Type of Document	Dissertation
Author	Watson, Teknaya N.
Author's Email Address	tnwatson@bop.gov
URN	etd-10292003-024418
Title	Issues of Intent & Injury: A Comparative Analysis of Gender Differences in African-American College Students' Perceptions of Dating Violence
Degree	Doctor of Philosophy
Department	Psychology, Department of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Joyce Carbonell Committee Chair Colleen Kelley Committee Member Ellen Berler Committee Member George Weaver Committee Member Marc Gertz Committee Member
Keywords	Prevention & Violence Intervention & Violence
Date of Defense	2003-10-14
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract The purpose of the current study was to identify the presence of any differences in perceptions of dating violence, relative to gender type, roles, and socialization, among 142 African-American college students. One hundred and forty-nine students were sampled from a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). One hundred and forty-two of these students were African-American and were utilized in the study. Forty-seven percent of the students were male and 53% were female, with an average age of 23 years. The study participants reported primarily middle SES backgrounds, yet the majority received need-based aid. The impact of gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and history of interpersonal violence were utilized as independent variables and were correlated with dependent variables derived from the Acceptance of Interpersonal Violence Scale (AIV), the BEM Sex Role Inventory (BEM), the Conflict Tactics Scale-2 (CTS2), the Dating Violence Questionnaire (DVQ), and the State Trait Anger Inventory-2 (STAXI-2). These measures assessed acceptance of violence, gender types/roles, methods of conflict resolution, history of interpersonal violence, and anger management skills, respectively. The assessment measures were administered in a group format, during a class period, and the students were seated separately, based on gender. While male study participants were found to be more accepting of violence as a means of conflict resolution in their dating relationships, no significant gender differences were found relative to the perpetration of dating violence. Overall, perpetrators of courtship violence more frequently endorsed “minor” forms of violence, such as slapping and pushing. African-American males reportedly sustained more injury, as a result of their partner’s violence, than their female counterparts. SES was not found to be a significant predictor of dating violence, nor were gender roles related to violence. However, anger, jealousy, and a history of interpersonal violence were all found to be significantly correlated with violence within the dating relationship. The current study was considered to be exploratory in nature and provided a foundation for the investigation of violence among African-American college students. This study highlighted the need to develop a more uniform and universal definition of dating violence and improve the assessment/measurement of dating violence as a whole.
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