Dating Violence Among College Men and Women Evaluation of a Theoretical Model

• Published in: Journal of interpersonal violence Vol. 21; no. 6; pp. 717 - 731
• Main Authors: Luthra, Rohini, Gidycz, Christine A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thousand Oaks, CA SAGE Publications 01.06.2006; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adult; Aggression; Battered Women - psychology; Battered Women - statistics & numerical data; College Students; Context Effect; Courtship; Crime Victims - psychology; Crime Victims - statistics & numerical data; Dating; Dating (Social); Domestic violence; Evaluation Methods; Female; Forecasting; Gender Differences; Humans; Incidence; Interpersonal Relations; Logistic Models; Male; Midwestern United States; Personal relationships; Predictor Variables; Questionnaires; Rape - psychology; Sex Factors; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Test Validity; Violence; Midwestern United States; dating violence; partner violence; theoretical model
• ISSN: 0886-2605; 1552-6518
• DOI: 10.1177/0886260506287312

This study empirically evaluates the Riggs and O’Leary (1989) model of dating violence. A sample of 200 college students completes assessments concerning the occurrence of violence in their dating relationships. The incidence of self-reported partner violence is 25% for women and 10% for men. Multivariate logistic regression analyses are performed to determine the most salient predictors of dating violence for each gender. Findings reveal that the model is more accurate in predicting female, as compared with male perpetration of dating violence. The model accurately classifies 83% of violent women and only 30% of violent men. This study has several implications for the field of dating violence. Results indicate that although there is some degree of overlap, variant constructs predict violence for each gender. Identifying these constructs will guide prevention efforts in more effectively decreasing the occurrence of dating violence.