Predictive Risk Factors of Physical Teen Dating Violence Among Black Girls

Background and Purpose: Teen Dating Violence (TDV) is a well-documented public health and social justice issue around the world. In the United States, millions of teens (approximately 11%) experience dating violence each year. Despite the extensive research on TDV, the literature primarily focuses on issues by gender or by race, leaving knowledge gaps about the contextual implications of intersectionality.

Black girls historically have reported the highest rates of TDV. This disproportionality underscores the importance of focusing on this subsample to identify potential prevention and intervention targets. Guided by the Critical Race Theory tenet of Intersectionality, this study attempts to fill these gaps by identifying predictive risk factors within this subpopulation. The research question addressed was: What predictive risk factors, considering the intersections of race and gender, significantly influence physical TDV among Black girls?

By advancing the knowledge on TDV among Black girls and advocating for targeted interventions, this study contributes to the social work field, promoting a more inclusive and equitable approach to addressing violence and promoting well-being within this population.

Methods: The 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted biennially by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) (N=17,232) was utilized for this analysis. The data were weighted to ensure representativeness of the population. Only girls who identified as Black were included in the analysis (n = 8540). Six predictive factors (i.e., experiencing bullying at school, fighting at school, school violence, weapon carrying, diminished mental well-being, previous suicide attempts) were entered into a standard logistic regression model to identify the likelihood of experiencing physical TDV in this subpopulation.

Results: The analysis revealed that 8.5% of Black girls reported experiencing physical TDV. The full model, containing all six factors, was statistically significant (x²(6, N=727)= 414.818, p < 0.001), correctly distinguishing 91.6% of cases. Specifically, Black girls who experienced school violence were approximately 3 times more likely to experience physical TDV (p < .001, 95% CI [2.48, 3.94]). Other significant predictors of physical TDV among Black girls were: engaging in physical fighting at school (odds ratio [OR] 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9, 2.89); being bullied at school (OR 1.9 [CI 1.54, 2.34]); previous suicide attempts (OR 1.6 [CI 1.33, 1.96]); carrying weapons at school (OR 1.5 [CI 1.17, 1.92]); and diminished mental well-being (OR 1.4 [CI 1.15, 1.62]).

Conclusion and Implications: The study identified significant predictive risk factors associated with physical TDV among Black girls, highlighting the critical need to understand, acknowledge, and address these factors. Anti-bullying, anti-violence, and mental health wellness emerge as crucial targets of prevention, intervention, and education efforts for researchers and advocates working with this population. Overall, the study highlights the multifaceted nature of TDV and advocates for comprehensive, culturally responsive, and intersectional-based approaches to prevention and intervention in addressing TDV among Black teenage girls.