Explaining ADVA and TAADVA: Risk factors and correlates

Abstract

While research regarding the correlates and risk factors of Adolescent Dating Violence and Abuse (ADVA) has been established, less research has explored what factors that might be associated with adolescents’ involvement in Technology-Assisted Adolescent Dating Violence and Abuse (TAADVA). This paper therefore reviews the literature to have reported on risk factors for ADVA and correlates of TAADVA in order to assess the current state of this knowledge base and look for similarities and differences between factors identified. A range of factors were identified that were important in ADVA and TAADVA victimisation and/or instigation and these are considered in terms of the level of theory that they can support in terms of their ability to explain ADVA and TAADVA, in addition to where they sit within an ecological framework. Due to research on TAADVA being relatively recent in comparison to ADVA, only correlates were identified in studies investigating associated factors whereas longitudinal risk factors have been well established with regard to ADVA that has been researched more extensively. Future research should attempt to standardise measures of risk factors and correlates in order to make comparisons more accurate and move research forward by developing a comprehensive theory of ADVA and TAADVA.