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Domestic violence afflicts people regardless of ethnicity, socio-economically status, age, or gender. Too often, girls enter and remain in abusive relationships, despite the trauma and risks of doing so. Using Roy's theory of adaptation, this study explored the effect of witnessing inter-parental violence on girls' experiences of physical violence or sexual abuse in their dating relationships. Original data collection occurred at a Midwestern U.S. university via e-mail using questions adapted from the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey Surveillance System. The study used 526 responses from female participants who self-disclosed if they had or had not witnessed inter-parental violence for categorical placement. Participants mirrored the population of the university with regard to age, race, and GPA. Using an ANOVA, the groups were compared on the independent variable of witnessing inter-parental violence and the dependent variable of experiencing physical or sexual dating violence. Results showed witnessing inter-parental violence did not predict whether or not a girl would experience physical or sexual violence in a dating relationship. Findings indicated adaptation on the part of the girls after witnessing inter-parental violence and beginning their own dating relationships. Additional research is needed to gain knowledge of this adaptation process and to explore what happened between the time of witnessing inter-parental violence and entering dating relationships that helped prevent them from experiencing dating violence. Knowledge of these participants' adaptation processes may provide insight for counselors and therapists on how to support children who witness inter-parental violence. This insight may help girls develop adaptation mechanisms to prevent experiencing violence in dating relationships.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Sandra M. Stith and Amber Vennum / Ending a college dating relationship is common as college coeds begin trying on romantic relationships for size. Ending the relationship because the relationship has become violent can add more complexities to an already unpleasant task. This study was an attempt to better understand the stay/leave decisions for college women who were victims of dating violence and whether or not these decisions differed for college women who were involved in violent versus non-violent dating relationships. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the factors that influenced the likelihood of female college students’ dating relationships to end using Choice and Lamke’s (1999) two-part decision-making model. In summary, victims reported greater relationship distress, less attraction towards someone other than their partner, less relationship safety, lower relationship efficacy, less social support, and fewer good friends than non-victims. Results also indicated that college women’s consideration of “Will I be better off?” was more important in the decision to leave a dating relationship than their perception of “Can I do it?” In addition, results from Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) modeling found that, while victims believed they were more likely to be better off leaving their violent, dating partners, they felt less able to actually leave the relationship than their non-victim counterparts. MIMIC modeling also found that being a victim or not of dating violence did not predict breakup directly. These findings have important implications for prevention and treatment of dating violence and can be used to further the research in the area of dating violence, college students, and stay/leave decisions.

Romantic relationships commonly endure rough patches. The relational turbulence model and the social allergy phenomenon may account for such rough transitions. A social allergy is an idiosyncratic social behavior that involuntarily stirs up irritation in an individual, either with or without the intention of the transgressor. As the behavior is repeated, tolerance for the bothersome allergen dwindles. This paper investigates the connections between relational turbulence and social allergies. The relational turbulence model describes individuals’ severe reactions to various turning points in an interpersonal relationship, and combines the effects of increased intimacy, relational uncertainty, and partner interference. Based on the turbulence model, the author predicted curvilinear relationships between intimacy and social allergen occurrence as well as between intimacy and negative emotional impact of social allergens. Based on the social allergen literature, the author predicted social allergen occurrence and repeated arguments about social allergens would both associate positively with relationship turbulence. Partial support was found for each prediction.

El objetivo de la investigación fue determinar las propiedades psicométricas del Inventario de Indefensión Aprendida en la Pareja en una muestra de mujeres víctimas de violencia que asisten a un centro psicológico en Lima. La muestra estuvo conformada por 214 mujeres de entre 19 y 60 años años (M = 31.24, DE = 7.85) que hayan sufrido violencia física, psicológica o sexual por parte de sus parejas. Propuesta: "Los instrumentos aplicados fueron Indefensión Aprendida en la Pareja (González & Diaz-Loving, 2015) y la Escala de Dependencia Emocional (Ventura & Caycho, 2016). Mediante el AFC se comprobó la estructura de tres factores evidenciando el siguiente ajuste: (CFI = .92, RMSEA = .10, y χ²/gl = 3.19). Los resultados de confiabilidad en las dimensiones oscilan entre .80 a .84, siendo aceptables. En la validez basada en relaciones con otras variables, los resultados indican correlaciones altas, moderadas y bajas (valores de Spearman entre -.17 y .89). Se concluye que el inventario de Indefensión Aprendida en la Pareja posee adecuadas propiedades psicométricas. / The objective of the research was to determine the psychometric properties of the Inventory of Learned Helplessness in the Couple in a sample of women victims of violence who attend a psychological center in Lima. The sample consisted of 214 women between 19 and 60 years old (M = 31.24, SD = 7.85) who have suffered physical, psychological or sexual violence by their partners. Proposal: "The instruments applied were Learned Helplessness in the Couple (González & Diaz-Loving, 2015) and the Emotional Dependence Scale (Ventura & Caycho, 2016). Through the CFA the structure of three factors was verified, evidencing the following adjustment: (CFI = .92, RMSEA = .10, and χ² / gl = 3.19). The reliability results in the dimensions range from .80 to .84, being acceptable. In the validity based on relationships with other variables, the results indicate high, moderate and low correlations (Spearman values ​​between -.165. and .89) It is concluded that the inventory of Helplessness Learned in the Couple has adequate psychometric properties. / Tesis

This study investigated coercive and high risk sexual practices in South African adolescent dating relationships. Quantitative and qualitative information was collected from secondary school learners in a community near Johannesburg. Of 928 learners surveyed, 23.5% of females and 53.7% of males ever had sex. Of these, 57.8% of females and 44.2% of males reported sexual victimisation, and 46.8% of females and 50% of males reported perpetrating sexual coercion in a relationship. Significantly more males engaged in risky sex than females. Among females, sexual coercion was significantly linked to risky sexual behaviour. Among males, alcohol and perpetration of sexual coercion were significantly associated with risky sexual behaviour. Focus group data reveal how dominant constructions of gender normalise male coercion and contribute to risky sexual practices. Recommendations for sexual health initiatives include introducing alternative discourses of female sexual desire and male sexual responsibility as a means for building healthier adolescent dating relationships. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

This study investigated coercive and high risk sexual practices in South African adolescent dating relationships. Quantitative and qualitative information was collected from secondary school learners in a community near Johannesburg. Of 928 learners surveyed, 23.5% of females and 53.7% of males ever had sex. Of these, 57.8% of females and 44.2% of males reported sexual victimisation, and 46.8% of females and 50% of males reported perpetrating sexual coercion in a relationship. Significantly more males engaged in risky sex than females. Among females, sexual coercion was significantly linked to risky sexual behaviour. Among males, alcohol and perpetration of sexual coercion were significantly associated with risky sexual behaviour. Focus group data reveal how dominant constructions of gender normalise male coercion and contribute to risky sexual practices. Recommendations for sexual health initiatives include introducing alternative discourses of female sexual desire and male sexual responsibility as a means for building healthier adolescent dating relationships. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)