Correlated of Dating Violence Among Male and Female Heavy-Drinking College Students

Objective: To evaluate the correlates for dating violence among heavy-drinking college students. Method: Participants were at least 18 years old and reported at least one heavy-drinking episode in the past 2 weeks. Results: After covariate adjustment, estimated peak blood alcohol concentration during the past month was associated with higher victims ’ verbal-emotional abuse score, and perpetrators ’ verbal-emotional abuse and threatening abuse scores (N = 280). In addition, being non-White was significantly associated with higher victims’ threatening abuse, physical abuse, and total abuse scores and perpetrators’ threatening abuse and physical abuse scores. Moreover, male students had significantly lower victims ’ threatening abuse and physical abuse scores and perpetrators ’ threatening abuse scores compared to female students. Discussion: Preventive programs that target dating violence among heavy-drinking college students should consider alcohol use as an important risk factor for abusive behaviors, both for the victims as well as the perpetrators