Page 157 - GHES-2-4

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Impact of dating violence on mental health

reported by 37% of respondents; “controls who you go out To assess the extent to which being a victim was associated
with, where you go, who you talk to, who calls you on the with being a perpetrator of each type of dating violence,
phone,” reported by 18.9% of the total; “makes fun of your categorical analyses were performed. Four categories were
beliefs and/or what you think,” reported by 17.6%; “blames established: (1) neither victim nor perpetrator, which
you for everything bad that happens to both of you and/or included individuals who scored 0 on both victimization
him/her,” reported by 16.6%; “criticizes you for taking time and 0 on perpetration of dating violence; (2) never victim
to study, do things you like, exercise...,” reported by 14.9%; but perpetrator, which included individuals who scored
and “treats you like you are stupid or inferior to him/her or 0 on victimization and >0 on perpetration; (3) victims
other people,” reported by 12% of the total sample. but not perpetrators, including those who scored >0 on
Analysis of the responses to each item on perpetration victimization and 0 on perpetration; and (4) victims and
of dating violence showed greater variability. Notably, the perpetrators, including those who scored >0 on both
item with the greatest variability across all groups was victimization and perpetration.
“You get angry when he/she disagrees with your views Table 7 shows the n and percentages for the four
or beliefs,” which was reported by all groups as occurring groups. The differences in percentages were not statistically
many times. In contrast, the behavior “You insult and/or significant, χ (9, n = 528) = 10.62, p = 0.30. Except for
2
humiliate him/her in front of other people” was reported women with opposite-sex partners, the majority of
only occasionally by all groups. participants across groups reported being both victims and
For four of the violent behaviors, only men reported perpetrators of dating violence, with the highest prevalence
engaging in them “many times.” These behaviors were “You among men with opposite-sex partners (53.3%), men with
treat her/him as if she/he is stupid or inferior to you and/ same-sex partners (47.5%), and women with same-sex
or other people;” “You have made fun of her/his beliefs and/ partners (46.5%). The “neither victims nor perpetrator”
or what she/he thinks;” “You have grabbed and/or pulled category was reported by 35% of men with same-sex
her/his hair, twisted her/his arm.;” “You have slapped her/ partners, 35.4% of women with same-sex partners, 29.2%
him;” and “You have imposed sexual acts on him/her by of men with opposite-sex partners, and 44.4% of women
force or threats.” In addition, for 12 of the 21 items in the with opposite-sex partners. Only 5.1% of the total sample
questionnaire, only men with opposite-sex partners reported reported being perpetrators of dating violence but not
engaging in these behaviors “many times.” These included victims, while 12.3% reported being victims but not
three items related to psychological violence, one to sexual perpetrators.
violence, and eight to physical violence, including severe Table 8 presents the correlation coefficients between
behaviors such as beatings or attempts to choke or strangle. women’s victimization from dating violence and the

Analysis of statistically significant mean differences study variables, disaggregated by partner type. Although
in the perpetration of dating violence among the four the effect sizes were small, some statistically significant
groups, adjusted with Scheffé, showed differences in only correlations were found between dating violence
one of the items: men with opposite-sex partners reported victimization and mental health symptomatology, self-
causing more minor wounds, bruises, or scratches than the esteem, feminine/expressive trait internalization, and
other groups. traditional gender role attitudes. Women with both same-
sex and opposite-sex partners who experienced higher
3.2. Correlations between perpetration and levels of psychological and total victimization reported
victimization of dating violence and the study greater anxiety and insomnia symptoms. In addition,
variables same-sex partnered women who internalized feminine/
Table 6 presents the results of the intercorrelations between expressive traits experienced more physical violence;
perpetration and victimization across the four groups. As same-sex partnered women who experienced higher levels
shown, the perpetration of each type of dating violence was of psychological violence also reported lower levels of self-
moderately associated with the victimization of the same esteem and greater symptoms of severe depression. Among
type, except in the case of physical violence among men opposite-sex partnered women, higher levels of physical
with opposite-sex partners, where the association was large. violence were associated with more symptoms of anxiety
Among women with opposite-sex partners, victimization and insomnia, while higher levels of sexual violence
of sexual violence was independent of perpetration of were linked to greater symptoms of severe depression.
this type of violence. In addition, among men with same- Finally, women with opposite-sex partners who held
sex partners, the association between victimization and more traditional gender role attitudes reported greater
perpetration of sexual violence was small. psychological violence in their dating relationships.

Volume 2 Issue 4 (2024) 8 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3300