Abstract

SANTOS, Ana Patrícia; CARIDADE, Sónia  and  CARDOSO, Jorge. Violence in dating relationships: psychosocial (dis)adjustment and coping strategies. Contextos Clínic [online]. 2019, vol.12, n.1, pp. 02-25. ISSN 1983-3482.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4013/ctc.2019.121.01.

The present study intends to characterize abusive dating experiences among young people and the psychosocial (dis)adjustment and coping strategies used by victims. We used the Abusive Dating Experiences Questionnaire (QVAA) and the Brief COPE. The sample consisted of 287 individuals aged between 18 and 25 years (M=22.08; DP=1.69), with 80.8% female and 19.2% male. The results show that 13.9% perpetrated violence against his/her partner and 23.7% have been victimized by these behaviors, with psychological aggression presenting the most prevalent rates in terms of perpetration (41%) and victimization (24.2%). 65% of them admitted perpetrating abusive acts and being simultaneously victims. Regarding the consequences of dating violence we can conclude that they manifest mainly on feelings and behaviors of young people, and that active coping strategies were the most referred (77.9%) to deal with the impacts of violence. The results of this study reinforce the need to promote an adequate coping style to deal with abusive experiences.

Keywords : dating violence; coping; psychosocial adjustment.

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