Controlling Behaviors in Middle School Youth’s Dating Relationships: Reactions and Help-Seeking Behaviors

• Published in: The Journal of early adolescence 2014-10, Vol.34 (7), p.841-865
• Main Authors: Elias-Lambert, Nada, Black, Beverly M., Chigbu, Kingsley U.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: African American Students; Age Differences; Aggression; Antisocial Behavior; Behavior; Behavior Problems; Dating (Social); Early Adolescents; Emotional Response; Factor Analysis; Gender Differences; Grade 6; Grade 7; Grade 8; Help Seeking; Interpersonal Relationship; Likert Scales; Middle School Students; Personal relationships; Regression (Statistics); Social Isolation; Student Attitudes; Student Behavior; Student Surveys; United States (Midwest); Urban Schools; Verbal Communication; Victims
• ISSN: 0272-4316; 1552-5449
• DOI: 10.1177/0272431613510405

This exploratory study examined middle school students’ (N = 380) help-seeking behaviors and other reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Over three-fourths of the participants perpetrated and were victimized by controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Youth used emotional/verbal and dominance/isolation forms of controlling behaviors. More youth were victimized by dominance/isolation controlling behaviors than emotional/verbal controlling behaviors. Gender and age differences emerged when evaluating the type of controlling behaviors youth used. The majority of youth were willing to seek help when confronted with various types of controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Gender and age differences also emerged in youth’s reactions to controlling behaviors. More understanding of youth’s reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships may assist prevention educators in intervening before controlling behaviors in dating relationships turn into actual dating violence.