Date of Conferral

4-8-2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Sciences

Advisor

Magdeline Aagard

Abstract

Adolescent dating violence (ADV) is a significant public health issue that disproportionately affects youths in southern rural communities, yet these populations remain underrepresented in research. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine the association between ADV and sociodemographic factors (gender, race, age, and education level), alcohol consumption, and bullying among adolescents in Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi using data from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Guided by the social-ecological model, binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess relationships between ADV victimization and the selected predictors. Results indicated that females had significantly higher odds of reporting dating violence than males (OR = 1.84, 95% CI [1.42–2.38], p < .001). Black/African American students had increased risk compared to White students (OR = 1.46, 95% CI [1.05–2.03], p = .024). Adolescents who reported alcohol use were more than twice as likely to experience dating violence (OR = 2.57, 95% CI [1.90–3.47], p < .001). Bullying victimization showed the strongest association (OR = 3.15, 95% CI [2.54–3.92], p < .001). Age and grade level did not significantly predict ADV (p > .05). Findings suggest the importance of culturally responsive prevention and intervention strategies tailored to rural contexts, including efforts to reduce bullying and alcohol use while addressing the disproportionate risks faced by female and Black adolescents for ADV. Findings may inform educators, health care providers, policymakers, and community leaders to develop targeted programs and policies that mitigate ADV and promote adolescent health and well-being in rural southern communities.

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