Prevalence of teen dating violence and the associations with substance use and externalizing behaviors in Nicaraguan early adolescents

Bibliographic Data

ID21600993
AuthorsYu Lu (0000-0002-5128-6868, University of Oklahoma , Norman, Oklahoma,), Youngju Shin (0000-0001-6751-8064, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona,), Vi Donna Le (0000-0001-8515-185X, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston), Jeff R Temple (0000-0003-3193-0510, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston , Galveston, Texas), Jonathan Pettigrew (0000-0002-4519-5978, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona,)
Year2020
Volume120
Issue2
Pages165-177
Publication date2020-06-29
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0965-4283 • E-ISSN: 1758-714X
PublisherEmerald (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1108/he-01-2020-0006
OpenAlexW3036008862
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited40

Purpose Despite being a significant public health problem, teen dating violence and related risk behaviors are yet to be examined in Nicaragua. This study aims to examine the prevalence of in-person dating violence and cyber dating abuse and to test the associations between teen dating violence and substance use (i.e. alcohol, cigarette, marijuana and e-cigarette) as well as externalizing behaviors. Design/methodology/approach Survey responses were collected from a school-based sample of 1,799 Nicaraguan early adolescents (average age = 13.04 years). Findings The prevalence was 41% for in-person dating violence victimization, 39% for in-person dating violence perpetration, 30% for cyber dating abuse victimization and 26% for cyber dating abuse perpetration. The majority (56%) of the adolescents reported engagement in externalizing behaviors, but substance use prevalence was relatively low, ranging from 1–9% depending on the substance type. Multivariate regression analyses suggest that in-person dating violence perpetration was positively associated with all types of substance use and externalizing behaviors, while victimization was only associated with externalizing behaviors. Originality/value Despite the descriptive nature, the study is the first to examine the prevalence of teen dating violence and its relationships with other risk behaviors in Nicaraguan adolescents and have important health implications

Dating violence · Domestic violence · Environmental health · Injury prevention · Occupational safety and health · Poison control · Psychiatry · Substance abuse · Suicide prevention · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Clinical Psychology · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Medicine · Psychology · Sex work and related issues

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