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Risk and Protective Factors for Adolescent Relationship Abuse across Different Sexual and Gender Identities

  • Empirical Research
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Abstract

Little is known about the characteristics and context of adolescent relationship abuse victimization across youth of different sexual and gender minority identities. This study sought to examine this in a national sample of 14–15-year-old youth. The sample comprised 3296 youth who reported having been in a relationship, of which 36% (n = 1197) were exclusively cisgender heterosexual; 41% (n = 1, 349) cisgender sexual minority; and 23% (n = 750) gender minority, the majority of whom were also sexual minority. More than half of all youth who had been in a relationship, dated or hooked up with someone had experienced some form of adolescent relationship abuse victimization. Gender minority youth, in particular transgender boys and non-binary youth assigned female at birth, were more likely to be victims of multiple types of adolescent relationship abuse compared to cisgender youth. Perpetrator gender varied for sexual and gender minorities and was more homogenous for cisgender heterosexual youth. Several factors were associated with adolescent relationship abuse for all youth, although alcohol use, and parental trust and communication emerged as particularly important for sexual and gender minority youth. Overall, findings address multiple gaps in the literature and contribute to the understanding of adolescent relationship abuse across different sexual and gender identities.

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Authors’ Contributions

IFS conceived of the study, led the design and interpretation of the data, performed the statistical analysis, and drafted the manuscript; MLY conceived of the larger study, and led its design and coordination, participated in the design and interpretation of the data, and helped draft the manuscript; KG participated in the design and interpretation of the data, and helped draft the manuscript; and KJM participated in the design and interpretation of the data, and helped edit the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding

National Institute of Health.

Data Sharing and Declaration

The datasets analyzed during the current study are not publicly available but collaboration on analyses is possible on reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Innovative Public Health Research, 555N. El Camino Real #A347, San Clemente, CA, 92672-6745, USA

    Ida F. Stroem & Michele L. Ybarra

  2. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 1220L St NW, Suite 505, Washington, DC, 20005, USA

    Kimberly Goodman

  3. Crimes against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, 25 McConnell Hall, 15 Academic Way, Durham, NH, 03824, USA

    Kimberly J. Mitchell

Authors
  1. Ida F. Stroem
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  2. Kimberly Goodman
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  3. Kimberly J. Mitchell
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  4. Michele L. Ybarra
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Correspondence to Ida F. Stroem.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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The study is in compliance with Ethical Standards. The study was approved by Pearl Institutional Review Board.

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All participants provided informed assent before participating in the study.

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Stroem, I.F., Goodman, K., Mitchell, K.J. et al. Risk and Protective Factors for Adolescent Relationship Abuse across Different Sexual and Gender Identities. J Youth Adolescence 50, 1521–1536 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-021-01461-9

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