Dating Relationship, Dating Violence And Its Influence Factors Among University Students

ObjectiveThe present study is to investigate the prevalence of dating relationship and dating violence among university students and its impact on physical and psychological health.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was used to investigate 3380 university students. The questionnaire included general demographic information, dating relationship features, revised Conflict tactics scales(CTS2) (including four subscales:Psychological aggression, Physical assault, Sexual coercion and Injury), Self-rating depression scale (SDS).Results1.42.4% university students had dating experience.10.4% reported sexual experience, males reported higher rate than females.43% dating students had experienced two or more romantic relationships, males reported more.2. The lifetime prevalence of psychological aggression among dating students was 65.6%, the lifetime prevalence of physical assault was 36.3%, the lifetime prevalence of sexual coercion was 11.0%, and the lifetime prevalence of physical hurt was 14.5%.3.53.7% individuals experienced at least two types of dating violence. The most frequent pattern of psychological aggression and physical assault was bidirectional (both partners had violent behaviors), followed by perpetrator-only, victim-only was the least frequent pattern. Perpetrator-only was the most frequent pattern in sexual coercion.4. In lower family economic students dating violence prevalence rate was higher. The prevalence rate of dating violence was higher in national minority students. Students in rural districts reported higher dating violence rates than urban students.5. Compared to male students, female students reported higher rates and frequencies of perpetration of psychological and physical violence, lower rates and frequencies of victimization of psychological and physical violence. Whereas female students reported higher rate of victimization and lower rate of perpetration of sexual coercion. There were no differences between males and females in physical injury.6.34.8% physical aggression or sexual assault resulted in physical injury, and 35.5% victims of physical or sexual assaults had problems of physical injury. The prevalence and frequency of the minor injury were higher than the severe injury.7. Physical aggression and sexual coercion were correlated with depression. Female perpetrator of physical aggression and victim of sexual coercion were at higher risk for depression. Male perpetrator of psychological aggression or sexual coercion and victims of physical injury experienced more depression.Conclusion1.42.4%university students reported dating experience, and 10.4% reported sexual experience.43% dating students had experienced two and more romantic relationships.2. The lifetime prevalence of psychological aggression among dating students was 65.6%, the lifetime prevalence of physical assault was 36.3%, the lifetime prevalence of sexual coercion was 11.0%.3.50% students experienced at least two types of dating violence. Bidirectional violence was the most frequent pattern in psychological aggression and physical assault. Perpetrator-only was the most frequent pattern in sexual coercion.4. Female students were more likely than male students to use psychological or physical aggression and use such acts more frequently. Male students were more likely to be victim in psychological or physical violence. In sexual coercion male students were perpetrators and female students were victims5. Dating violence caused physical harm to victims, and associated with perpetrator and victim s depression problem. ObjectiveExplore the individual and environmental factors related to dating violence. Understanding these factors was related to approach to preventing dating violence.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was used to investigate 1433 university students in dating relationship.The questionnaire included general demographic information, dating relationship information,revised Conflict tactics scales(CTS2), Childhood trauma questionnaire-28 item short form(CTQ-SF), friends'partner violence, campus/community violence and individual s other physical aggression, Experiences in close relationships inventory(ECR).Results1. Students in longer relationship or engaged in several relationships were more likely to experience dating violence.2. Other violence experiences increased the risk for victimization and perpetration of dating violence. Interparental violence increased the risk of male students engaged in physical violence. Interparental violence increased the risk of female students to be victim of sexual coercion. Childhood psychological abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse increased the risk to experience dating violence. The students who experienced dating violence reported more friends'partner violence, witnessing of school or community violence and experienced more other individual s physical aggression.3. Students engaged in dating violence had lower self-esteem than the students without violence. The prevalence rates of psychological dating violence and physical dating violence were higher in low self-esteem students than high self-esteem ones.4. Students were more accepting of female s use of violence than male s use of violence. Accepting of female s use of violence increased male s risk to be victim of physical aggression, female s risk to engage in physical violence.5. More anxiously attached males were more likely to be victims of physical assault. Highly anxious females were more likely to experience physical assault and to be victims of sexual coercion.6. Hierarchical regression analysis results indicated that long dating relationship was one risk factor of dating violence. The risk factors of male physical assault included mother-to-father physical aggression, friends be victims of partner violence and other aggression behavior. The risk factors of female physical assault included childhood psychological abuse, friends were victims of partner violence and acceptance to female use of violence. The risk factors of male to be victim of physical violence included friends were victims of partner violence, other aggression and low self-esteem. The risk factors of female to be victim of physical violence included interparental psychological aggression, friends were victims of partner violence and acceptance to female use of violence. The risk factors of male to be perpetrator of sexual coercion included relationship characters, age, interparental psychological aggression, friends'aggressive behavior and higher anxiety attachment. The risk factor of female to be victim of sexual coercion was childhood physical abuse.Conclusion1. Demographic factors (such as age, gender, ethnic group) and romantic relationship factors affected dating violence among university students.2. Other violence experiences were correlated with dating violence. Childhood negative experience increased the risk to engage in dating violence. Interparental violence increased the risk of male students engaged in dating violence. Students who experienced dating violence reported higher prevalence rates of friends'partner violence, witnessing violence and other physical aggression.3. The prevalence rates of physical dating violence and sexual coercion were higher in low self-esteem students, more anxiously attached students and who supported females using violence towards males.4. Other violence experience, relationship factors, self-esteem, attitude towards violence and attachment were correlated with dating partner s physical violence and sexual coercion. Friends'partner violence contributed over family violence. There were many differences between males and females. For male students, witnessing interparental violence was related to their physical force, whereas for females attitude towards violence was associated with their dating violence experience.