Intercultural Latin American research on abuse in couple relationships of young university

Dating or falling in love implies a romantic experience of bonding, commitment and support between the members of a couple within the framework of a socio-cultural context. This kind of relationship contributes to the psychosocial well-being providing people with socio-emotional development. However, in this dating period, many partners deal with situations of violence. The aim of current work was to analyze and to describe the presence, type and level of abuse in dating relationships in four Latin American countries. Method: the target group involved 1195 secondary, high school and university students aged 12 to 30 years from Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Peru. The Questionnaire Dating Abuse (CMN; Osorio-Guzmán, 2014), which contains 5 areas and α = 0.95, was applied. The study met the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association. Results: the proportion of participants was Argentina (22.9%), Chile (25.3%), Mexico (36.9%) and Peru (15%). The reliability of the instrument ranges from .93 to .95. It was found that more than 90% of the cases report low levels of abuse, and 21.5% reported family violence patterns. Conclusions: the naturalization of dating violence is verified, and it is considered essential to work on its denaturalization.

Development and Validation of the Teen Dating Aggression Measure Among Canadian Youth

Teen dating violence (TDV) victimization is a traumatic experience that can have adverse consequences for adolescents. Current measures that assess TDV do not fully distinguish between psychological and relational forms of aggression, nor do they capture aggressive acts that are common within adolescent relationships. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Teen Dating Aggression Measure (TeDAM) using a sample of 730 Canadian adolescents (M = 15.88 years, SD = 1.23). The measure is an expansion of the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory and includes items that describe other forms of violence such as coercion and control, along with more traditional indicators of dating violence (e.g., sexual aggression). Factor analyses yielded three factors, namely psychological aggression, sexual and physical aggression, and relational aggression, which were correlated with more frequent cannabis and alcohol use as well as rape myth acceptance. These results provide initial support for the utility of the TeDAM for assessing TDV with adolescents.

Experience of dating violence’s victims in Indonesia: A photovoice study

Dating violence is one of the major violence issues that is continuously threatening female youth in Indonesia. Dating violence can cause significant negative consequences to its victims, which are often underestimated in areas with strong patriarchal cultures. This study aims to identify the experience faced by dating violence victims, which could help expand the literature and provide insights for better violence prevention programs. Photovoice design was used and data were gathered through interviews and a focus group. Participants involved in this study are nine female youth victims of dating violence in Kupang, Indonesia. Analysis of interviews and focus group identified five main themes: 1) types of dating violence, 2) risk factors, 3) protective factors, 4) impacts of dating violence, and 5) withstanding and withdrawing from the relationship. Dating violence risk factors were patriarchal attitude, social and economic condition, lack of knowledge about dating violence, and exposure to violence. Factors that protect female youth from dating violence were positive self-concept, knowledge about dating violence, the role of parents, educational institutions, and health institutions. Reasons for victims to withstand their dating relationships were varied. Types and impacts of dating violence were also varied based on unique experiences. This study provides a deeper understanding of the experience of dating violence victims through photovoice methodology. These experiences were affected by religious and cultural beliefs distinctive to the Indonesian context, highlighting the need for more culture-fit interventions.

Communication, the Heart of a Relationship: Examining Capitalization, Accommodation, and Self-Construal on Relationship Satisfaction

The study of processes that enrich positive relationships has been an under-researched area within positive psychology practice. The way an individual responds during couple conflicts (accommodation response) and toward the disclosure of good news of a partner (capitalization response) has been linked to relationship quality. Although the accommodation and capitalization communication processes are part and parcel of our everyday lives, the two processes have been examined separately and dominated by the Western perspectives in past research. Prior work has suggested that Western and Asian cultures differ in expressing and perceiving beneficial communication behaviors. Yet, it is still unclear which accommodation and capitalization responses matter the most from an Asian lens. To date, there is no research examining these interconnected variables simultaneously in Asia, specifically in Malaysia. In this study, two forms of communication processes, namely, (1) accommodation and (2) capitalization, were explored concurrently to disentangle the unique associations and influence on relationship satisfaction. This study also sought to understand the moderating effects of culture in terms of interdependent self-construal on the link between these two communication processes and relationship satisfaction. Responses of 139 Malaysians in dating relationships between the age of 18 and 30 years (Mage = 23.15) were collected through online surveys. An active and constructive reaction was captured as the most favorable response through both the capitalization and accommodation processes. Prominently, an active-constructive capitalization response bore the strongest influence on relationship satisfaction above and beyond other responses. A passive and constructive response was revealed only fruitful for disclosures of positive news and not during conflicts. Conversely, in the destructive paradigm, passive-destructive responses were the most detrimental factor in relationships compared to other destructive responses. The results also uncovered that interdependent self-construal did not moderate the two forms of communication processes. However, the findings discovered unexpected individual and cultural variations. This pioneering study is a noteworthy addition to the positive psychology literature from an Asian standpoint. It highlights the significance of not only protecting relationships through better conflict management but also enriching relationships by capitalizing on the positive aspects across the lives of the couple, ultimately providing a greater holistic insight into cultivating flourishing lives.

Gender Roles in the Millennium: Who Pays and Is Expected to Pay for Romantic Dates?

Research on monetary decisions and behaviors in dating relationships is very limited. The purpose of this study was to examine college students’ current practice and expectations for date payment for first and subsequent romantic dates in the framework of gender role theory. A sample of 552 heterosexual college students took an online survey that included questions about their actual and expected payment for their first and subsequent dates. Participants also completed several measures regarding their gender roles. The findings indicated that traditional gender norms in dating continue to be popular in the new millennium because in actual practice, men almost always paid the whole bill of the first dates and paid more for subsequent dates. When asked who should pay for the dates, participants also expected men to pay more for first and subsequent dates. Women did show some willingness to share date expenses, although nowhere close to be completely even. The findings also indicated that gender role attitudes played little role in actual practice but had a stronger role in date payment expectations, showing that individuals subscribing to traditional gender inequality views tended to believe that men should pay more for dates.

Gender roles and intimate partner violence among female university students in Spain: A cross-sectional study

Background Traditional gender roles (GRs) have a considerable influence on relationships among couples. These can lead to negative health effects in women; however, their impact on intimate partner violence (IPV) has been less explored, especially among younger women. Objective To explore the association between traditional GRs and several indicators of IPV on a sample of Spanish female university students involved in heterosexual dating relationships. Methods A cross-sectional study involving female university students (n = 1,005) pursuing ten degrees (four Health Science degrees and six Social Sciences degrees). Data were collected using two validated scales: 1) the Questionnaire on the Gender Determinants of Contraception (COGANT), used to examine four traditional GRs (submissive, blind, and passive attitudes of female students, and male dominance), and 2) the Dating Violence Questionnaire-R (DVQ-R) scale, used to measure five types of IPV-behaviors (coercion, detachment, humiliation, sexual violence, and physical violence), perceived fear, entrapment, and abuse. Logistic and linear regressions were conducted to study the association between GR and a series of IPV indicators in dating relationships. Results Traditional GRs were highly prevalent (57.0% submissive, 52.0% blind attitude, 75.7% passive, and 31.7% identified their boyfriend as being dominant). Up to 66.3% experienced some type of violent behavior. All GRs were significantly associated with IPV indicators. A submissive attitude in female students was the GR that was most strongly associated to total IPV-behavior (adjusted odd ratio [OR] = 3.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.29–4.42), followed by male dominance (OR = 2.79: 95% CI:1.71: 4.54). Both GRs were also highly associated with perceived fear, entrapment, and abuse. Conclusions A high presence of traditional GRs was found in the relationships held by female university students, which was significantly associated with IPV indicators. Universities must adopt policies for gender equality and raise awareness on dating violence.

Cheating under the Circumstances in Marital Relationships: The Development and Examination of the Propensity towards Infidelity Scale

Most of the previously developed scales addressing infidelity were developed on young samples in dating relationships and with limited couple experience. The present study proposes an instrument to measure the proneness for infidelity among married people with substantial experience as a couple. Specific contexts described by the items, in which unfaithful behavior might occur, were selected from those revealed by previous research on people’s motives of past infidelity. Across two studies (N = 618) we examined the factorial structure and the psychometric characteristics of the Propensity towards Infidelity Scale (PTIS). Results revealed a one-dimensional structure of the PTIS and supported its reliability, its construct, criterion and incremental validity. PTIS emerged as negatively associated with two measures of adherence to moral standards, and positively related to past unfaithful behavior. Furthermore, the new instrument was found to bring a significant contribution in explaining these behaviors beyond two other scales of infidelity intentions.

DRIVEN to Change Attitudes Toward Dating Violence: Outcomes From a 6-Month Follow-Up Study

While dating violence (DV) is a significant issue present on college campuses among students of all ethnic groups, research suggests that DV is preventable. As Latino representation at colleges increases, it is important to find DV prevention programs addressing specific sociocultural characteristics of this ethnic group. We created the DRIVEN (Dating Relationships Involving Violence End Now) program to fill a significant need for DV programming tailored to Latino college students. This study examines the durability of initial positive outcomes over a 6-month period. To do so, we conducted a 6-month follow-up with a total of 49 Latino college students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) located on the U.S.-Mexico border. Results suggest DRIVEN outcomes were maintained on the following variables: dating violence attitudes, dating violence victimization and perpetration, and marianismo. Implications for these findings are discussed in the context of implementing group-based programs with college students.

Navigating Changing Norms Around Sex in Dating Relationships: A Qualitative Study of Young People in Vietnam

Social and economic changes in Vietnam since the economic restructuring of the 1980s have caused a shift in norms about premarital sex. While expectations of female chastity remain, sex before marriage is becoming more common among young people. As the formative phase of a parent randomized controlled trial, the present study examined the normative context of sex in dating relationships from the perspectives of young women and men in Vietnam. Men (n = 12) and women (n = 9) studying at two universities in Hanoi participated in semi-structured interviews that explored perspectives on sexual relationships and sexual coercion among their peers. Thematic analysis synthesized participant narratives into broader themes. Our findings confirmed that, as social norms evolve in Vietnam, young women must navigate shifting, and often contradictory, expectations about sex and dating relationships. Women and men expressed the belief that competing sexual expectations often can limit young women’s sexual agency and contribute to the normalization of sexual coercion in dating relationships. However, some women were embracing greater sexual freedom and reframing norms in ways that reflected their sexual agency. Efforts are needed to address these conflicting expectations, to deepen young men’s understanding of this conflict, and to prevent sexual coercion in young adulthood.