PREDICTORS OF DATING VIOLENCE AMONG HIGH-SCHOOL-STUDENTS

This study examined dating violence in a racially/ethnically and socio economically diverse sample of high school students to determine what factors or group of factors best predicted inflicting dating violence using a social-learning-theory-based model. Numerous variables belongi ng to one of three domains were entered into hierarchical multiple reg ression analyses. Findings revealed that males were more likely to inf lict violence against a dating partner when they had witnessed more in terparental violence; believed that male-female dating violence was ju stifiable; used alcohol/drugs; were the recipients of dating violence; and experienced more conflict in their dating relationships. Females were more likely to be violent toward a dating partner when they belie ved that female-to-male dating violence was justifiable and that male- to-female violence was not justifiable; experienced more conflict in t he dating relationship; were the recipients of dating violence; used a lcohol or drugs; and felt the relationship was more serious. The conte xt of the violence was also examined and the implications of the study were addressed.