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Dating Violence among Youth Couples: Dyadic Analysis of the Prevalence and Agreement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 June 2015

Isabel Vicario-Molina ,
Begoña Orgaz Baz ,
Antonio Fuertes Martín ,
Eva González Ortega  and
José Luis Martínez Álvarez
Isabel Vicario-Molina*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Salamanca (Spain)
Begoña Orgaz Baz
Affiliation:
Universidad de Salamanca (Spain)
Antonio Fuertes Martín
Affiliation:
Universidad de Salamanca (Spain)
Eva González Ortega
Affiliation:
Universidad de Salamanca (Spain)
José Luis Martínez Álvarez
Affiliation:
Universidad de Salamanca (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Isabel Vicario-Molina. Universidad de Salamanca. Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación. Avenida de la Merced s/n. 37001. Salamanca (Spain). E-mail: ivicario@usal.es
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Abstract

Although dating violence takes place within the context of a couple, there are few studies exploring how the prevalence data change when violence is reported by one partner or both, and to what extent partners agree about the existence of violence. The aim of this study is therefore to analyze and compare the reports about the prevalence of violence obtained from participants and their partners, together with interpartner agreement concerning victimization and perpetration of threats, physical, verbal-emotional and sexual violence. A total of 105 young heterosexual couples answered a questionnaire about victimization and the perpetration of violence in their relationship during the previous year. The results indicated that prevalence rates varied, depending on who reported the violence -the man, the woman or the couple- perhaps because interpartner agreement was low, except for the occurrence of verbal-emotional violence and the absence of physical violence. These findings suggest the need to develop more systematic research, especially through the use of reports from both members of the couple.

Keywords

intimate partner violencecouple datagender differencesinterpartner agreement
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 18 , 2015 , E36
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2015 

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