Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
05:52
Handwriting Analysis Indicates Spontaneous Dyskinesias in Neuroleptic Naïve Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis
Published on: November 21, 2013
Gender differences in dating aggression among multiethnic high school students
K Daniel O'Leary1, Amy M Smith Slep, Sarah Avery-Leaf
1PsychologyDepartment, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-2500, USA. K.D.Oleary@sunysb.edu
Summary
Physical dating aggression is common among high school students, with both males and females perpetrating and experiencing it. Prevention efforts should begin before high school to address this widespread issue.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Dating aggression is a significant concern among adolescents.
- Understanding the prevalence and patterns of physical dating aggression is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of physical dating aggression and victimization in high school students.
- To examine differences in aggression across ethnic groups and relationship types.
- To assess the likelihood of injury and relationship breakup following aggression.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to 2,363 students from seven multiethnic high schools.
- Within-gender comparisons were conducted to account for potential underreporting and age differences in dating relationships.
Main Results:
- Females reported higher rates of perpetrating physical aggression (40%) than victimization (30%), while males reported higher victimization (31%) than perpetration (24%).
- Mutual aggression was common; exclusive perpetration was higher in females, and exclusive victimization was higher in males.
- Injury was reported by over 25% of victims, and aggression was less prevalent among Asian male students.
Conclusions:
- Intervention programs must address physical aggression perpetrated by both genders.
- Primary prevention strategies should be implemented before high school due to the high rates of victimization.
Related Concept Videos
02:16Surveys
Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally. Generally, the survey itself can be completed in a short time, and the ease of administering a survey makes it easy to collect data from a large number of people.
01:50Cross-Sectional Research
In cross-sectional research, a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time. If they were interested in people's dietary habits, the researcher might directly compare different groups of people by age. Instead of following a group of people for 20 years to see how their dietary habits changed from decade to decade, the researcher would study a group of 20-year-old individuals and compare them to a group of 30-year-old individuals and a group of 40-year-old...
01:47Aggression
Humans engage in aggression when they seek to cause harm or pain to another person. Aggression takes two forms depending on one’s motives: hostile or instrumental. Hostile aggression is motivated by feelings of anger with intent to cause pain; a fight in a bar with a stranger is an example of hostile aggression. In contrast, instrumental aggression is motivated by achieving a goal and does not necessarily involve intent to cause pain (Berkowitz, 1993); a contract killer who murders for hire...
01:27Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Adolescents from ethnic minority backgrounds face a multifaceted journey in forming their identities, shaped by the intersections of cultural expectations and personal exploration. For these adolescents, identity formation involves not only typical developmental challenges but also navigating the perceptions and attitudes of the majority culture. As they grow, adolescents in ethnic minority groups often become increasingly aware of stereotypes, social biases, and discrimination, all of which...
01:30Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
Social-emotional experiences and cultural influences play significant roles in shaping gender development. During middle childhood, from ages 6 to 11, peer groups become dominant in reinforcing gender norms. Children in this age group often align with same-gender peer groups, which actively encourage behaviors that conform to traditional gender roles. For instance, boys may be discouraged from engaging in activities perceived as feminine, reinforcing culturally dictated norms about masculinity...
01:28Conduct Disorder
Conduct disorder is a complex mental health diagnosis characterized by a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior that violates societal norms, the rights of others, or age-appropriate rules. The diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder require the presence of at least three problematic behaviors within the past 12 months, with at least one occurring in the past six months. These behaviors are grouped into four categories: aggression toward people and animals; destruction of property;...