Infidelity and jealousy in dating violence

The aim of the study was to examine gender differences in the attitudes towards partner emotional or sexual infidelity, as well as to determine predictive contribution of jealousy and history of abusive behavior to dating violence in adolescent relationship. The study included 122 university students, both gender. The Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2) was used to examine committing and exposure to dating violence. The sensitivity to partner sexual and emotional infidelity was examined by modified Buss method, which measure he intensity of jealousy. Obtained results showed that young men were more prone to sexually and threatening abuse of their partner compared to girls. As regards to exposure, men were more often inclined in emotional/verbal, sexual, physical abuse and threatening behavior by their female partner. There were not found gender differences in the sensitivity of partner infidelity. Aggression perpetration and exposure to aggressive behavior was in strong relationship with intensity of jealousy. Strong relationship was also found between perpetration and victimization for all aggressive behavior across genders. The sensitivity of sexual infidelity for boys was a significant predictor of emotional, verbal abuse and relational perpetration (β = 0.51) of their partners and exposure to relational abuse (β = 0.56). The sensitivity of girls to hypothetical emotional infidelity was significant predictor of relational abuse (β = 0.26) and exposure to relational abuse (β = 0.47). History of exposure to different form of dating violence was statistically significant predictor for perpetration and exposure to aggressive behavior for girls and boys. These results demonstrate that the use of abusive behaviors in adolescent dating relationships is prevalent. Sex differences were evident in the perpetration and exposure to dating violence. Jealousy is statistically significant predictor for exposure and preparation of dating violence.