Longitudinal trajectories of perpetration of adolescent dating abuse in a national sample

Abstract

Despite extensive research regarding patterns and outcomes of victimization in dating relationships, there has been limited investigation of the developmental profiles of the perpetration of adolescent dating abuse (ADA). We estimated longitudinal latent growth models of ADA perpetration in a sample of 2,269 U.S. adolescents/young adults ages 12-18 at baseline, drawing on four waves (2013-2017) of data from the nationally representative Survey of Teen Relationships and Intimate Violence. Model results revealed three classes representing nondaters, respondents showing increasing dating/ADA, and respondents with high/stable dating/ADA. Results support prior research finding heightened patterns of ADA perpetration by older youth, and distinguish individual and family characteristics associated with adolescent/young adults ADA perpetration for the purpose of informing individual and programmatic prevention efforts.