Adolescent partner violence is increasingly recognized as a public health concern. However, relatively little is known about adolescent same-sex partner violence. Research suggests that adolescent same-sex relationships often occur in secrecy because of the social stigma associated with homosexuality in adolescent culture. Further, literature on adult same-sex partner violence suggests that the covert nature of many same-sex relationships and the potential power differential between partners associated with how "out" one is to family, friends, and coworkers may heighten the likelihood of intimate violence compared to opposite-sex relationships. It stands to reason that covert adolescent same-sex relationships may incur a greater risk of partner violence due to their secretive nature and the possibility that adolescents are not "out" to friends and family. This research explores two questions: 1) to what extent is adolescent same-sex partner violence associated with how public or "out" a romantic relationship is?; and 2) if there is an association, does it differ for adolescent opposite-sex relationships? The study sample is derived from Wave II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which includes interviews with a nationally representative sample of almost 15,000 adolescents in grades 7-12. Using whether the adolescent told others they were a couple as a proxy for being public or "out," logistic regression analyses will be used to examine associations between "out" status and partner violence as reported by adolescents in both same- and opposite-sex relationships. Results will be discussed in terms of implications for identifying and intervening with at-risk LGBT youth.
Learning Objectives: 1) Listeners will learn about the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) data set. 2) Listeners will know the prevelance of same-sex partner violence in this sample. 3) Listeners will know how those adolescents reporting same-sex relationships differ from those reporting only opposite-sex relationships in terms of partner-violence prevelance and secrecy of relationships.
Keywords: Adolescents, Domestic Violence
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.