1. Dating violence among adolescents Dr Erica Bowen, Matt Mawer, and Emma Holdsworth

2. Threats Psycho – emotional Sexual Physical Saltzman et al. (2002) Defining violence

3. Physical violence Intentional use of physical force with the potential for causing death, disability, injury, or harm. Examples: slapping, grabbing, choking, punching, burning, restraining, biting

4. Intentional, unwanted sexual touching or intentional touching of a person of diminished capacity Sexual violence Examples: groping, pressuring, getting partner drunk/drugged

5. Psychological trauma to the victim caused by acts, threats of acts, or coercive tactics. Psychological/emotional violence Examples: humiliating, controlling, withholding money, isolating, shaming

6. Using words, gestures, or weapons to communicate the intent to cause death, disability, injury, or physical harm. Threats of violence Examples: threats of any type of violence (including through social media)

7. Definition problems 1.Are these standard definitions? 2.How do we separate threats? 3.Sub-hierarchies of violence 4.Who defines behaviour as abuse?

9. Prevalence The prevention and reduction of youth dating violence has become an issue of national urgency" (Antle et al. 2007; 173) Boys 15% – 44% Girls 14% – 43% Approx. 25% 6 teenagers in a class of 25 students

10. Parental influence Peer influence General delinquency Substance abuse Psychological adjustment & competencies Attitudes towards violence Nature of relationship & dating behaviour Being a victim of dating violence Risk factors for dating violence

11. Perception of lesser parental involvement Witnessing inter-parental aggression Being a victim of parental aggression Directing aggression towards parents Perception of parental support for aggressive solutions Parental influence

12. Perception of lesser parental involvement –Perceived lack of authority OR –Lack of exposure to good relationships models, emotional support & stability –OR BOTH Parental influence

13. Witnessing inter-parental violence –Modelling the behaviour - social cognitive model of violence –Threat to self and self blame –Ineffective coping Parental influence

14. Being a victim of parental aggression –Problems controlling behaviour –Problems recognising bad behaviours –Developmental traumatology Childhood abuse = historic risk factor Trauma symptoms = changeable risk factor Parental influence

15. Childhood abuse (historic) Stress-induced neurobiological changes Dating violence Trauma symptoms (changeable) Developmental traumatology

16. Friends with experience of dating violence Friends who perpetrate dating violence Friends who use aggression generally Friends who are victims of dating violence Peer influence

17. Friends with experience of dating violence –Interdependence theory –Parents become less important as social relationships become more important Friends perpetration of dating violence –Socially acceptable dating behaviour norms Peer influence

18. Friends who use aggression generally –Social groups not too diverse –Group norms unchallenged Friends who are victims of dating violence –Longitudinal predictor (girls only) –Social groups include perpetrators and victims Peer influence

19. Parental influence –Perception of lesser involvement = less authority & less emotional support –Witnessing inter-parental aggression = modelling behaviour & ineffective coping –Victim of parental aggression = trauma symptoms (proximal risk for violence) Summary

20. Peer influence –Adolescents susceptible to influences of peer behaviour –Socially acceptable dating norms –Cohesive groups mean norms remains unchallenged –Social groups can include perpetrators AND victims Summary

21. StudyProgramme evaluated 1 Love U2: Increasing your relationship smarts 2 Love U2: Communication smart 3 Expect Respect Programme Support Group 4 Safe Dates 5 Connections: Relationships and Marriage 6 Interaction curricula and Law and Justice curricula 7 Reaching and Teaching Teens to Stop Violence 8 The Youth relationships project Intervention programmes

23. Behavioural Attitudinal Personal / skills Results

24. Other issues 1.Interventions can have negative effects Provoke behaviour Negative peer influence 2.Do group interventions work? Evidence mixed Supportive; but enabling?

25. Conclusions The prevention and reduction of youth dating violence has become an issue of national urgency" (Antle et al. 2007; 173) 1.Four dimensions of violence 2.6 in a class of 25 students (25%) 3.Main risks factors: parental and peer 4.Interventions: behavioural change 5.But: Lack of European data!

26. We want to answer your questions!

27. Erica Bowen E.Bowen@coventry.ac.ukE.Bowen@coventry.ac.uk Matt Mawer M.Mawer@coventry.ac.ukM.Mawer@coventry.ac.uk Emma HoldsworthEmma.Holdsworth@coventry.ac.ukEmma.Holdsworth@coventry.ac.uk References : http://www.cavaproject.eu/ http://www.cavaproject.eu/