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Cross-gender Violence Perpetration and Victimization Among Early Adolescents and Associations with Attitudes Toward Dating Conflict

  • Empirical Research
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Abstract

This study examined gender differences in cross-gender violence perpetration and victimization (ranging from mild, e.g., push, to severe, e.g., assault with a knife or gun) and attitudes toward dating conflict, among an urban sample of 601 early adolescents (78% African-American). Comparisons across gender groups for cross-gender (e.g., female-to-male) violence perpetration and victimization indicated higher levels of perpetration for girls and higher levels of victimization for boys. Girls also reported higher levels of verbal and physical violence toward partners with regard to attitudes toward dating conflict. A path model was specified and indicated that cross-gender violence perpetration, harsh parenting, peer deviance, low family income, and neighborhood hazards accounted for significant variation in attitudes toward dating conflict. Findings were discussed regarding the need to identify developmental precursors of dating violence in early adolescence and to focus prevention efforts on components (e.g., social skills, coping strategies) necessary to prevent the onset and escalation of adolescent dating violence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Room 520, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Michael Windle

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 415 Campbell Hall, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Sylvie Mrug

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  1. Michael Windle
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  2. Sylvie Mrug
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Correspondence to Michael Windle.

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Windle, M., Mrug, S. Cross-gender Violence Perpetration and Victimization Among Early Adolescents and Associations with Attitudes Toward Dating Conflict. J Youth Adolescence 38, 429–439 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-008-9328-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-008-9328-1

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