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Specificity of Dating Aggression and Its Justification Among High-Risk Adolescents

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Abstract

Ninety-five high-risk adolescents were studied to determine whether their dating aggression and its justification as a response to interpersonal problems were specific to the current partner, general to dating relationships, or part of a global age-mate (same-sex peers and opposite-sex dating partners) aggression problem. Approximately one-third of males and two-thirds of females reported physical aggression against their current dating partner. Males' aggression (and its justification) toward their current dating partner was part of a generalized pattern of dating aggression, whereas for females, physical aggression against a current dating partner (and its justification) was partner-specific and unrelated to aggression in other relationships. Findings are discussed with regard to intervention and future research on adolescent dating aggression.

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Chase, K.A., Treboux, D., O'Leary, K.D. et al. Specificity of Dating Aggression and Its Justification Among High-Risk Adolescents. J Abnorm Child Psychol 26, 467–473 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022651818834

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