Psychosocial determinants of adolescents' attitudes toward disclosing dating violence.

Abstract

This study combined a person-oriented approach with a psychosocial framework of help-seeking to examine factors associated with the intent to disclose dating violence among developing adolescents. Data came from adolescents in middle and high school in a rural area in the southeastern United States, who were surveyed annually for 4 years (N_{wave 1} = 580; M_age = 13 years, SD = 1.48; 52.7% female; 49% Black, 39% White, 11% Hispanic, or other minorities). Results confirm expectations that intraindividual (adolescent views on violence and safety); interindividual (peer and family dynamics); positional (gender, having a supportive adult); and ideological factors are all significant predictors of patterns in help-seeking attitudes. However, predictive relevance of some factors varied across help-seeking groups and data collection periods, supporting the differential effects hypothesis. For example, while greater friend social support increased the odds of belonging to "friend confidants," it simultaneously decreased the odds of being a member of "parent confidants" and "moderate help-seekers" groups. Additionally, the influence of family functioning tended to decrease over time, eventually losing its explanatory value at Wave 4. The article concludes by discussing how integration of a person-centered methodological approach with a robust theoretical foundation advances our understanding of variability in adolescents' responses to dating violence. Consideration of diversity in adolescent intentions to react to interpersonal violence is discussed further in the context of policy and practice to enhance protective options and prevent or minimize harm. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).