Page 162 - GHES-2-4

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

participating in dating violence surveys or downplay their willing to participate in studies. These biases have been
violence. In addition, evidence suggests that in cases of suggested as factors in IPV research conducted among the
severe violence, women are more often the victims and general population (Lewis & Fremouw, 2001).
men are the perpetrators (Hamberger & Larsen, 2015; As seen in previous research (Kimmes et al., 2019;
Nicholls & Hamel, 2015). Longobardi & Badenes-Ribera, 2017; López-Barranco

An in-depth analysis of the experience of physical et al., 2022), there are statistically significant associations
violence revealed that men with opposite-sex partners between the perpetration and victimization of violence
were the only group to report being subjected to behaviors across all groups, although the strength of these associations
such as slapping, bruising, scratching, and being varied by partner type and gender. These findings, along
threatened with objects “often,” although this occurred in with the other results of this study, suggest that while there
only one case. In addition, only men (in both same-sex are similarities in the patterns of dating violence between
and opposite-sex relationships) reported being victims of same-sex and opposite-sex partners and between women
dating partners throwing an object that could have injured and men, each group exhibits unique characteristics and
them “many times.” dynamics. Future research should analyze these differences
Analysis of the perpetration of dating violence revealed in greater depth.
that men with opposite-sex partners reported a greater Further, the associations of the perpetration and
frequency of certain violent behaviors toward their partner victimization of dating violence and mental health
compared to all other groups. This increased frequency symptoms with internalization of traits traditionally
was observed in three manifestations of psychological associated with masculinity and femininity and traditional
violence, one manifestation of sexual violence, and the gender role attitudes varied by partner type and gender.
most physically violent behaviors. While other groups had Traditional gender role attitudes were linked to greater
reported perpetrating such violence only a few times, some victimization and perpetration of dating violence among
men with opposite-sex partners admitted to committing men with opposite-sex partners but only to victimization
these acts many times. Given the association found between among men with same-sex partners. More traditional
the perpetration and victimization of dating violence, gender role attitudes are associated with greater perpetration
one possible explanation for the particularly strong link of psychological and total dating violence for all women,
observed among men with opposite-sex partners in this but for women with opposite-sex partners, these attitudes
study is that the higher levels of victimization reported by were also linked to greater psychological victimization.
these men might be a reaction to their own violence. This Internalization of the masculine/instrumental trait was
violence included behaviors like slapping, scratching, and relevant only among men with same-sex partners, where
hair pulling but did not escalate to more severe physical greater internalization of this trait was associated with
violence. This hypothesis should be tested in future research. increased psychological, physical, and total victimization.
When analyzing severe physical violence, such as severe Among women with same-sex partners, greater
beatings, strangulation, and other serious injuries, it was internalization of the feminine/expressive trait was linked
found that none of the women with same-sex partners to higher rates of physical violence victimization and lower
and only one man with a same-sex partner reported being rates of psychological and total dating violence perpetration.
victims of this type of violence. Among opposite-sex For men with opposite-sex partners, greater internalization
partners, two women and two men reported being victims of the feminine/expressive trait was associated with less
of such violence, suggesting that severe physical violence perpetration and victimization of dating violence.
is less common in same-sex relationships, especially Overall, greater dating violence victimization and
among women. Future research should investigate these perpetration were associated with more mental health
significant findings further.
symptoms. These findings are consistent with those of
Regarding the perpetration of severe dating violence, previous research (Bates, 2020; Lagdon et al., 2014; Okuda
only one man with an opposite-sex partner reported et al., 2015; Spencer et al., 2019; Yanez-Peñúñuri et al.,
inflicting both severe beatings and injuries on his female 2023), although important differences were discovered
partner “many times.” This finding aligns with research across the four groups. The strongest association between
showing that men are often the perpetrators of IPV in cases dating violence perpetration and victimization and mental
of severe violence (Hamberger & Larsen, 2015; Nicholls health symptoms and well-being was found among men
& Hamel, 2015). However, the fact that only one man with opposite-sex partners, perhaps because this group has
reported such behavior could be due to response biases, the highest prevalence of dating violence perpetration and
such as social desirability or male perpetrators being less victimization.

Volume 2 Issue 4 (2024) 13 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3300