Dating conflict-resolution tactics and exposure to family violence: University students’ experiences

An increasing prevalence of abusive dynamics in intimate relationships among young
people has been reported in recent data. The purposes of this study are to outline the conflictresolution
strategies used in dating relationships, to describe the exposure to violent dynamics in
the family of origin, and to analyse the correlation between conflict-resolution tactics in dating and
exposure to family violence. This quantitative/cross-sectional study, using self-report instruments
(sociodemographic questionnaire; revised conflict tactics scales; children’s natural family environment
signalling scale), involved 247 university students (mean age = 21.07; SD = 2.07). The results revealed
a high prevalence in the use of abusive conflict-resolution tactics and exposure to family violence.
Positive and significant correlations between these two variables were also found. These results raise
the possibility of the transgenerational transmission of abusive dynamics and multiple victimisation
and signal the need for action (prevention and intervention) on beliefs and expectations that young
people have about marital relationships.
This study was partially conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (PSI/01662), School of Psychology, University of Minho, supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the Portuguese State Budget (Ref.: UIDB/PSI/01662/2020) and by Portuguese national funds through the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) within the framework of the CIEC (Research Center for Child Studies of the University of Minho) projects under the references UIDB/00317/2020 and UIDP/00317/2020.