Predictors of Dating Violence Among Chinese Adolescents: The Role of Gender-Role Beliefs and Justification of Violence

• Published in: Journal of interpersonal violence 2012-04, Vol.27 (6), p.1066-1089
• Main Authors: Shen, April Chiung-Tao, Chiu, Marcus Yu-Lung, Gao, Jianxiu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Attitudes; Adolescent Behavior - ethnology; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Adolescents; Asian people; Attitude; Belief & doubt; Beliefs; China (Shanghai); China - epidemiology; Courtship; Crime Victims - statistics & numerical data; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dating (Social); Domestic violence; Female; Females; Foreign Countries; Gender Differences; Gender Identity; Hong Kong; Humans; Incidence; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Males; Prediction; Predictor Variables; Prevention; Probability; Regression Analysis; Role; Schools; Sex Role; Sex roles; Sexual Harassment; Sexuality; Social conflict; Surveys and Questionnaires; Taiwan; Taiwan - epidemiology; Teenagers; Victims of Crime; Violence; Violence - ethnology; Violence - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0886-2605; 1552-6518
• DOI: 10.1177/0886260511424497

In Chinese societies, violence among adolescent dating partners remains a largely ignored and invisible phenomenon. The goal of this study is to examine the relationships among gender-role beliefs, attitudes justifying dating violence, and the experiences of dating-violence perpetration and victimization among Chinese adolescents. This study has used self-reporting measures to collect data from a probability sample of 976 adolescents (mean age = 15.9) in three Chinese societies: Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Research results reveal a high prevalence of dating violence (including physical violence, sexual violence, and controlling behavior) among Chinese adolescents with dating experience: the perpetration rate is 27.3% and the victimization rate is 39%. Study results demonstrate that adolescents who endorse traditional gender-role beliefs tend to view dating violence as acceptable behavior. Boys’ endorsement of traditional gender roles, boys’ attitudes justifying boy-on-girl violence, and boys’ attitudes against girl-on-boy violence predict boys’ actual sexual-violence behavior. Moreover, boys’ attitudes justifying boy-on-girl dating violence is the strongest predictor of boys’ perpetration of physical and sexual dating violence. This study also shows that boys’ hostility is a significant predictor of boys’ controlling behavior. Programs for preventing dating violence should include components designed to challenge traditional gender-role beliefs and attitudes justifying dating violence.