[Intimate partner violence among Spanish adolescents and its relationship with family and social support]

To determine the prevalence and type of intimate partner violence among adolescents and its relationship with family dynamicsand social support.

Descriptive cross-sectional study. SITE: Public urban secondary school.

Students aged 12 to 18years.

Self-administered survey. VREP questionnaire (violence perpetrated, received, and perceived) according to the type of violence (physical, sexual, psychological). Age, sex, family structure and function (Family Apgar test), social support (DUKE-UNC-11 questionnaire), and previous intimate relationships.

408 surveys (response rate 81.6%). Mean age 14.7years [SD: 2.1], 50% female. Violence received: psychological (control 55%, humiliation 40.1%, social 37.9%), physical (25.5%), and sexual (22.9%) (P<.001; χ²). Violence perpetrated: psychological (control 40.4%, humiliation 28.4%, social 21.8%), physical (18.2%) and sexual (11.4%) (P<.001; χ²). The prevalence of each type of violence was similar across genders, but men perpetrated more physical and sexual violence, and women experienced more psychological violence. 80% of participants perceived violent behavior, particularly among those who perpetrated violence (P<.10; χ²). Women experienced more physical violence (OR=2.5). Older age was associated with experiencing less social/control violence (OR=0.8). Living in non-nuclear family structures increased the likelihood of perpetrating sexual (OR=8.9), physical (OR=6.9), and social/psychological (OR=4.9) violence, compared to experiencing humiliation (OR=3.6) and control (OR=2.5). Family dysfunction was associated with perpetrating social violence (OR=2.5), while having more previous partners increased the risk of suffering sexual violence (OR=1.3).

Adolescent couples adopted and normalized a high number of violent behaviors in their romantic relationships. Female gender, younger age and poor family dynamics contributed to violent behaviors.