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Fernet M, Hébert M, Brodeur G, Maltais FL, Couture S. A Typological Analysis of Help-Seeking Profiles in Youth and Associations with Victimization. J Child Adolesc Trauma 2022; 15:1127-1136. [PMID: 36439675 PMCID: PMC9684372 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-022-00459-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The need for autonomy and independence in adolescence is so fundamental that it can be difficult for youth to seek help when they experience difficulties. To date, few studies have documented profiles of help-seeking behavior according to victimization, gender, and perceived social support among adolescents and emerging adults. The aims of the study were to: (1) identify distinct help-seeking profiles according to gender, victimization experiences and perceived social support, and (2) illustrate the distinct profiles in light of the help-seeking experiences of participants. A total of 397 youth aged 14 to 25 years old completed a questionnaire; a subsample of 100 youth also participate in an individual semi-structured interview. Questions on dating violence and a history of child sexual abuse, help-seeking strategies, and perceived social support were administered. A significant proportion of respondents experienced child sexual abuse and reported dating violence experiences. Four clusters highlighting the diversity of help-seeking profiles among youth were identified: (1) Friend-oriented help-seekers; (2) Proactive help-seekers; (3) Formal help seekers; (4) Self-reliant youth. The results suggest that youth are more likely to rely on their friends for help and less likely to seek help from formal resources. Girls are more proactive than boys in help-seeking. Youth victims of psychological and physical dating violence are more likely to be classified in the self-reliant group while youth with a history of child sexual abuse were found in greater proportion in the friend-oriented group. Results underscore that perceived social support is associated with help-seeking behavior, and highlight the importance of addressing the reluctance of youth to reach for informal help, especially in youth who experienced dating violence. This study also underlines the relevance of bystander interventions to support youth who experienced dating violence or child sexual abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mylène Fernet
- Département de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Succursale Centre-Ville, C.P. 8888 Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Martine Hébert
- Département de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Succursale Centre-Ville, C.P. 8888 Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Geneviève Brodeur
- Département de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Succursale Centre-Ville, C.P. 8888 Montréal, Québec Canada
| | | | - Stéphanie Couture
- Département de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Succursale Centre-Ville, C.P. 8888 Montréal, Québec Canada
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Padilla-Medina DM, Williams JR, Ravi K, Ombayo B, Black BM. Teen Dating Violence Help-Seeking Intentions and Behaviors Among Ethnically and Racially Diverse Youth: A Systematic Review. Trauma Violence Abuse 2022; 23:1063-1078. [PMID: 33468032 DOI: 10.1177/1524838020985569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Teen dating violence (TDV) affects millions of youth in the United States and globally each year. A systematic review was conducted to examine the help-seeking intentions and behaviors of youth between the ages of 12 and 19 based on racial and ethnic differences. Considering the high prevalence of TDV among racially and ethnically diverse youth, previous systematic reviews have recommended that future scholarship address help-seeking intentions and behaviors among racially and ethnically diverse youth. The methodologies and results of TDV and help-seeking studies published since 2000 were reviewed and analyzed. A systematic search of peer-reviewed journal articles published in English was conducted using an electronic search. The rigorous search identified 10 studies that addressed help-seeking intentions and behaviors and racial and ethnic differences in youth meeting eligibility requirements. The search yielded few studies, indicating a need to conduct future research in this area. The strength of the studies' methodologies limited generalizability and external validity. The studies primarily addressed differences among African American and Latino youth. Youth relied on informal sources of support, with youth from both groups preferring to seek help from parents and friends. Mistrust, lack of closeness, and feelings of mistrust, shame, and embarrassment informed youths' help-seeking intentions and behaviors. Racially and ethnically specific factors such as negative perceptions of father figures, familism, acculturation, and traditional gender role notions were identified as barriers to help-seeking. As part of appraising and synthesizing the evidence, recommendations for research, practice, and policy are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kristen Ravi
- School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, TX, USA
| | | | - Beverly M Black
- School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, TX, USA
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Fernet M, Désilets L, Hébert M, Cousineau MM. Informal Help-Seeking Process Regarding Romantic Issues and Dating Violence: a Qualitative Study. J Child Adolesc Trauma 2021; 14:41-50. [PMID: 33708281 PMCID: PMC7900361 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-019-00289-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The present study focused on the informal help-seeking process, facilitators and barriers in the context of romantic relationship difficulties and dating violence (DV). This study also aimed to describe gender specificities involved in the help-seeking process. Data analysis was performed relying on the help-seeking and change model developed for intimate partner violence (American Journal of Community Psychology, 36, 71-84, 2005). A direct content analysis was conducted on semi-structured interviews of 80 youths. All participants reported having experienced at least one romantic relationship difficulty and half of them reported at least one experience of DV victimization in their current romantic relationship. Motives to seek support and help were mentioned by the participants, namely the need to be advised on how to solve their difficulties, to express their emotions and vent about their feelings, to obtain an external point of view, to be listened to and comforted, and to be validated on their interpretation of the situation. When experiencing difficulties, participants chose confidants according to the following qualities: share bond of trust, similar experiences, mutual help and reciprocity, relevant experiences in dating relationships, and a context of respect and non-judgment. Reluctance to ask for help was expressed by participants, namely discomfort about sharing intimate information or revealing feelings to a friend or family member, lack of support, and fear of being judged or vulnerable. Findings highlight the strategic role of peers and the importance of offering them tools to intervene as first responders in DV situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mylène Fernet
- Department of sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Laura Désilets
- Department of sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Martine Hébert
- Department of sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Abstract
Teen dating violence victimization is associated with a host of adverse mental and physical health problems. A number of bystander-focused interventions have been developed to mitigate the occurrence of abuse but with varying effectiveness. There remains a need to understand more about bystander behaviors used by adolescents to ensure that existing intervention components match with bystanders' attitudes and behaviors about intervening. The current study is a scoping review of existing literature on adolescents' use of bystander behaviors to determine who, when, how, and why adolescents intervene. Seventeen articles met inclusion criteria, the majority of which used qualitative or observational survey designs. Adolescents who either feel a sense of responsibility and confidence to intervene or are directly involved with or know the individuals involved in the dating violence are more likely to intervene. Adolescents intervene when they are able to define an act as dating violence and tend to intervene when the victim is female and when they have a supportive relationship with at least one teacher in their school. The various ways how bystander intervention is engaged in ranges from verbally or physically confronting the abuser, distracting the abuser, seeking support from an adult, to passively accepting the abuse. Reasons why adolescents intervene include believing the abuse is wrong and that intervening will diffuse the situation and help the victim. A number of barriers to bystander intervention emerged from analysis including individual attitudes and school climate factors. Implications for strengthening bystander intervention programs are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina J Debnam
- School of Nursing, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Victoria Mauer
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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Lemke M, Rogers K. When Sexting Crosses the Line: Educator Responsibilities in the Support of Prosocial Adolescent Behavior and the Prevention of Violence. Social Sciences 2020; 9:150. [DOI: 10.3390/socsci9090150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This article presents findings from a systematic literature review that examined various forms of adolescent sexting, and as relevant to educator responsibilities in the support of prosocial behavior and teen dating violence (TDV) prevention within the United States. Proceeding in three parts, part one documents study methodology and offers an overview of adolescent sexting. This section also discusses tensions between sexting as adolescent empowerment and as a form of dating violence. This is followed by a deeper examination of how adolescent sexting is connected to other forms of sexual violence documented to disproportionately affect heterosexual females. Though laws on sexting are minimal, part three discusses U.S. federal and Supreme Court guidance having particular significance for this issue. This section also presents the case of New York State (NYS) to consider the connection between localized policies and schooling practices. Concerned with sexting as a form of consensual adolescent behavior, this article concludes with considerations for educational research, policy, and practice. This article contributes to established research literature weighing the prosocial aspects of sexting against those factors that contribute to and make it difficult to leave a violent relationship. Though empirical research was limited, it also highlights existent research on sexting as relevant to underserved and marginalized adolescent subgroups.
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Timmons AC, Han SC, Chaspari T, Kim Y, Pettit C, Narayanan S, Margolin G. Family-of-origin aggression, dating aggression, and physiological stress reactivity in daily life. Physiol Behav 2019; 206:85-92. [PMID: 30902632 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Individuals exposed to aggression and who perpetrate aggression against others show differences in their physiological activation during stress; the goal of the present study is to investigate physiological stress reactivity as a factor contributing to the intergenerational transmission of aggression. To test associations between family-of-origin aggression (FOA), physiological reactivity in daily life, and dating aggression perpetration, we used ecological momentary assessment to monitor fluctuations in young adult (Mage = 23.1 years) dating couples' electrodermal activity (EDA) over an entire day and examined how naturally-occurring bouts of annoyance between partners relate to EDA, FOA, and dating aggression perpetration. Dating perpetration was linked to lower general levels of EDA in both men and women, while FOA was linked to lower general levels of EDA in men only. For women, multi-group, multilevel models showed that FOA and dating aggression perpetration moderated the association between feeling annoyed and EDA, such that those with greater FOA and dating aggression perpetration showed greater EDA reactivity during naturally-occurring relationship stress. Furthermore, this pattern of EDA reactivity mediated the link between FOA and dating aggression perpetration in women. These results provide evidence that FOA and dating aggression perpetration are linked to patterns of physiological responsivity in everyday life and suggest that these patterns could be important factors contributing to the intergenerational transmission of aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sohyun C Han
- University of Southern California, United States of America
| | | | - Yehsong Kim
- University of Southern California, United States of America
| | - Corey Pettit
- University of Southern California, United States of America
| | | | - Gayla Margolin
- University of Southern California, United States of America
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Godbout N, Vaillancourt-Morel MP, Bigras N, Briere J, Hébert M, Runtz M, Sabourin S. Intimate Partner Violence in Male Survivors of Child Maltreatment: A Meta-Analysis. Trauma Violence Abuse 2019; 20:99-113. [PMID: 29333983 DOI: 10.1177/1524838017692382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health concern. Yet, despite an increasingly extensive literature on interpersonal violence, research on male victims of IPV remains sparse and the associations between different forms of child maltreatment (CM) and IPV victimization and perpetration in men remains unclear. The present meta-analysis evaluated five different forms of CM (sexual, physical, and psychological abuses, neglect, and witnessing IPV) as they predicted sexual, psychological, and physical IPV perpetration and victimization in men. Overall, most available studies examined men as perpetrators of IPV, whereas studies of victimization in men were relatively scarce. Results reveal an overall significant association ( r = .19) between CM and IPV. The magnitude of this effect did not vary as a function of type (perpetration vs. victimization) or form (sexual, psychological, or physical) of IPV. Although all forms of CM were related to IPV, with effect sizes ranging from .05 (neglect and IPV victimization) to .26 (psychological abuse and IPV victimization), these associations varied in magnitude according to the type of CM. Findings suggest the importance of expanding research on CM and IPV to include a range of different kinds of abuse and neglect and to raise concerns about the experience of men as both victims and perpetrators of IPV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natacha Godbout
- 1 Département de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Noémie Bigras
- 1 Département de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - John Briere
- 3 Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Martine Hébert
- 1 Département de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Marsha Runtz
- 4 Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Hébert M, Moreau C, Blais M, Lavoie F, Guerrier M. Child sexual abuse as a risk factor for teen dating violence: Findings from a representative sample of Quebec youth. J Child Adolesc Trauma 2017; 10:51-61. [PMID: 29308104 PMCID: PMC5756079 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-016-0119-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Child sexual abuse (CSA) is identified as a significant risk factor for later victimization in the context of adult intimate relationships, but less is known about the risk associated with CSA in early romantic relationships. This paper aims to document the association between CSA and teen dating victimization in a large representative sample of Quebec high-school students. As part of the Youths' Romantic Relationships Project, 8,194 teens completed measures on CSA and psychological, physical and sexual dating violence. After controlling for other interpersonal traumas, results show that CSA contributed to all three forms of dating victimization among both boys and girls. The heightened risk of revictimization appears to be stronger for male victims of CSA. Intervention and prevention efforts are clearly needed to reduce the vulnerability of male and female victims of sexual abuse who are entering the crucial phase of adolescence and first romantic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine Hébert
- Department of Sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Catherine Moreau
- Department of Sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Martin Blais
- Department of Sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Mireille Guerrier
- Department of Sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Cuadros O, Berger C. The Protective Role of Friendship Quality on the Wellbeing of Adolescents Victimized by Peers. J Youth Adolesc 2016; 45:1877-88. [PMID: 27230120 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-016-0504-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Although studies on peer relations acknowledge that having friends constitutes a protective factor against being victimized by peers at school, it is not enough for this factor to operate. The quality of these friendships does play a role too. The present study explored the moderating role of friendship-quality dimensions (closeness, support, disclosure, and affection) on peer victimization and wellbeing. 614 young adolescents (4th to 6th graders, 50.1 % girls) were assessed three times over 1 year. Analyses were conducted to determine moderation effects, differentiated by gender. Results showed that only disclosure and support interact with victimization and affect wellbeing, especially for girls. Implications for studying peer relations, acknowledging gender differences, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Cuadros
- Escuela de Psicologia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, 7820436, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christian Berger
- Escuela de Psicologia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, 7820436, Santiago, Chile.
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