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Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 53522

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Isabel Cuadrado-Gordillo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Interests: public health; violence; dating violence; sexism; gender stereotypes; environmental influences; psychosocial implications; victimization; maladjusted behavior
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Inmaculada Fernández-Antelo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain
Interests: public health; violence; dating violence; sexism; gender stereotypes; environmental influences; psychosocial implications; victimization; maladjusted behavior
Dr. Gonzalo del Moral Arroyo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Education and Social Psychology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain
Interests: psychosocial factors related to child-parent violence; individual, family and school factors related to offline bullying; construction of gender, prejudices and violence in the adolescent stage

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a Special Issue on the legal, psychological, and public health implications of violence in relationships throughout the life cycle. The Special Issue will be published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, a peer-reviewed, scientific journal that publishes articles and communications in the interdisciplinary area of environmental health sciences and public health. This journal is indexed in JCR with impact factor 2.468 (2018). For detailed information about the journal, we refer you to https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph.

In the last decade, violence in couple relationships, a multidimensional and transcultural problem, has spread alarmingly to the adolescent age group. The identification, prevention, and treatment of this problem requires the involvement of institutions from the educational field, such as schools; from the socio-community sphere, such as women's homes or associations against gender violence; from the health sector, through the primary healthcare centers and the areas of psychological and psychiatric care; from the legal sphere by implementing measures that protect the victims and guide the behavior of the aggressor; among others. Moreover, new profiles of masculinity and femininity, the persistence of gender stereotypes that reinforce inequalities between men and women, as well as strengthening sexist attitudes, are promoting normalization of maladjusted and aggressive behaviors in both the adolescent as well as adult populations. The consequences are so serious and lasting over time that they cause serious psychological, economic, family, social, and, ultimately, public health implications. Knowledge of the predictive indicators, the necessary requirements for a successful coordination between the different areas involved in situations of violence in couple relationships (educational, health, family, environmental, legal, economic, ...), and of the consequences that cause these processes of aggression and victimization can contribute to a more rapid and effective response and to capitalize on the resources and services that are available.

This Special Issue is open to any subject area related to the psychological, social, legal, sociological, and public health implications in dating violence. The listed keywords suggest just a few of the many possibilities.

Prof. Dr. Isabel Cuadrado-Gordillo
Prof. Dr. Inmaculada Fernández-Antelo
Dr. Gonzalo del Moral Arroyo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dating violence
  • public health
  • gender stereotypes
  • sexist attitudes
  • social, family and community environments
  • normalization of aggressive behaviors
  • psychosocial and legal implications of gender violence
  • programs for prevention and intervention of dating violence
  • adverse consequences in couple relationships

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Published Papers (15 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 359 KiB  
Article
Concentrations of Salivary Cortisol in Victims of Intimate Partner Violence According to the CIRCORT Database
by Sarai Mata-Gil, Antonio Sánchez-Cabaco, Jerónimo Del Moral-Martínez, Antonio Seisdedos-Benito and Ulf Lundberg
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(20), 10819; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010819 - 14 Oct 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1796
Abstract
This work analyzes the different levels of salivary cortisol in women from the southwest of Spain that were victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) with respect to a control group, assessing for the first time the different concentrations obtained in relation to a [...] Read more.
This work analyzes the different levels of salivary cortisol in women from the southwest of Spain that were victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) with respect to a control group, assessing for the first time the different concentrations obtained in relation to a worldwide reference standard provided by the CIRCORT meta-global cortisol database. The clinical sample (N = 24) and the control group (N = 25) had an average of 39.12 years (SD = 12.31) and 39.52 years (SD = 11.74), respectively. Cortisol awakening response (CAR) was determined by defining the area under the curve (AUCi). There were no differences between the CAR data of the two populations F (1, 141) = 1.690, p = 0.196, but there was a highly significant difference in the three sampling days, where the clinical sample exceeded the cortisol levels of the CIRCORT database in the evening as compared to the control group (p = 0.004, p = 0.001 and p = 0.000). Salivary cortisol concentration samples taken in the evening were significantly higher than those standardized in the CIRCORT database, from the women victims of IPV as compared to the control group, showing its usefulness as an effective supportive tool for problems such as those triggered by IPV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
12 pages, 662 KiB  
Article
Association of Addictive Substance Use with Polyvictimization and Acceptance of Violence in Adolescent Couples
by Isabel Cuadrado Gordillo, Guadalupe Martín-Mora Parra and Inmaculada Fernández Antelo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 8107; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18158107 - 30 Jul 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2064
Abstract
Theoretical framework: The objectives of this study were to analyse the possible influence that some variables such as substance use (alcohol and marijuana) might have on relevant aspects related to violence in adolescent dating (victimization, frequency of violence and acceptance of violence). Methods: [...] Read more.
Theoretical framework: The objectives of this study were to analyse the possible influence that some variables such as substance use (alcohol and marijuana) might have on relevant aspects related to violence in adolescent dating (victimization, frequency of violence and acceptance of violence). Methods: The sample included 2577 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18. The instruments used were two questionnaires. The first identified and analysed the types and frequency of violence experienced by the victims, and their acceptance of violence. The second analysed the use of alcohol and marijuana in adolescents. Results: The results indicate that victims frequently take on the role of polyvictims, suffering aggression in up to more than five different forms at the same time. Furthermore, it was found that this phenomenon is precipitated by substance use, the frequency of abuse and the acceptance of violence in a cycle of mutual interaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
14 pages, 515 KiB  
Article
Assessing Adolescent Dating Violence in the YourLife Project: Proposal of an Instrument for Spanish-Speaking Countries
by Cristina Lopez-del Burgo, Alfonso Osorio, Pedro-Antonio de la Rosa, María Calatrava and Jokin de Irala
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(13), 6824; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136824 - 25 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2370
Abstract
Background: Several instruments have been developed to assess adolescent dating violence but only few have been validated in Spanish-speaking settings. Some instruments are too long and may not be feasible to include them in a multipurpose questionnaire. We developed an instrument to be [...] Read more.
Background: Several instruments have been developed to assess adolescent dating violence but only few have been validated in Spanish-speaking settings. Some instruments are too long and may not be feasible to include them in a multipurpose questionnaire. We developed an instrument to be used in the YourLife project, an international project about young people lifestyles. Objective: We aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of this instrument in three Spanish-speaking countries (Chile, Ecuador, and Spain). Method: We included 1049 participants, aged 13–18 years. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. Associations between dating violence and variables expected to covariate with it (substance use, school peer aggression, justification of dating violence, and relationship power imbalance), were tested. Results: Two different constructs (psychological and physical/sexual) for suffered and perpetrated violence were identified and confirmed in the three countries. The dating violence subscales had Cronbach’s alpha scores higher than 0.85. The strongest associations between dating violence and variables related to it were found within the relationship power imbalance items, suggesting that these items may be useful to detect adolescent dating violence when a specific questionnaire cannot be implemented. Conclusion: This instrument seems to be adequate to assess suffered and perpetrated adolescent dating violence within a multipurpose questionnaire among schooled adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
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11 pages, 360 KiB  
Article
Discrimination and Violence Due to Diversity of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: Explanatory Variables
by Fernández-Antelo Inmaculada and Cuadrado-Gordillo Isabel
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(7), 3638; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073638 - 31 Mar 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2896
Abstract
Knowledge of the processes of aggression and victimization in couple relationships cannot be approached through the treatment of single variables. It needs a multidimensional perspective that establishes a web of relationships between variables of different types. The objectives of the present study were: [...] Read more.
Knowledge of the processes of aggression and victimization in couple relationships cannot be approached through the treatment of single variables. It needs a multidimensional perspective that establishes a web of relationships between variables of different types. The objectives of the present study were: (i) to explore the interrelationships between and interdependence of empathy, moral disengagement, homophobic attitudes, and prejudice as explanatory variables of discrimination and violence towards couples due to gender issues; and (ii) to delimit predictive indicators of the manifestation of aggressive attitudes and prejudices towards homosexual couples. The sample comprised 778 young people of ages 18 to 24 years (M = 19.9; SD = 1.6). Through the use of four instruments, it was found that empathy is a strong protector against homophobic attitudes, while moral disengagement is a predictor of aggressive attitudes towards same-sex couples. The results make it possible to delimit homophobic profiles and obtain predictive indicators that will be key elements in the design of programs and measures to prevent violence towards couples for reasons of gender. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
17 pages, 429 KiB  
Article
Relationships of Adolescent and Young Couples with Violent Behaviors: Conflict Resolution Strategies
by Noelia Aguilera-Jiménez, Luis Rodríguez-Franco, Paloma Rohlfs-Domínguez, Jose Ramón Alameda-Bailén and Susana G. Paíno-Quesada
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(6), 3201; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063201 - 19 Mar 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3361
Abstract
Violence in adolescent and young couples is a major issue given its high prevalence and the serious consequences that it brings. For this reason, this research has stated two main objectives. In the first place, to ascertain the level of agreement between both [...] Read more.
Violence in adolescent and young couples is a major issue given its high prevalence and the serious consequences that it brings. For this reason, this research has stated two main objectives. In the first place, to ascertain the level of agreement between both members of the couple both with regard to occurrence and frequency of violence. Second, to ascertain the level of agreement on the frequency of use of conflict resolution strategies in problematic situations in 141 heterosexual couples. The age of the sample was between 17 and 30. The tools used were the DVQ-R questionnaire and the Spanish adaptation by Bonache, Ramírez-Santana, and González-Mendez (2016) of the Inventory of Conflict Resolution Styles (CSRI)The results indicate that of the 141 couples in the sample, 112 were identified as violent, thus indicating a high prevalence of violence within their partner relationships. Regarding the levels of agreement and accordance, statistically significant discrepancies are reflected in the perception of violence between men and women, analyzing both roles (aggression and victimization). Finally, also noteworthy is use of the strategy of negative involvement in conflicts, with significant differences in relation to sex; it is the girls who make the most use of this strategy, and the high level of agreement on the frequency of problem-solving is reflected on that strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
14 pages, 728 KiB  
Article
When Are Sexist Attitudes Risk Factors for Dating Aggression? The Role of Moral Disengagement in Spanish Adolescents
by Virginia Sánchez-Jiménez and Noelia Muñoz-Fernández
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1947; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041947 - 17 Feb 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3569
Abstract
This research aimed to explore the interplay of sexism and moral disengagement (MD) in the explanation of psychological and physical dating aggression. The sample comprised 1113 Spanish adolescents (49.2% girls, n = 552) between the ages of 12 to 17 (M = [...] Read more.
This research aimed to explore the interplay of sexism and moral disengagement (MD) in the explanation of psychological and physical dating aggression. The sample comprised 1113 Spanish adolescents (49.2% girls, n = 552) between the ages of 12 to 17 (M = 14.44). A latent profile analysis conducted with sub-sample of 432 adolescents with sentimental experience identified four configurations: (1) benevolent; (2) less disengaged and sexist; (3) highly disengaged and sexist; and (4) moderately disengaged and sexist. Regarding gender and age, boys were more present than girls in the moderately disengaged and sexist group, as well as in the highly disengaged and sexist profile. The highly disengaged and sexist and benevolent groups were the youngest. Regarding dating aggression, the highly disengaged and sexist group had the highest engagement in physical and psychological aggression. However, the others three profiles showed a similar engagement in aggression. These findings confirmed the moderating role of MD on the relationship between sexism and dating aggression and suggested that the association between MD, sexism, and dating aggression was exponential; that is, the risk appeared when adolescents were extremely hostile and disengaged. The results have implications for the design of tailored dating aggression prevention programmes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
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13 pages, 741 KiB  
Article
Integrating the Gender Perspective into Literature Studies to Enhance Medical University Students’ Gender Awareness and Critical Thinking
by Hung-Chang Liao and Ya-huei Wang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(24), 9245; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249245 - 10 Dec 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2622
Abstract
Objective: This study attempted to integrate the gender perspective into literature studies to allow medical university students to examine internalized gender prescriptions and investigate whether the integration of the gender perspective into literature studies would create any difference among students in gender awareness [...] Read more.
Objective: This study attempted to integrate the gender perspective into literature studies to allow medical university students to examine internalized gender prescriptions and investigate whether the integration of the gender perspective into literature studies would create any difference among students in gender awareness and critical thinking. Methods: This study used fifteen-week quasi-experimental research to verify the feasibility of using the gender perspective in literature studies to arouse medical university students’ gender awareness and critical thinking. Before and after the intervention, a gender awareness test and a critical thinking disposition test were carried out by both the experimental group (41 students) and control group (41 students). Results: The findings show that regarding gender awareness, with the integration of the gender perspective into literature studies, medical university students had significantly higher post-test scores for “public gender consciousness” and “private gender consciousness.” In regard to critical thinking, they also had significantly better post-test scores in “systematicity and analyticity,” “maturity and skepticism,” and “inquisitiveness and conversance.” Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the integration of the gender perspective into literature studies could result in positive learning outcomes among medical university students in terms of gender awareness and critical thinking. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
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13 pages, 815 KiB  
Article
Myth Acceptance Regarding Male-To-Female Intimate Partner Violence amongst Spanish Adolescents and Emerging Adults
by Gonzalo Del Moral, Cosette Franco, Manuel Cenizo, Carla Canestrari, Cristian Suárez-Relinque, Morena Muzi and Alessandra Fermani
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(21), 8145; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218145 - 4 Nov 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3326
Abstract
(1) Background: General beliefs and attitudes toward Male-to-Female Intimate Partner Violence (MFIPV) play a fundamental, critical role in the expression of violent behaviors in relationships during both adolescence and adulthood. The objective of the present study was to contrast the degree of myth [...] Read more.
(1) Background: General beliefs and attitudes toward Male-to-Female Intimate Partner Violence (MFIPV) play a fundamental, critical role in the expression of violent behaviors in relationships during both adolescence and adulthood. The objective of the present study was to contrast the degree of myth acceptance regarding MFIPV, based on the sex and age of Spanish teenagers and emerging adults. (2) Methods: A sample of 1580 participants aged between 15 and 24 took part in the study. The subjects were enrolled in 34 secondary schools and two university centers spread across Seville (Spain). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was carried out for the data analysis. (3) Results: Overall, males had a higher level of myth acceptance than females in all the dimensions considered in the study. In the case of significantly high levels of myth acceptance, males quintupled females. The research dimension that revealed the greatest differences was romantic love. Regarding age, a degree of stability was observed in the age period of 15–17 years and 18–20 years, but this subsequently decreased for the age range of 21–24 years. (4) Conclusions: Efforts should be focused on promoting actions to challenge male mandates and narratives concerning romantic or true love. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
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14 pages, 752 KiB  
Article
Search for the Profile of the Victim of Adolescent Dating Violence: An Intersection of Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Variables
by Isabel Cuadrado-Gordillo, Inmaculada Fernández-Antelo and Guadalupe Martín-Mora Parra
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(21), 8004; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218004 - 30 Oct 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2895
Abstract
The knowledge of the promoting variables of dating violence has been a topic much studied in the last decade. However, the definition of the profile of this type of victim still presents numerous unknowns that hinder the effectiveness of prevention programs against violence. [...] Read more.
The knowledge of the promoting variables of dating violence has been a topic much studied in the last decade. However, the definition of the profile of this type of victim still presents numerous unknowns that hinder the effectiveness of prevention programs against violence. This study analyzes the interaction of cognitive, emotional and behavioral variables that converge in the victim profile. The sample comprised 2577 adolescents (55.2% girls) of 14 to 18 years in age (M = 15.9, SD = 1.2). The instruments used were the dating violence questionnaire (CUVINO), the scale of detection of sexism in adolescents (DSA), Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement Scale and Child and Adolescent Disposition Scale (CADS). To study the relationship between the different variables considered in this article, a SEM analysis was used. The results show that victims of gender violence and emotional abuse have high scores in benevolent sexism, moral disengagement and emotionally negative behavioral patterns. Likewise, the existence of an interdependent relationship between these three sets of variables was found. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
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18 pages, 1595 KiB  
Article
What Should Be Taught and What Is Taught: Integrating Gender into Medical and Health Professions Education for Medical and Nursing Students
by Hsing-Chen Yang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(18), 6555; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186555 - 9 Sep 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4230
Abstract
This study focused on gender education for medical and nursing students, because gender competency is essential for them to provide effective and appropriate healthcare and to promote equal rights to health. A questionnaire was administered to 50 health care professionals to explore the [...] Read more.
This study focused on gender education for medical and nursing students, because gender competency is essential for them to provide effective and appropriate healthcare and to promote equal rights to health. A questionnaire was administered to 50 health care professionals to explore the gender concepts and gender knowledge that they deem imperative and often teach to medical and nursing undergraduate students in class. Sexism, gender awareness, sexual harassment, the topics of three acts related to gender equity, and patriarchy are the gender concepts participants deemed most crucial for students to learn and understand. However, disparities were noted between the gender concepts frequently taught by the participants and the gender knowledge they considered essential for students. The 50 experts emphasized teaching the concept of patriarchy and the cultivation of students’ structural competency in addition to identifying directions for gender, medical, and health care education. By highlighting the key gender-related concepts, the present research findings may benefit teachers who intend to integrate gender into the curriculum but are limited by time constraints. The results offer a professional development direction for teachers endeavoring to incorporate gender into the curriculum and their teaching. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
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18 pages, 365 KiB  
Article
Public Helping Reactions to Intimate Partner Violence against Women in European Countries: The Role of Gender-Related Individual and Macrosocial Factors
by Celia Serrano-Montilla, Inmaculada Valor-Segura, José-Luis Padilla and Luis Manuel Lozano
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(17), 6314; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176314 - 30 Aug 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4007
Abstract
Public helping reactions are essential to reduce a victim’s secondary victimization in intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) cases. Because gender-related characteristics have been linked widely to IPVAW prevalence, the study aimed to examine individual attitudes and perceptions toward different forms of violence [...] Read more.
Public helping reactions are essential to reduce a victim’s secondary victimization in intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) cases. Because gender-related characteristics have been linked widely to IPVAW prevalence, the study aimed to examine individual attitudes and perceptions toward different forms of violence against women, as well as gender-related macrosocial ideological and structural factors, in explaining helping reactions to IPVAW across 28 European countries. We performed multilevel logistic regression analysis, taking measures from the Eurobarometer 2016 (N = 7115) and the European Institute for Gender Equality datasets. Our study revealed a greater individual perceived IPVAW prevalence, positive perception about the appropriateness of a legal response to psychological and sexual violence against women partners, and less VAW-supportive attitudes predicted helping reactions (i.e., formal, informal), but not negative reactions to IPVAW. Moreover, individuals from European countries with a greater perceived IPVAW prevalence and gender equality preferred formal reactions to IPVAW. Otherwise, in the European countries with lesser perceived IPVAW prevalence and negative perceptions about the appropriate legal response to psychological and sexual violence, people were more likely to provide informal reactions to IPVAW. Our results showed the role of gender-related characteristics influenced real reactions toward known victim of IPVAW. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
20 pages, 2502 KiB  
Article
Psychosocial Implications of Supportive Attitudes towards Intimate Partner Violence against Women throughout the Lifecycle
by Andrés Sánchez-Prada, Carmen Delgado-Alvarez, Esperanza Bosch-Fiol, Virginia Ferreiro-Basurto and Victoria A. Ferrer-Perez
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(17), 6055; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176055 - 20 Aug 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3398
Abstract
Supportive attitudes towards intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) normalize and promote these aggressive behaviors. As a result, more and more research is proposing the identification, analysis and intervention of these attitudes. However, the vast majority of this research focuses on students. The [...] Read more.
Supportive attitudes towards intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) normalize and promote these aggressive behaviors. As a result, more and more research is proposing the identification, analysis and intervention of these attitudes. However, the vast majority of this research focuses on students. The main objective of this paper is to analyze these supportive attitudes throughout the lifecycle. An opportunity sample of 200 Spanish participants, by age and sex fixed quotas, took part in this study. Attitudes were measured using the Inventory of Distorted Thoughts about Women and Violence, the Inventory of Beliefs about Intimate Partner Violence and the Gender Violence Implicit Association Test, a personalized form of Implicit Association Test (IAT). The results show that explicitly measured supportive attitudes towards intimate partner violence against women differ between age groups, adopting a U-shape distribution: lower acceptance among middle-aged-adults and young-adults and higher acceptance among adolescents and older adults. However, when these attitudes were implicitly measured, the IPVAW rejection increased with age, which is a counter-intuitive result and inconsistent with previous theoretical evidence. In summary, these results support an age effect that differs according to the measure of attitudes used and highlight some difficulties related to based-on-reaction-time measures among older people. This suggests the need for further research on the topic, especially among the older population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
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15 pages, 399 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Prescription Drugs and Alcohol Consumption on Intimate Partner Violence Victim Blaming
by Gemma Sáez, Manuel J. Ruiz, Gabriel Delclós-López, Francisca Expósito and Sergio Fernández-Artamendi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(13), 4747; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17134747 - 1 Jul 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4943
Abstract
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a public health problem with harsh consequences for women’s well-being. Social attitudes towards victims of IPV have a big impact on the perpetuation of this phenomenon. Moreover, specific problems such as the abuse of alcohol and drugs by [...] Read more.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a public health problem with harsh consequences for women’s well-being. Social attitudes towards victims of IPV have a big impact on the perpetuation of this phenomenon. Moreover, specific problems such as the abuse of alcohol and drugs by IPV victims could have an effect on blame attributions towards them. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the external perception (Study 1) and self-perception (Study 2) of blame were influenced by the victims’ use and abuse of alcohol or by the victims’ use of psychotropic prescription drugs. Results of the first study (N = 136 participants) showed a significantly higher blame attribution towards female victims with alcohol abuse compared to those without it. No significant differences were found on blame attributed to those with psychotropic prescription drugs abuse and the control group. Results of the second study (N = 195 female victims of interpersonal violence) showed that alcohol consumption is associated with higher self-blame and self-blame cognitions among IPV victims. However, results did not show significant differences on self-blame associated to the victims’ use of psychotropic prescription drugs. Our findings indicate that alcohol consumption, but not prescription drugs use, plays a relevant role in the attribution of blame by general population and self-blame by victims of IPV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
16 pages, 877 KiB  
Article
“Old Wine in a New Bottle”. Depression and Romantic Relationships in Italian Emerging Adulthood: The Moderating Effect of Gender
by Alessandra Fermani, Ramona Bongelli, Carla Canestrari, Morena Muzi, Ilaria Riccioni and Roberto Burro
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(11), 4121; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17114121 - 9 Jun 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3797
Abstract
Intimate partner violence is an important social issue all over the world, and human sciences, in particular, are working to reduce it. Despite this, the topic is a little recognized phenomenon. Understanding the origins and the variables that have an impact on manic-style [...] Read more.
Intimate partner violence is an important social issue all over the world, and human sciences, in particular, are working to reduce it. Despite this, the topic is a little recognized phenomenon. Understanding the origins and the variables that have an impact on manic-style romantic relationships, as defined by John Alan Lee, is of primary importance, in particular in Italy where the data reveal alarming statistics. Most studies have not controlled for earlier depressive symptoms as a cause of successive depression or as an antecedent of romantic styles. In our study, we investigate the association between depression and romantic style, trying to test the moderating role of the gender variable in 283 Italian emerging adults (139 women and 144 men). In order to achieve this aim, we performed a multigroup structural equation model analysis. The hypothesis that gender moderates the relationship between depression and romantic styles is still yet to be confirmed. Men with high levels of depression do not seem to be able to establish relationships based on commitment, as required by the eros style. Women with high levels of depression are more frequently involved in possessive and demanding relationships or in pragmatic ones, confirming their need for dependence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
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Article
Invariance of the Sexual Double Standard Scale: A Cross-Cultural Study
by Maria del Mar Sánchez-Fuentes, Nieves Moyano, Carmen Gómez-Berrocal and Juan Carlos Sierra
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(5), 1569; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17051569 - 29 Feb 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6391
Abstract
The Sexual Double Standard (SDS) is an instrument used to judge sexual behavior, in which men are usually granted greater sexual freedom, while the same sexual behavior is condemned in women. Culture can be a relevant variable for the SDS. Therefore, we have [...] Read more.
The Sexual Double Standard (SDS) is an instrument used to judge sexual behavior, in which men are usually granted greater sexual freedom, while the same sexual behavior is condemned in women. Culture can be a relevant variable for the SDS. Therefore, we have examined the measurement invariance of the Sexual Double Standard Scale (SDSS) across the Spanish and Colombian populations, comparing this phenomenon by country and gender. The scale comprises two factors: sexual freedom and sexual shyness. The sample consisted of 1832 heterosexual adults (46.3% men, 53.7% women), 54.3% of whom were Spanish and 45.7% Colombian. Strong invariance was found. The reliability values were good for country and gender. Men and women from both countries supported greater freedom for themselves compared to the other gender. Furthermore, Spanish women, unlike their Colombian counterparts, supported greater sexual shyness for men. Thus, what some authors have labeled as a "reverse sexual double standard" seems to emerge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sexism, Gender Stereotypes, and Violence in Couple Relationships throughout the Life-Cycle—Legal, Psychological, and Public Health Implications)
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