Gender beliefs and legitimization of dating violence in adolescents

Open Med (Wars). 2025 Apr 17;20(1):20251188. doi: 10.1515/med-2025-1188. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Knowing the gender beliefs (GB) that legitimize dating violence (DV) it is important for the prevention of this phenomenon. The aim is to evaluate the impact of GB interventions that legitimize DV.

METHODS: Single group quasi-experimental study, with a sample of 148 Portuguese adolescents. A questionnaire was used to collect data, with data processing carried out using SPSS, using descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS: The interventions included an infographic on gender asymmetries, a video about DV, and posters on the topic and Health Education sessions. The largest group fell into the less conservative GB (40.5%) and the categories of non-violent relationship and considerably violent relationship had the same percentage (38.5%). The rank mean of the gender belief inventory scale before and after the interventions was, respectively, 35.24 and 33.06 points, while the same measurements of the violent youth relations inventory scale were 2.74 and 1.63 points. There were statistically significant differences (Wilcoxon: p = 0.01) between the GB score before and after the interventions, as well as in the violent youth relations (VYR) scale score (Wilcoxon: p = 0.000).

CONCLUSION: The interventions had a significant impact on reducing the GB legitimizing the DV and VYR, and were effective.

PMID:40292251 | PMC:PMC12032986 | DOI:10.1515/med-2025-1188