Project 466659

Before their twenty-first birthdays, one in three adolescents and young adults (AYA) will experience physical or psychological dating violence. Nearly one in ten will experience sexual dating violence. It is well known that experience with adolescent dating violence (ADV) puts youth at risk for anxiety and depression, among other negative health outcomes. Common internalizing conditions, such as anxiety and depression, have been linked to interpersonal dysfunctions such as poor conflict resolution, difficulty managing anger, oversensitivity to rejection, and possessiveness. Unfortunately, there has been little examination of internalizing conditions and interpersonal dysfunctions as predictors of ADV experience (including both perpetration and victimization), despite implications for improving ADV outcomes through mental health interventions and healthy relationships programming. This proposed secondary data analysis study will explore the relationship between internalizing conditions, interpersonal dysfunction, and ADV rates in AYA through examination of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey data. Responses to questions about current mental health status, peer relationships and interpersonal functioning, and experience with ADV will be analyzed. If statistically significant, results will help fill the current knowledge gap and inform future research. Significant results would also highlight the importance of teaching healthy relationship skills in ADV prevention programming, leading to more effective ADV interventions. Engaging with symptomatic AYA early will not only have positive effects on their long-term mental health but could also assist in reducing ADV rates overall.