath, F., & Thompson, R. L. (2000). A meta-analysis of response rates in web- or Internet-based surveys. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 60, 821–836. doi:10.1177/00131640021970934.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De La Rue, L., Polanin, J. R., Espelage, D. L., & Pigott, T. D. (2016). A meta-analysis of school-based interventions aimed to prevent or reduce violence in teen dating relationships. Review of Educational Research. doi:10.3102/0034654316632061.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eaton, D. K., Kann, L., Kinchen, S., Shanklin, S., Flint, K. H., Hawkins, J., … Wechsler, H. (2012). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2011. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 61(04), 1–162.

  • Ellis, W. E., Crooks, C. V., & Wolfe, D. A. (2009). Relational aggression in peer and dating relationships: Links to psychological and behavioral adjustment. Social Development, 18, 253–269. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9507.2008.00468.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Exner-Cortens, D., Eckenrode, J., & Rothman, E. (2013). Longitudinal associations between teen dating violence victimization and adverse health outcomes. Pediatrics, 131, 71–78. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-1029.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fellmeth, G. L., Heffernan, C., Nurse, J., Habibula, S., & Sethi, D. (2013). Educational and skills-based interventions for preventing relationship and dating violence in adolescents and young adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 6, CD004534. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004534.pub3.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foshee, V. A. (1996). Gender differences in adolescent dating abuse prevalence, types and injuries. Health Education Research, 11, 275–286. doi:10.1093/her/11.3.275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foshee, V.A., Bauman, K., Arriaga, X., Helms, R., Koch, G., & Linder, G. (1998). An evaluation of Safe Dates, an adolescent dating violence prevention program. American Journal of Public Health, 88, 45–50.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Foshee, V. A., McNaughton Reyes, H. L., & Ennett, S. T. (2010). Examination of sex and race differences in longitudinal predictors of the initiation of adolescent dating violence perpetration. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 19, 492–516. doi:10.1080/10926771.2010.495032.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, C. T., Oslak, S. G., Young, M. L., Martin, S. L., & Kupper, L. L. (2001). Partner violence among adolescents in opposite-sex romantic relationships: Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. American Journal of Public Health, 91, 1679–1685. doi:10.2105/ajph.91.10.1679.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, C. T., Young, M. L., Waller, M. W., Martin, S. L., & Kupper, L. L. (2004). Prevalence of partner violence in same-sex romantic and sexual relationships in a national sample of adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 35, 124–131. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2003.09.003.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamby, S., & Turner, H. (2013). Measuring teen dating violence in males and females: Insights from the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence. Psychology of Violence, 3, 323–339. doi:10.1037/a0029706.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haynie, D. L., Farhat, T., Brooks-Russell, A., Wang, J., Barbieri, B., & Iannotti, R. J. (2013). Dating violence perpetration and victimization among U.S. adolescents: Prevalence, patterns, and associations with health complaints and substance use. Journal of Adolescent Health, 53, 194–201. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.02.008.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hickman, L. J., Jaycox, L. H., & Aronoff, J. (2004). Dating violence among adolescents: Prevalence, gender distribution, and prevention program effectiveness. Trauma Violence Abuse, 5, 123–142. doi:10.1177/1524838003262332.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Holt, M. K., & Espelage, D. L. (2005). Social support as a moderator between dating violence victimization and depression/anxiety among African American and Caucasian adolescents. School Psychology Review, 34, 309–328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard, D. E., & Wang, M. Q. (2003). Psychosocial factors associated with adolescent boys’ reports of dating violence. Adolescence, 38, 519–533.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. M., Cram, F., & Seymour, F. W. (2000). Violence and sexual coercion in high school students’ dating relationships. Journal of Family Violence, 15, 23–36. doi:10.1023/a:1007545302987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joinson, A. (1998). Causes and implications of disinhibited behaviors on the Internet. In J. Gackenbach (Ed.), Psychology and the Internet: Intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal implications (pp. 43–58). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joinson, A. (1999). Social desirability, anonymity, and Internet-based questionnaires. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 31, 433–438.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kann, L., Kinchen, S., Shanklin, S. L., Flint, K. H., Hawkins, J., Harris, W. A., … Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2013. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 63(Suppl. 4), 1–168.

  • Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J., & Capaldi, D. (2012). Clearly we’ve only just begun: Developing effective prevention programs for intimate partner violence. Prevention Science, 13, 410–414. doi:10.1007/s11121-012-0310-5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Marcus, R. F. (2012). Patterns of intimate partner violence in young adult couples: Nonviolent, unilaterally violent, and mutually violent couples. Violence and Victims, 27, 299–314. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.27.3.299.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McNutt, L. A., & Lee, R. (2000). Intimate partner violence prevalence estimation using telephone surveys: Understanding the effect of nonresponse bias. American Journal of Epidemiology, 152, 438–441.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, E., & Levenson, R. (2013). Hanging out or hooking up: Clinical guidelines on responding to adolescent relationship abuse (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Futures Without Violence.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Institutes of Health. (1999, March 17). Frequently asked questions. Inclusion of children as participants in research involving human subjects. Retrieved February 4, 2016, from http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/pol_children_qa.htm#2590.

  • Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. (2012). Assessing the representativeness of public opinion surveys. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Renner, L., & Whitney, S. (2010). Examining symmetry in intimate partner violence among young adults using socio-demographic characteristics. Journal of Family Violence, 25, 91–106. doi:10.1007/s10896-009-9273-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris Interactive. Harris Poll OnlineSM Panel. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from http://www.harrisinteractive.com/MethodsTools/DataCollection/HarrisPollOnlinePanel.aspx.

  • Schonlau, M., Zapert, K., Simon, L. P., Sanstad, K. H., Marcus, S. M., Adams, J., … Berry, S. H. (2004). A comparison between response from a propensity-weighted web survey and an identical RDD survey. Social Science Computer Review, 22, 128–138. doi:10.1177/0894439303256551.

  • StataCorp. (2006). Stata statistical software (Release 9.0). College Station, TX: Stata Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swahn, M. H., Simon, T. R., Arias, I., & Bossarte, R. M. (2008). Measuring sex differences in violence victimization and perpetration within date and same-sex peer relationships. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 23, 1120–1138. doi:10.1177/0886260508314086.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Swan, S. C., Gambone, L. J., Caldwell, J. E., Sullivan, T. P., & Snow, D. L. (2008). A review of research on women’s use of violence with male intimate partners. Violence and Victims, 23, 301–314. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.23.3.301.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Terhanian, G., Bremer, J., Smith, R., & Thomas, R. (2000). Correcting data from online surveys for the effects of nonrandom selection and nonrandom assignment. Rochester, NY: Harris Interactive.

    Google Scholar 

  • U. S. Census Bureau. (2008). The 2008 Statistical Abstract of the United States. Retrieved September 23, 2005, from https://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/08abstract/pop.pdf.

  • Wolitzky-Taylor, K. B., Ruggiero, K. J., Danielson, C. K., Resnick, H. S., Hanson, R. F., Smith, D. W., … Kilpatrick, D. G. (2008). Prevalence and correlates of dating violence in a national sample of adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 47, 755–762. doi:10.1097/CHI.0b013e318172ef5f.

  • Ybarra, M. L., & Mitchell, K. J. (2008). How risky are social networking sites? A comparison of places online where youth sexual solicitation and harassment occurs. Pediatrics, 121(2), e350–e357. doi:10.1542/peds.2007-0693.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grant number 5R01CE001543 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We would like to thank the entire study team from the Center for Innovative Public Health Research (formerly Internet Solutions for Kids), Harris Interactive, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who contributed to the planning and implementation of the study. We thank the families for their time and willingness to participate in this study, Dr. Kathleen Basile for her substantial contributions to earlier drafts, and Ms. Emilie Chen for her contributions to the final draft. An abstract of this paper was presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, 2013.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Innovative Public Health Research, 555 N. El Camino Real A347, San Clemente, CA, 92672, USA

    Michele L. Ybarra

  2. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA

    Dorothy L. Espelage

  3. Psychology Department, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA

    Jennifer Langhinrichsen-Rohling

  4. Southwest Institute for Research on Women, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Josephine D. Korchmaros

  5. Data & Society, New York, NY, USA

    danah boyd

  6. Microsoft Research, New York, NY, USA

    danah boyd

Authors
  1. Michele L. Ybarra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dorothy L. Espelage
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jennifer Langhinrichsen-Rohling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Josephine D. Korchmaros
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. danah boyd
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michele L. Ybarra.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ybarra, M.L., Espelage, D.L., Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J. et al. Lifetime Prevalence Rates and Overlap of Physical, Psychological, and Sexual Dating Abuse Perpetration and Victimization in a National Sample of Youth. Arch Sex Behav 45, 1083–1099 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-016-0748-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-016-0748-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation