SS-3 Words and Wounds: College Students' Perceptions of Verbal and Physical Abuse
SCURS Disciplines
Psychology
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent issue that greatly affects college students in the United States. Research shows that young adults are susceptible to IPV due to a lack of commitment and relationship instability between partners. The main goal of the current study was to investigate the factors that contribute to college students’ perceptions of IPV. Specifically, we wanted to determine whether the type of abuse (verbal vs. physical) and gender of both the perpetrator and the victim impacts perception of abuse severity. The second goal was to investigate how college students may respond to situations of IPV. While many students may choose not to intervene due to a diffusion of responsibility, it remains unclear whether this reluctance varies based on the type of abuse and the gender involved. Ninety-six college students participated in the current study. They were asked to read one of four scenarios, concerning physical or verbal abuse, where the victim and perpetrators’ gender was manipulated. Participants were then asked to rate the seriousness of the abused described in the scenario, the victim’s responsibility, whether they would ignore the situation, and if they would encourage the victim to seek help. It was hypothesized that participants would rate the IPV as more serious when the victim was a female, and the perpetrator was a male. It was also hypothesized that physical abuse would be rated as more serious than verbal abuse. Findings may ultimately help researchers in the development of more effective prevention and intervention strategies as it relates to different types of abuse.
Keywords
Intimate Partner Violence, Abuse, College Students
Start Date
11-4-2025 2:40 PM
Location
CASB 108
End Date
11-4-2025 2:55 PM
SS-3 Words and Wounds: College Students' Perceptions of Verbal and Physical Abuse
CASB 108
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent issue that greatly affects college students in the United States. Research shows that young adults are susceptible to IPV due to a lack of commitment and relationship instability between partners. The main goal of the current study was to investigate the factors that contribute to college students’ perceptions of IPV. Specifically, we wanted to determine whether the type of abuse (verbal vs. physical) and gender of both the perpetrator and the victim impacts perception of abuse severity. The second goal was to investigate how college students may respond to situations of IPV. While many students may choose not to intervene due to a diffusion of responsibility, it remains unclear whether this reluctance varies based on the type of abuse and the gender involved. Ninety-six college students participated in the current study. They were asked to read one of four scenarios, concerning physical or verbal abuse, where the victim and perpetrators’ gender was manipulated. Participants were then asked to rate the seriousness of the abused described in the scenario, the victim’s responsibility, whether they would ignore the situation, and if they would encourage the victim to seek help. It was hypothesized that participants would rate the IPV as more serious when the victim was a female, and the perpetrator was a male. It was also hypothesized that physical abuse would be rated as more serious than verbal abuse. Findings may ultimately help researchers in the development of more effective prevention and intervention strategies as it relates to different types of abuse.
