This study will examine the nature of dating violence as reported by male and female adolescents and determine the applicability of the intergenerational hypothesis in each case. In addition, the study will examine the relationship between early socialization and the development of pro-violence attitudes.

There are three aims of this project:

1.The first is to provide a descriptive analysis of the incidence of dating violence within the ALSPAC cohort. This will include a gender based analysis of the use and receipt of violence within dating relationships as well as the young people's understanding of these behaviours and help seeking behaviours associated with the experience of these behaviours.

2. The second aim is to determine the extent to which the experience of violence within dating relationships (as both perpetrator and victim) reflects an intergenerational pattern. This will be examined in relation to the young person's possible exposure to inter-parental violence, harsh parental discipline and parental maltreatment, controlling for additional family adversity exposure and previous involvement in bullying and antisocial behaviour. Should the data permit, a gender based analysis of these issues will be conducted.

3. The final aim is to determine the extent to which pro-violence attitudes reflect earlier exposure to inter-parental violence, harsh parental discipline, parental maltreatment, after controlling for additional family adversity exposure and previous involvement in bullying, antisocial behaviour and dating violence.

As a consequence of this investigation at least three manuscripts will be written for submission in international peer reviewed journals. In addition, these preliminary investigations will provide the basis of continued research funding applications that will focus on examining potential mediators and moderators of any intergenerational effects wtihin a risk and resilience framework.

In order to fulfil these project aims, the following data is required:

Family Adversity Index (FAI) data with the maternal victimization variables isolated for separate analyses

Child Maltreatment Index - this will be derived from variables relating to maternal parenting practices.

Maternal reports of victimization

Paternal reports of victimization

Maternal parenting data

Paternal parenting data

Bullying involvement data

Dating violence data

Pro-violence attitude data

Details of the measures and observations are presented in table 1 (see attached).