Off- and Online Heterosexual Dating Violence, Perceived Attachment to Parents and Peers and Suicide Risk in Young Women

Marcela Gracia-Leiva, Alicia Puente-Martínez, Silvia Ubillos-Landa, José Luis González-Castro and Darío Páez-Rovira
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Marcela Gracia-Leiva: Department of Social Psychology and Methodology of Behavioral Science, Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
Alicia Puente-Martínez: Department of Social Psychology and Methodology of Behavioral Science, Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
Silvia Ubillos-Landa: Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Health Science, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain
José Luis González-Castro: Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Educational Science, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain
Darío Páez-Rovira: Department of Social Psychology and Methodology of Behavioral Science, Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 9, 1-20

Abstract: Dating violence (DV) is a public health problem among young people, especially women. It involves violent acts towards one’s partner and occurs face-to-face (offline) or through the Internet (online). Offline DV is linked to suicidal ideation and attachment to parents and peers. Fewer studies analyze the psychological and social consequences of online DV. This study tests the link between young women’s DV victimization (off- and online), suicide risk (SR), and parent and peer support in a sample of young Spanish females (N = 1227) ( M age=19, SD = 2.82; range = 13–28). Results confirm that compared to non-victims off- and online DV increase suicidal thoughts and attempts. This effect is stronger for victims of both types of DV (thoughts: OR offline DV = 3.11; CI95% 2.06, 4.69; OR online DV = 2.37; CI95% 1.69, 3.32; OR off-online DV = 4.19 CI95% 2.44, 7.17) (attempts: OR offline DV = 4.02; CI95% 1.83, 8.81; OR online DV = 3.69; CI95% 1.96, 7.01; OR off-online DV = 10.55 CI95% 2.56, 44.43). Mediation and moderation models were used to assess the effect of perceived attachment of parents and friends in DV victims and SR. Mediation analyses indicated that perceived attachment and proximity to parents and peers reduces the impact of DV on SR. Moderation analyses showed that a high level of perceived peer attachment reduces the effect of offline DV on SR. Regarding off-online DV, a high level of perceived parent attachment mitigates suicide risk. Loneliness, lack of care from loved ones, and thwarted belongingness increase suicidal thoughts in DV victims. Peers and parents’ proximity may prevent risk behaviors in DV victims.

Keywords: dating violence; cyber dating violence; women; adolescence; suicide risk; peer attachment; parent attachment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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