Citation

Baker CK, Helm S. J. School Violence 2010; 9(2): 154.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15388220903585879

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The high prevalence of teen dating violence (TDV) nationally suggests that it is a public health problem in need of intervention. However, there is limited information about what constitutes TDV in the eyes of teens. Equally limited is an understanding of these parameters among diverse cultures. To fill these gaps, the current study conducted focus groups with 51 adolescents of Native Hawaiian, Samoan, and Filipino descent. Youth were asked how they define TDV as a way to delineate their threshold for violence and related behaviors. Findings indicated that many forms of emotional TDV fall below teens' threshold, such as the use of cell phones and the Internet to monitor their dating partners. Possible venues and strategies for intervention are discussed.