College of Education

Teen dating abuse is common and complex, new studies show

by Kim Painter / Jul 31, 2013

JULY 31, 2013, USA Today — More than a third of teen boys and girls say they’ve been physically, emotionally or sexually abused in their dating relationships, according to new, unpublished data from a nationwide survey. Similar numbers of both sexes say they’ve been abusers. These findings, to be presented today in Honolulu at a meeting of the American Psychological Association, are the latest to shed light on a problem that has only come out of the shadows in recent years. Dorothy Espelage, a professor of Educational Psychology at Illinois, says, “Without measures of fear, severity and injury, we need to be cautious” about interpreting the new nationwide survey results. Espelage worked on the survey and on another study to be presented today that shows links between middle school bullying and teen dating violence.

Read the entire USA Today article about the dating survey…

Read the APA press release…

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In addition, Espelage was recognized by the APA's Prevention Section by accepting its Lifetime Achievement Award. Awardees are recognized for their outstanding achievements and contributions to psychology. Her work stood out in a "crowded and impressive group," and was described as exemplifying excellence in prevention science and practice, according to the APA section.

PHOTO at left: Professor Dorothy Espelage receiving the APA Prevention Section's Lifetime Achievement Award from LeRoy Reese, associate professor at Morehouse School of Medicine and chair of the APA's Prevention Section.

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