Direccionalidad y expresión de la violencia en las relaciones de noviazgo de los jóvenes

Although dating violence frequently begins during adolescence and has been postulated as a risk factor for severe forms of adult partner violence, the body of research on this issue remains limited. In this paper, the directionality and behavioral expression of committed and sustained aggression (psychological and physical) in dating relationships is investigated in a sample (N=69) of students aged 16 to 27 years. The results showed a very frequent pattern of reciprocal psychological aggression. However, as the behavioral expression of violence worsens (e.g., slappings, threats and beatings), reciprocity decreases and directionality increases. Sex did not predict the directionality of violence and did not exert a significant effect on the study variables, committed aggression (perpetration) and assault (victimization).In addition, psychological/verbal violence was the most used by aggressors and the most suffered by victims. The work has practical implications since it can help to make this problematic visible and to raise the awareness of public authorities towards the development of violence prevention measures and intervention with victims.ResumenA pesar de que la violencia en el noviazgo se inicia con frecuencia durante la adolescencia y que se ha postulado como un factor de riesgo para formas graves de violencia en las parejas adultas, el corpus de investigación sobre esta problemática continúa siendo limitado. En este trabajo se investiga la direccionalidad y expresión conductual de las agresiones (psicológicas y físicas) cometidas y sufridas en las relaciones de noviazgo en una muestra (N = 69) de estudiantes con edades comprendidas entre los 16 y los 27 años. Los resultados hallados mostraron un patrón recíproco muy frecuente en la agresión psicológica pero, a medida que se agrava la expresión conductual de la violencia (e.g., golpes, amenazas o palizas), disminuye su carácter recíproco y se incrementa la unidireccionalidad de las agresiones. La variable género no predijo la direccionalidad de la violencia y no ejerció un efecto significativo sobre las variables de estudio, agresión cometida (perpetración) y agresión sufrida (victimización). Además, la violencia psicológica/verbal fue la modalidad agresiva más empleada por los agresores y más sufrida por las víctimas. El trabajo presenta implicaciones prácticas que pueden contribuir a hacer visible esta problemática y a concienciar y sensibilizar a los poderes públicos para el desarrollo de medidas de prevención de la violencia y de intervención con las víctimas.AbstractAlthough dating violence frequently begins during adolescence and has been postulated as a risk factor for severe forms of adult partner violence, the body of research on this issue remains limited. In this paper, the directionality and behavioral expression of committed and sustained aggression (psychological and physical) in dating relationships is investigated in a sample (N=69) of students aged 16 to 27 years. The results showed a very frequent pattern of reciprocal psychological aggression. However, as the behavioral expression of violence worsens (e.g., slappings, threats and beatings), reciprocity decreases and directionality increases. Sex did not predict the directionality of violence and did not exert a significant effect on the study variables, committed aggression (perpetration) and assault (victimization).In addition, psychological/verbal violence was the most used by aggressors and the most suffered by victims. The work has practical implications since it can help to make this problematic visible and to raise the awareness of public authorities towards the development of violence prevention measures and intervention with victims