Teen Dating Violence Among Asian American Adolescents: Insights from a National Survey (2015–2021)

Abstract

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a public health problem in the United States (U.S.) with little investigation among Asian American adolescents. Using the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System’s biennial national school-based survey of U.S. high school students, we designed a four-stage cluster sample study, using data from 2015 to 2021 to secure a weighted nationally representative restricted sample of n = 891 Asian American adolescents. Bivariate analyses were conducted to assess the association of sexual or physical dating violence (representing TDV) with age, sex, school violence, substance use, depressive symptoms, and sexual behavior. We conducted a logistic regression analysis to predict odds ratios (OR) of physical and sexual dating violence among Asian American adolescents. Around one in 10 Asian American adolescents in the sample experienced TDV in the past 12 months. Asian American adolescent females were at greater risk of experiencing sexual dating violence than Asian American adolescent males. School violence, substance use, bullying victimization, depressive symptoms, and sexual behavior were associated with experiencing TDV; school violence and bullying victimization were associated with increased odds of TDV among Asian American adolescents. Asian American adolescents need to be screened for dating violence and provided culturally sensitive information on relationships and sexual health.