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Education and Communication: Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence
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by Eleanor F. Nelson - Grinnell College
We examined the relation between sex and relationship education, communication,
and prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among college-aged women. We hypothesized
that (a) women who received more comprehensive sex and relationship education would
report fewer IPV experiences, (b) women who received their sex and relationship
education from certain sources would report fewer instances of IPV, and (c) women
who communicated more with partners would experience fewer instances of IPV. The
study consisted of a survey completed by 48 women at a liberal arts college regarding
their IPV history, sex and relationship education, and communication with partners.
The first hypothesis was not supported; however, the results showed that women who
did not receive their education from a medical professional and women who communicated
more with their partner experienced fewer instances of IPV. These results suggest
the need for additional research into types of education as tools for preventing
IPV and the importance of communication within relationships.
Winter 2010 | Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research (Vol. 15, No. 4, p. 203), published by Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology (Chattanooga, TN). Copyright, 2010, Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology. All rights reserved.