Partner violence among adolescents in opposite-sex romantic relationships:Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health

Objectives. This report examines (1) the prevalence of psychological and mi nor physical violence victimization in a nationally representative sample o f adolescents and (2) associations between sociodemographic factors and vic timization. Methods. Analyses are based on 7500 adolescents who reported exclusively he terosexual romantic relationships in the National Longitudinal Study of Ado lescent Health. Items from the Conflict Tactics Scale were used to measure victimization. Associations between victimization patterns and sociodemogra phic characteristics were assessed with polytomous logistic regression. Results. One third of adolescents reported some type of victimization, and 12% reported physical violence victimization. Although most sociodemographi c characteristics were significantly associated with victimization, pattern s varied by sex and type of victimization. Conclusions. Psychological and minor physical violence victimization is com mon in opposite-sex romantic relationships during adolescence. The sex-spec ific associations between sociodemographic characteristics and patterns of partner violence victimization underscore the importance of pursuing longit udinal, theory-driven investigations of the characteristics and development al histories of both partners in a couple to advance understanding of this public health problem.